In the footsteps of the Holy Family
Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge for the Holy Family on their flight from Judea.
By the 2nd century with the arrival of Saint Mark in Alexandria, Christianity quickly spread throughout Egypt. The intellectual center of Alexandria played an important role in defining the New Testament. Monasticism was born in Egypt and by the 4th century
there were hundreds of monasteries, and thousands of cells and caves scattered throughout the Egyptian desert and aroiund places where the Holy Family was supposed to have stayed. A great number of these monasteries are still flourishing to this day.
Our sample itinerary of 8 days covers Alexandria, the Nile Delta and the Nile Valley.
For booking and enquiries, please contact the Leisure Department at Excel travel.
Day 1: Cairo
Arrive to Cairo. Transfer to your hotel.
Day 2: Bilbeis, Tel Basta, Alexandria
After breakfast we head to Alexandria, the former intellectual center of early Christianity.. We drive through the Nile Delta and visit Bilbis & Tel Basta in Zagazig and continue to Samanoud. Arrival at Alexandria in the late afternoon. Overnight at the hotel. (B + L)
Day 3: Alexandria
A morning tour takes us to the Catacomb of Kom EL Shougafa, the Citadel of Qait Bay and the Alexandria Library. Overnight in Alexandria. (B + L)
Day 4: Wadi Natrun - Cairo
We drive back to Cairo. On our way we stop in Wadi Natroun and visit the monasteries of EL Baramose, Anba Bishoy, El Sorian & Abu Makar. After lunch we continue to Cairo for overnight. (B + L)
Day 5: Minya - Assiut
Today we drive south. But first we visit the Coptic Quarter in cairo and the church in Maadi. We continue to the Monastery of Virgin Mary at Gabal El Tair. In the late afternoon we arrive in Assiut and stay for overnight in a the Drounka Monastery. (B + L)
Day 6: Assiut - Tell Armana - Minya
We visit the Monasteries of El Mouhharaq & Drounka in Assiut and head back to Minya visiting Tell Armana and a church built into the mountain in Sawada near Minya.. Overnight in Minya. (B + L)
Day 7: Minya - Beni Hassan - Cairo
Today we visit Beni Hassan on our way back to Cairo. Overnight in Cairo. (B + L)
Day 8: Cairo
Optional visit of the Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids (B) . Transfer to the Airport .
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