A tour to the Monasteries of Saint Anthony and Saint Paul, located in the Wadi Natrun desert in northwestern Egypt. These monasteries are among the oldest Christian monasteries and hold significant historical and religious value.
The Monastery of Saint Anthony is one of the oldest continuously operating monasteries in the world. Founded in the 4th century, it’s a place of pilgrimage dedicated to Saints Anthony and Paul. The monastery houses a small church, iconic frescoes, and a monastic museum where you can learn more about its history.
The Monastery of Saint Paul, also known as the Monastery of Baramous, boasts a rich history dating back to the 4th century. It serves as a retreat for monks and contains numerous churches, cells, a library, and a museum. There is also a spot where, according to tradition, the apostle Paul himself lived.
During the tour, you will have the opportunity to stroll through the monastery grounds, learn historical facts, and gain insight into the lives of the monks.
What’s included in the tour:
- Departure from Hurghada: Approximately 4:00 AM (exact time will be confirmed after booking). The comfortable journey to the monasteries is approximately 3 hours and covers 300 kilometers.
- Visit to the Monastery of Saint Anthony: Enjoy a guided tour and interact with the monks.
- Transfer to the Monastery of Saint Paul: The distance between the two monasteries is approximately 80 kilometers.
- Visit to the Monastery of Saint Paul: Explore the monastery and engage with the monastic community.
- Return to your hotel: Approximately 6:00 PM.
Pricing (total price shown; the more people, the lower the price per person):
- 2 people (car): $110 (minimum price for the tour)
- 3 people (car): $120 (children 6 years and older)
- 4 people (minivan): $140 (children 6 years and older)
- 5-8 people: Add $20 per person to the 4-person price. (Children 6-12 years old add $10 per person)
Note: If there are 8 adults, the price per person is $28.
9 or more people: Price upon request.
What’s Included in the Tour Price:
- Entrance fees to all sites included in the itinerary.
- Services of a Russian-speaking guide.
- Transportation to and from the monasteries.
Additional Fees:
El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, and Makadi: $10 extra roundtrip for up to 6 people.
Soma Bay and Safaga: $20 extra roundtrip for up to 6 people.
Please note that transportation may be shared with other guests.
What’s Not Included in the Tour Price:
- Lunch and drinks.
- Donations (optional).
- Tips (optional).
Children under 5 years old: Free of charge.
Additional Information:
- Personalized service: You will have a dedicated Russian-speaking guide and a comfortable vehicle with a driver for your exclusive use.
- Weekend crowds: Please note that Fridays and Saturdays are official holidays in Egypt, and there may be larger crowds of Egyptian visitors at the monasteries on these days. If you prefer a more secluded experience and wish to spend more time interacting with the monks, we recommend choosing other days for your visit.
- Passport photos: Please provide a photo of each participant’s passport for the necessary tourist permit.
- Deposit: A $50 deposit is required to process the permit, book the vehicle, and secure the guide. This deposit is refundable if you cancel at least 24 hours prior to the tour departure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Your price is so low... Probably you are doing a low-quality service?
We truly offer some of the lowest prices while maintaining a high quality of service. The reason is that we are an online booking company for large tour operators in Egypt, allowing us to offer very competitive prices due to our large volume of tourists. By booking with us, you receive high-quality service without overpaying intermediaries.
What kind of buses and transfers do you have?
A variety of transportation is available for use by the event organizers within the park, including cars, minivans, and comfortable buses. All vehicles are equipped with air conditioning and safety systems. For longer journeys, buses with restrooms are provided. Additionally, all vehicles undergo regular maintenance and sanitation checks, and possess the necessary tourist permits. Furthermore, drivers undergo inspections by the tourist police before each long trip.
How and when do I pay for the tour?
We work without prepayment. All group tours are paid for on the bus or during the tour itself. The exceptions are prepayments for private tours and tours that require purchasing airline tickets or processing documents. Our main programs are paid for directly during the transfer or at the beginning of the tour. You don’t need to look for someone to pay for the tour. An employee of the organizer will approach you. You can pay in cash in US dollars, euros, or Egyptian pounds. For your convenience, we also offer the option of transferring funds to a bank card in rubles, hryvnias, and euros at the exchange rate or to a cryptocurrency wallet in USDT, prior to the tour. For more detailed information on payment methods and refunds, please see here.
Do you have a tourist license?
Egypt is a highly regulated country, especially when it comes to tourism. For any vehicle or yacht to depart on an excursion, daily permits must be obtained from both the police and the military. If the tour operators don’t have a valid tourism license, they naturally won’t be granted these permits. This is why for certain excursions, we may request copies of your vouchers and passports (this applies to sea excursions in Sharm El-Sheikh, private tours, and some group tours if they involve leaving the city. For other excursions, permits are simply issued based on the number of people, and passport details are not required).
Are we insured during the excursion?
Unfortunately, some hotel guides try to convince tourists that their travel insurance is allegedly invalid if they book excursions with external tour operators, as opposed to their own company. This is not true.
Firstly, your travel insurance is valid throughout Egypt, just as it would be if you booked with the hotel’s tour company.
Secondly, if you are on a boat, bus, or other mode of transport, the organizer bears full insurance liability to the passengers. Otherwise, they simply would not be able to obtain a permit to conduct tour activities. Egypt has quite strict tourism regulations, and permits are required before each trip.
How can I retrieve a lost item from a tour?
We always remind our guests to double-check that they have all their belongings when exiting the bus or yacht at the end of the tour. Unfortunately, recovering lost items can be quite challenging due to the immediate departure of vehicles for cleaning and the complexities of Egyptian logistics. While we will do our best to help you locate your belongings, we cannot guarantee a 100% recovery rate. If we are able to find your item, there will be a delivery fee of $5-10. Please be mindful of your belongings!
Should I adjust my plans or wait for the tour?
We have a significant daily influx of booking requests for our programs from tourists. As a result, most excursions are organized daily or on specific days of the week following a detailed schedule provided in each program’s description. After booking, we will send you the exact pick-up time from your hotel. Many tours will be conducted with small groups from various hotels who have purchased excursions through tour operators. The only difference is that our prices are 40-60% lower (our organizers conduct all major excursions in Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh for Russian-speaking tourists).
Where can I find the photographer who took photos on the tour?
We would like to inform you that the photographers accompanying you on excursions act as independent representatives of their photo studios. They are not part of our online service or the program organizer team. All terms and conditions related to the photoshoot and its payment are discussed and agreed upon directly between you and the photographer. We recommend that you approach prepayments with caution and ensure the reliability of the services, as well as obtain all the photographer’s contact information before making any payments.