Now this is something different, isn't it ? Ok, we are no longer talking about backpacking here but Camel trekking may be close enough to give it a try and it is fun! If you think horses are animals with a character you haven't tried Camels. Really cool beast although they may have a different idea where to go than you. :-) However, besides the ride the Sinai peninsula has much to offer. It is Egypt's outdoor adventure land and although most tourists will rarely make it off the beach there're very scenic high mountains and deep canyons in the hinterland. Now camels don't like mountains but they're the perfect transportation device to explore the Wadis (dry riverbeds). Doing so by food would be a very tiresome experience due to the deep, soft sand but our animal fellows have the right shoe size to master this easily. There're a couple of places where you can do camel trekking but the most famous one is the region around the "White Canyon" with its bizarre white sandstone formations. If you decide to do a multi-day tour you usually start from a fairly remote village where you meet your Bedu guide and your riding buddy. If you survived the mounting procedure your group will head to some of the remoter canyons. Here and there you are required to lead your camel through difficult terrain and in some spots you can naturally also explore some canyons by yourself - we scrambled through a very narrow and deep slot canyon for instance (50cm wide in places). The hot spot of the trip, the White Canyon, can be very busy around noon due to an immense amount of Jeep day-tours. Most of these tourists are in a hurry and they stick to their air-con cars so you have the side canyons just for yourself. Typical for camel treks you sleep under the stars just in your sleeping bag and your Bedu guide will feed you with yummy meals (such as traditional bread baked in the hot ashes of your fireplace). Some may be concerned about the security situation in the region but the inner Sinai is actually a very safe place (less so the beach resorts). The biggest risk is probably a sunburn here so make sure to take a hat and long clothing - a good idea anyway when visiting remote places in Arabia. The tours can be organized in most tourist hot spots and its quite a bit cheaper locally than via the big outdoor travel agencies.