Your beautiful journey begins this evening as you board your overnight flight to Cairo, Egypt. Meals will be served on board.

We arrive in the land of the Pharaohs, Jacob, Joseph and Israel during the famine! Upon arrival at the airport we meet our guide and transfer to our hotel in Cairo, where we will be staying for the next 6 nights. Once we settle in our hotel, enjoy dinner and start soaking up the atmosphere of this incredible city. Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

Following breakfast we will be touring the wonders of the ancient world, some of which date back to 1000+ years prior to Abraham. We spend time at one of the seven wonders of the world- the pyramids. Cheops, with an original height of 496 feet, is the most colossal pyramid ever built. Today, we will also see the Sphinx and tour the New Grand Egyptian Museum, location of Tutankhamen’s treasures and ancient remains. The museum contains historical artifacts dating back more than 7,000 years. Dinner and overnight in Cairo.

After breakfast at the hotel we will start the flight of the Holy Family in Egypt . We will drive to Tel Basta , here is where Jesus gushed forth a spring of water to drink, visit the holy well. Continue to Belbeis where the Holy Family rested in the shade of a tree, “The Virgin Mary’s Tree” and remains a significant religious site for Christians. After visiting Saint George Church we will return to Cairo, Dinner and overnight.

Following breakfast we will board our motor coach to travel to Sakha. The Holy Family resided in Sakha during their flight in Egypt. We will visit the Virgin Mary Church, believed to be built on the site where they stayed. The church houses a stone bearing the footprint of Jesus Christ. The Holy Family crossed the Nile to the city of Samanoud. Here we will visit the Saint Abanoub Church. Abanoub was born in a town called Nehisa in the Nile Delta. He was the only son of good Christian parents. Abanoub was only twelve years old when he was martyred by the Roman ruler. Abanoub’s relics are still preserved in St. Virgin Mary and St. Abanoub church. The church still contains the well from which Jesus, Mary, and Joseph drank. Numerous apparitions and miracles do occur in the church till this very day. Return to Cairo for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast at your hotel, we travel to Wadi Natrun Valley. Known for its natural salt lakes and early Christian monasteries . The ancient Egyptians found a source of the salt deposit natron, a vital ingredient in the mummification process. This remote valley just west of the Delta region was later valued by the early Christians as a hiding place from persecution by the Romans. Initially they sheltered in caves, later building monasteries, of which four remain today. Each monastery is home to a community of monks. Begin your trip with Deir al-Baramous . to proceed to Deir Anba Bishoy who’s body is still there, continue to visit Abu Makar Monastery and end your trip with Deir El- Suryani. Return to Cairo for dinner and overnight.

Today we visit the churches of Coptic Cairo, start by the Hanging Church. The church is named “Hanging” because it’s built on top of the ruins of the Roman Fortress of Babylon. The church seems to float in the air, giving it the name “Hanging Church. Continue to the Church of St.Sergius , also known as Abu Serga, is one of the oldest Coptic Christian churches in Egypt. It’s located in Old Cairo. According to Coptic tradition, the Holy Family sought shelter in a cave beneath the church during their flight from King Herod. Next we will visit the Church of St. George, located within the Roman Fortress of Babylon in Old Cairo. After lunch we continue to proceed to visit the Church of Holy Virgin Mary at Maadi. The Holy Family had passed by the place where now the Church is build. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

The Holy family traveled in a boat on the Nile toward the south. Following breakfast we will travel south to Minya City. Upon arrival in Minya we will visit The “Church beside the River at Gabal Al Teir”, it refers to the Church of the Virgin Mary located on the mountaintop of Gabal Al Teir . A significant stop on the journey of the Holy Family according to Coptic tradition. The church is built near the Nile River, hence the “beside the river” description Gabal Al Teir. Travel to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Following breakfast we will continue our journey south to Assyut City to visit the Monastery of the Holy Virgin. The holy family spent over 6 months here . The monastery’s altar, dated 747 AD, is said to be located on the very spot where the baby Jesus rested and is claimed to be the oldest in the world. We continue our way to Luxor for dinner and overnight.

This morning after breakfast visit Temple of Karnak (temple of the New Kingdom period) and the East Bank of the Nile. It was during this period that the bondage and Exodus occurred. Karnak second to Giza’s Pyramids, is one of Egypt’s most important Pharaonic sites. Embarkation on board our Nile cruise. Lunch, followed by the visit of famous Temple of Luxor, which was founded in the reign of Amenhotep III, grandson of the pharaoh of the Exodus. Re-board our ship for dinner and overnight.

This morning we visit the Valley of the Kings (where many ancient pharaohs were buried) and the famous Temple of Hatshepsut, the princess who perhaps pulled baby Moses out of the Nile River. This temple may have been designed by Moses. Back to our cruise. Lunch and start navigation towards Edfu passing through Esna lock. Dinner and overnight on our ship.

After your breakfast aboard the cruise, you will be transferred to visit the famous Edfu temple, then back to the cruise ship to continue sailing to Kom Ombo to visit crocodile-headed God of fertility and creator of the world and then return to your cruise vessel to sail to Aswan with dinner In Aswan and an enjoyable overnight stay aboard the cruise.

Breakfast then depart to visit the High Dam, built from 1960 – 1971 and is a major factor in Egypt’s agricultural success. We then also spend time at Philae Temple on the Isi-Island. This complex was moved from up river due to the impending destruction upon the completion of the High Dam. For those who wish to participate a visit is available this afternoon to Abu Simbel, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Nubian Monuments.” Our Egyptologist guide discusses the relevance of this spectacular site from Egyptian history. We will also try to put in perspective the long history of Egypt. Here we visit the massive temple of Pharaoh Rameses II, perhaps the greatest builder of temples in ancient Egypt (13th Century BC) and a second one of Queen Nafertari, Rameses’s most beloved wife. For those who do not participate on the trip to Abu Simbel, Free Time is available in Aswan followed by a Felucca ride around the Agh Khan Mausoleum. Dinner and overnight on board.

Today we will fly from Aswan to Cairo. Enjoy a nice evening out at the very famous Moez street, back to the Fatimid period and stroll through the Turkish style bazaars of Khan El Khalili, the day will be crowned with a farewell dinner and overnight.

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Occasionally local religious and national holidays, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events or the missing of certain events/places. Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of events and places to be visited.