My sister and I would like to visit (or even stay at) either or both the monasteries of St.Catherine and St.Antony, in Egypt. We prefer to fly from Manchester and perhaps use Sharm el-Sheikh as a base, or is some other location better? Can you suggest a tour company that can help us? Tony Jenkins, Altrincham, Cheshire

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: The magnificent monastery of St Catherine is about a 90-minute drive from Sharm el-Sheik, or two hours from Taba. If you book a package deal to either you’ll have no trouble in finding a local tour operator who’ll take you to the monastery, or you can book an excursion here via your hotel too.

However, if you want to make sure that all’s set before you go on holiday, a specialist tour operators can book you a day trip to the site, or at least reserve you a place, which you then pay for locally.

Libra Holidays (0871 226 7825) has a week’s B&B in Sharm el-Sheikh at the 5-star Maritim Jolie Ville Golf Resort, from £607pp, including flights from Manchester and transfers. A full day’s trip to the monastery costs £38pp. Another trip is available where you hike with a guide to the top of Mt Sinai and watch the sunrise.

Alternatively, Peltours (020 8371 5200) has a week’s half board at the 5-star Marriot in Taba, also in September, from £565pp, with flights from Manchester, and transfers. A day trip to St Catherine’s is about £35pp, plus you can also reach Petra in Jordan on a day trip from here, for about £125pp.

You can’t actually stay inside the monastery. There is a little village nearby which has a few hotels though, but none atmospheric enough to merit staying the night out here.

You are best to save St Anthony’s for another visit, as it is more difficult to reach – either from Cairo or Hurghada. For more information on the St Catherine’s, visit www.sinaimonastery.com, and other tour operators include and Longwood Holidays (020 8418 2525), and Argo Holidays (0871 902 7070).

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