Day trip to the Monastery of Saint Anthony and Saint Paul in the Eastern desert of Egypt

Highlights

• Monastery of Saint Anthony - one of the most prominent Coptic Orthodox monasteries in Egypt
• Visit Monastery of Saint Paul the Anchorite
• Hear about the history of both monasteries from your knowledgeable guide

All about the trip

Our tour guide will pick you up from your hotel early morning at 5:00 AM with a private air-conditioned vehicle and you will drive for around 335 km from Cairo to reach the Monastery of Saint Anthony through Cairo – Hurghada desert road. You will arrive at the oldest monastery in the world. St. Anthony was believed to be the first Christian monk and the monastery is one of the most prominent Coptic Orthodox monasteries in Egypt. It has strongly influenced the formation of several Coptic institutions and has promoted monasticism in general. Several patriarchs have come from the monastery, and several hundred pilgrims visit it each day.

This monastery possesses many endowments and possessions at Misr. It is a large complex surrounded by a fortified wall. Within the walls, there is a large garden, containing fruitful palm trees, apple trees, pear trees, pomegranates, and other trees besides beds of vegetables, and three springs of perpetually flowing water. There are also five churches, and a library containing more than 1,700 handwritten manuscripts. The cave where Saint Anthony lived is 2 km from the monastery and is 680 meters (2200 feet) above the Red Sea level. It is a small natural hole in the rocks adjacent to the southern part of Mount Galala.

After the visit, we will have a break and lunch for 40 minutes at a local restaurant. Then we will continue our way by vehicle for 30 minutes to visit the Monastery of Saint Paul the Anchorite. The Monastery has three different churches. That of Saint Paul the Anchorite, built underground, was originally dug into the cave where the saint lived and where his remains are kept. The two other churches are named after Saint Mercurius and Archangel Michael. The monastery is surrounded by high walls, and also has a tower, an ancient refectory, a mill, and a spring that is believed to have served Saint Paul the Anchorite as a water source during his eighty years of seclusion in this area. A second spring, known as the Pool of Mary is named after Mary, the sister of Moses, who is believed to have washed her feet there during the Exodus. This monastery has many illustrated manuscripts, including the Coptic version of the Divine Liturgy.

At the end of the tour, we will drive you back to your hotel in Cairo by Hurghada- Cairo desert road.

What is included in the price

• Hotel or port pickup and drop-off in Cairo
• All your visits include entrance fees
• Lunch and mineral water
• Transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle
• Private English-speaking Egyptologist guide
• Taxes and service charge

What is not included in the price

• Visa Entry for Egypt
• Personal expenses
• Any other items not mentioned
• Tipping

Instructions

This activity is organised by Egypt Promotion, Mahmoud Hoballah – Abbas El Akad 12, Cairo, Egypt, +201009098098, info@egyptpromotion.com.