Religious History Expedition
8 days & 9 nights
Cairo, Wadi El Natroun, Luxor, Edfu, Kom Umbu, Aswan, Nile
Explore Egypt’s Holy Family history and local Catholic, Coptic Orthodox Churches. This unique itinerary balances the places and pathways of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, and the later Early Church with local history and culture.
Walk through the Old City of Cairo, the pyramids, and the Sphinx. Visit the Egyptian Museum, which includes antiques that date back 5,000 years. Explore the Egypt desert, and tour ancient religious sites include churches and monasteries that mark the Holy Family Journey. Cruise down the Nile to visit towering temples, elaborate tombs, and other monuments.
Optional traditional Latin Mass or Coptic Mass will be conducted at local Churches.
$3900Single Occupancy
$3700/ea Double Occupancy
Arrival in Cairo
Welcome to Egypt! Upon arrival at the airport in Cairo, meet up with your travel representative, who will assist you through customs and formalities. Then, you will be escorted to your hotel for check-in. Relax after a long day of travel.
Pyramids and Egyptian Museum.
After breakfast, visit the world-renowned pyramids (Cheops, Khafre, and Menkaure), which are located in the necropolis of Giza. The pyramids and the Sphinx are considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Following the tour of the pyramids and the Sphinx, head to the Egyptian Museum. The richest museum of Egyptian antiques in the world, it contains pharaonic treasures dating more than 5,000 years old. The building is rectangular with a large rotunda on the ground floor containing massive exhibits, including colossal statues of Ramses II—the best views of them can be obtained by looking down from the upper galleries. After the tour, transfer back to the hotel. Enjoy the evening at your leisure.
Catholic Latin Mass at a local Church
Wadi El Natroun
Begin the day early at the Monastery of Baramus, the oldest of four surviving monasteries and the most isolated, followed by the Monastery of Saint Pishoy, who is buried there. Visit Abu Makar Monastery & Deir Al Suryani which is the smallest and most compact of the four monasteries.
Following the tour, return to Cairo and enjoy the night on your own.
Catholic Latin Mass at a local Church
Coptic Cairo & Maadi Churches
Begin the day with visits to Cairo’s churches
The Hanging Church
St. Sergius
Church of St. George & the Fortress of Babylon in Old Cairo, on the route of the Holy Family
Continue to Mostorod to see Virgin Mary Church. Visit the Holy Well and Holy Mary tree at Matariya on the outskirts of Cairo, the resting place of the Holy Family and a popular destination among medieval pilgrims. Enjoy your final night in Cairo at your leisure!
Catholic Latin Mass at a local Church
Luxor West Bank & Nile
Enjoy breakfast, then start your day of adventures with a visit to the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, and Colossi of Memnon.
Cruise to Edfu and enjoy lunch and tea time from the sun deck while passing Esna Lock. Attend dinner and the Galabiya party onboard the cruise, with an overnight in Edfu.
Catholic Latin Mass at a local Church
Luxor & Nile
After breakfast, head to Cairo Airport and fly to Luxor. Upon arrival, meet your guide and travel to the Eastern Bank to visit the Temple of Karnak followed by the Luxor Temple. Then, board your cruise, spend the night in Luxor, and enjoy visiting Saint Mary Coptic Orthodox Church.
Catholic Latin Mass at a local Church
Cruise Edfu, Kom-Ombo & Aswan
Disembark from your ship and travel by carriage to the Temple of Horus. Discover one of the most beautiful temples of the Ptolemaic era, which has experienced exceptional preservation. Enjoy the overview of Edfu, and then return to the cruise.
Sail to Kom-Ombo and have lunch. Visit the Temples of the Gods Sobek and Haroeris. Following the tour, return to the cruise and sail to Aswan. Attend dinner and an options disco party on board, with an overnight in Aswan.
Catholic Latin Mass at a local Church
Aswan & Nile Sailing
Today’s land attraction is more modern, as you’ll visit the Aswan high dam, one of the largest in the world. Then go back to the past with a trip to the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis.
You’ll return to the boat in the afternoon, where you’ll spend time on river adventures as you ride smaller felucca sailboats down the Nile past Elephantine Island and the Agha Khan mausoleum before retiring to your cabin for the night.
Cruise Edfu, Kom-Ombo & Aswan
Explore the Monastery of St Simeon in the morning, known as Anba Hatre Monastery, which dates back to the 6th century and is the oldest monastery in Egypt.
Transfer to Aswan Airport to board a flight to Cairo. A travel representative will meet you at the airport. Check in to your hotel for the evening.
Depart from Cairo
Unfortunately, this is where we must part way, but memories and prayers with stay with your for a lifetime, and we hope you return again to Egypt.
Your guide will assist with your transfer to Cairo Airport to catch your flight home.