Branded Documentary
Red Sea Mountain Trail
Client:
RSMT
Category:
Branded Documentary
Location:
Red Sea, Egypt
The Red Sea Mountain Trail Film
I shot this piece in 2019 as the official launch film for the Red Sea Mountain Trail. Over the course of 10 days, we hiked rugged terrain, climbed loose rock peaks like Om Samyuk, and descended steep valleys on thin ropes. I worked closely with trail developer Ben Hoffler, co-producer Hamsa Mansour, and members of the Maaza tribe, who guided us through their land.
Although it was a true adventure, the start was rough; I got food poisoning just before the journey began. The ride into the mountains was brutal until Mohamed, a Maaza guide, noticed I was unwell. He stopped the car, picked wild herbs from the ground, and handed me a handful, insisting I swallow them. I learned the hard way how sour Baatharan is. But after two days of mixing traditional Bedouin remedies with modern medicine, I was back on my feet and able to keep going.
Once released, the film was widely circulated, shared by Egypt’s Minister of Tourism, Dr. Rania El Mashat, and featured by international outlets like Time magazine, which named the trail one of the “World’s 100 Greatest Places” in 2020.
Still from the Red Sea Mountain Trail, featured in Time Magazine’s “World’s 100 Greatest Places” (2020).
The Maaza Tribe
is the main indigenous inhabitants of the Red Sea Mountain region, stretching from Ras Ghareb to El Quseir in the south. Many members have become integrated into modern urban life, working in tourism and other industries. Others still choose to lead a nomadic life, herding, traveling, and following the rain. But surviving as nomads has grown increasingly difficult with each passing year, not only for the Maaza, but for many of Egypt’s tribes, as the modern world reshapes their ancestral way of life.
