The holy family on their flight to Egypt

Egypt , the land of miracles, history and the living site of many legend, tale or reliogion, be it pharaonic, Islamic or Christian. Launched a major tourist initiative to remind people throughout the world of one of the major events of biblical history: the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt. The programme encourages travellers to retrace the steps of Jesus Christ with his mother, the Virgin Mary, and Joseph in Egypt.

According to the New Testament, the Lord warned Joseph that King Herod, the King of Israel, was planning to kill Jesus. The Family thus decided to flee Bethlehem and escape to Egypt. "Take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt" (Matthew 2:13).

Jesus Christ lived in Palestine, and the only other country he travelled to was Egypt. During their time in Egypt, Jesus, Mary and Joseph visited many places. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism is now urging travellers to follow the route taken by the Holy Family in their 'great escape' from King Herod.

In order to promote this initiative, we arranged the following program:

List of Monasteries and Churches :

Program 10 days/9 nights

DAY 1, CAIRO
Arrival at Cairo international airport, where our representative will be waiting for you. He will then meet and assist you through airport formalities. You will then be transferred to your hotel, Check in and overnight in Cairo.

DAY 2, CAIRO
After breakfast, you will meet your tour guide at the hotel and depart to visit the Egyptian museum, the great pyramids ( Cheops, Chefren and Micerinous ) and sphinx, the citadel of Salah-el-Din and Mohamed Ali Mosque ( the Albaster Mosque ). You will end the visits of the day with a walk in the oldest bazaar in Cairo, the Khan-el-Khalili bazaar. Return to the hotel and overnight in Cairo.

DAY 3, ALEXANDRIA
After breakfast, you will meet your guide at the hotel and depart to visit the Coptic sites that were visited by the Holy Family. Leave to TAL BASTA, visit St. Mary's spring which started to flow when Jesus passed by. Drive to DAKADOUS, visit St. Mary's church which was built on top of 2 churches dating back to 4 th. & 13 th. Centuries.Proceed to SAMMANOUD, visit the old church, there is a garnet basin was used by the Holy Family and a water spring which also was used by them. Drive to SAKHA, visit St. Mary's church. In this village the holychild left his foot print on the rock. Proceed to ALEXANDRIA and overnight.

DAY 4, ALEXANDRIA
After breakfast, you will meet your guide at the hotel and depart for a full day city tour in Alexandria to visit the Catacombs of Com El-Shoqafa (hill of Potsherds) carved into solid rock to a depth of 100 ft. These tombs dating to the first of second century AD. Visit the Fortress of Qayet Bay which was built during the 15 th. century on the site probably with the stones of the Pharaoh's Lighthouse. Visit Greco Roman museum which boats a wonderful display of a fine collection of items dating primarily from 300 BC. To 300 AD. Visit Pompey's Pillar & Roman Amphitheater, it is presently the only example of such a theater in Egypt. Back to the hotel and overnight.

DAY 5, CAIRO
After breakfast, you will meet your guide at the hotel and drive to Wadi El-Natrun 120 km.to visit one of the beginning of the 4 th. century then proceed to Cairo, overnight in Cairo.

DAY 6, CAIRO
After breakfast, you will meet your guide at the hotel and depart to visit places which where visited by the Holy Family in Cairo and around it. Leave to Mostord, where Jesus caused a water spring to flow. Proceed to Matarya where the Holy Mother washed clothes of her son, and from this water God caused a fragrant plant to grow.'' Balsam ''. There is also St. Mary's tree to visit. Drive to Zeitoun, visit St. Mary's church where she appeared on April 1968. Proceed to Old Cairo where the Holy Family stayed for some time. Visit St. Sergius church. Drive down to Maadi to visit St. Mary's monastery and church on the Nile River where an open bible was found floating. This is where holy family started their trip to Upper Egypt by boat. Felucca ride on the Nile, back to the hotel and overnight in Cairo.

DAY 7, EL- MENYA
After breakfast, leave to El-Menya to visit Gabal El-Tair. Here it was said that a huge block of stone was about to fall on the boat of the family, from the mountain. The Virgin was frightened but Jesus stretched his hand and prevented the rock from falling and left his palm print on it. ( This rock is now in the London Museum ). Visit St. Mary's Church & Monastery also called the cave church. There is an altar in the cave where they stayed. Proceed to El-Menya and overnight at the hotel.

DAY 8, ASSIOUT
After breakfast, leave to El-Menya to drive to Beni Hassan's Cemetery, which dates from the second millennium BC. Proceed to Tel El-Amarna, which is well known because of its association with Akhnaton, the monotheist. Leave to Tuna El-Gabal. Their most important feature is the smooth mixing of Egyptian and Greek artistic traditions. Proceed to Assiout and overnight at the hotel.

DAY 9, CAIRO
After breakfast, leave to Monastery of Dronka at the mountain of Assiout, there is a cave in that mountain which they stayed for some time. Drive to monastery of El-Muharraq at Qosqam mountain, visit the Church of the holy virgin. The Holy Family stayed for six monthes and some days there, it is the first church was established in the world. There is a Rock where Jesus was sitting on. And St. Joseph was sleeping on when the angel appeared to him and told him to go back to Jerusalem. It was in a hut where Joseph had the dream in which the angel of the Lord appeared to him and informed him of Herod's death and bidden him to take the holy child and his mother and return to the land of Jerusalem. Drive back to Cairo and overnightat the hotel.

DAY 10, CAIRO
After breakfast, leave to Cairo International airport for your departure flight.