After an early breakfast we board our transport at 08:00 am to visit what is probably to most fascinating collection of ancient artifacts on the planet—The Egyptian Museum. We savor a late lunch at one of Cairo’s most iconic restaurants, Felfalah, before preparing for a night time tour of this ancient city. Discover the impressive rounded gates of Bab Al Fotouh, where you can read inscriptions carved by the troops of Napoleon, wander the every-changing alleyways of Khan el Khalili, and test your bartering skills in the souks of this bazaar district before shrugging off the chaos of outside for the air conditioned nirvana that is the Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant. Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner.

Today is a true combination of exploration and culture. After an early breakfast we hit the road for the easy journey to Memphis. Thousands of years older than its Tennessee namesake, this is home to the second largest sphinx in Egypt and a plethora of towering statues, including that of Rameses II. This UNESCO site will captivate you like no other, not only because of its awe-inspiring history, but the way your guide brings the tales to life. Memphis dates back over 5,200 years, and is the oldest capital city in Egypt. Feast your eyes on amazing antiquities and prized possessions of many pharaohs and kings. From here we head to a sight so many fail to experience, yet is one of the most treasured landmarks in the whole of the country: the Pyramids of Sakkara. This incredible necropolis is home to the oldest of all of the country’s iconic tombs—the Step Pyramid. And at more than 7,000 years old this takes experiencing history to a whole new level! Prepare to gaze in wonder when you enter these sacred tombs, laying a privileged eye upon inscriptions chiseled out by craftsmen not simply of yesteryear, but of an age that we today can only dream of. After a morning that would make the most intrepid of explorer weep with joy, we have a very special treat for lunch: dining at the landmark Cairo restaurant, Abou Shakra. Renowned for the quality of its food, this is the perfect location to wax lyrical about the wonders experienced. As the sun sets we head to what is perhaps the most famous and awe-inspiring location on the planet—the Pyramids of Giza. As our world’s fiery red star sinks below the horizon shadows cast eerie glows on these ancient structures. And as the steely-eyed gaze of The Sphinx slowly fades from view we can only hope, as did the Egyptians who walked the earth many millennia ago, that the sun will once again rise to greet us in the morning. Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel Meals: Breakfast,Lunch.

After a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel we hit the road at 08:00 am for our first foray into the very same passage taken by the young boy Christ with his family. We journey 100km north east of Cairo to Tel Basta, formerly known as Babastis. Today the town lies a short distance from Zagazig, the capital in the governorate of Sharqiah. It was here where the young Jesus caused a water spring to gush from the ground for his family to drink from, and we visit the site of this holy well. Prophecies of old foretold that one day a visitor of such hallowed presence would arrive and cause the stone idols that the townsfolk worshipped to crumble. When Jesus arrived this came to pass. Unwilling to accept that a true divine presence had appeared, the citizens of Tel Basta turned against the travelling family, who had to flee from the aggression, heading southwards to safety. There’s much to explore today, so we eat on the run with a delicious packed lunch, before returning to our Cairo hotel in time to freshen up. Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel Meals: Breakfast,Lunch.

Enjoy an early breakfast before our 08:00 am start towards Wadi El Natroun. The drive isn’t long (about 1 ½ hours), and we soon happen upon this incredible desert depression and it’s four great Coptic monasteries; Deir Anba Bishoy, Deir El Sourian (Virgin Mary), Deir Abu Makaf, and Deir El Baramous. The area is well below sea level, with several alkaline lakes, and rich salt deposits that were mined and used for the mummification process. Your White Pyramid guide will bring the history and legends of the region to glorious life—something that only a true home-grown expert can ever manage. With so much to see we once again appreciate a satisfying packed lunch, before heading, eventually, back to Cairo, the comfort of your hotel and a delicious evening meal. Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel Meals: Breakfast,Lunch.

Take advantage of breakfast before heading on a tour of the Old Churches of Cairo. Our first stop is “The Hanging Church”, so nicknamed because of the illusion created by the nave suspended over a passageway, making it look like it’s hanging in mid-air. The official name is The Church of the Virgin Mary, but even its Arabic name of al-Muallaqah translates to “The Suspended”. From one Coptic Church to the next, this time to the oldest of them all, St Sergius and Bacchus, a beautiful building constructed over a cave where Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus took shelter when retreating from the horror that was King Herod’s massacre of first-born sons. The Church of St George is well worth a little of our time, and was mentioned in the History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church and by Al-Maqrizi, as is the fascinating Coptic Museum that houses the largest collection of Egyptian Christian artifacts in the world. We then board out comfortable transport for the short journey to Maadi, a beautiful town just south of Cairo where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus paused as they fled from Herod. Here we explore the Deir Virgin Mary, a church built on the site of an ancient synagogue, with a captivating display of relics on display in the nave. We take lunch floating on the swirling waters of the Nile River, aboard the delightful Andrea Boat Restaurant. Refreshed we head to the town of Mostorod—known in the days of Christ as Al Mahamma (the bathing place) because it was here that the Virgin Mary bathed the infant Jesus and washed his clothes. We have time to visit the Church in her name before heading back to Cairo and contemplate the wonders we’ve experienced today. Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel Meals: Breakfast,Lunch.

Our biblical journey continues after breakfast as we drive the 6 ½ hours to Manyia, home of the impressive White Monastery. Built in 442 AD, it’s so named after the white color of its limestone walls. It’s one of the oldest Coptic buildings in the whole of Egypt and was constructed on the ruins of a Pharaonic city. The importance of this cultural architecture is wholly evident, and The Supreme Council of Antiquities has invested heavily into the restoration of this beautiful building. We take a picnic lunch on the move today, and then head to the Monastery of the Holy Virgin at Al Quisiy for more exploration, before heading to our hotel for the night, the delightful MG Nefertiti. With views of the mighty Nile and a backdrop of towering cliffs on the western bank, our accommodation provides a luxury location to relax, and reflect on the incredible journey we’ve taken so far. MG Nerfertiti Hotel Meals: Breakfast,Lunch.

We rise early for breakfast before boarding our transport for the 2 hours drive to Asyut. The city has changed names many times over the years, previously being known as Lycopolis and also as Swaty, and was the ancient capital of the 13th Nome of Upper Egypt. This is a very different side of the country to the one most tourists ever get to see. This is important location as we follow the journey of the young Christ, as it was the place where Joseph was told in a dream that it was time to return to Palestine. Once again the services of your Egypt Deluxe guide brings to life this ancient narrative, breathing realism into the tales inscribed and chronicled in Coptic history. Indeed, it was here that many of the vital accounts were faithfully penned by the monks that lived here. We visit the holy Deir Al Muharraq, a monastery where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus hid out in a cave for 6 months and 10 days on their flight from King Herod, their longest resting place in Egypt. There’s much to explore at this fascinating site, the location of an annual pilgrimage for thousands of people each year during the third week of June. The Monastery of The Holy Virgin Mary in Doronka is our next stop, located on the site of the cave believed to be the last destination within Egypt in which the Holy family rested on their journey. We enjoy a leisurely packed lunch before perhaps a well-earned snooze on the four-hour journey back to Cairo. Our hotel for the night is the luxurious Hilton Heliopolis a lively affair as we share memories and experiences with our friends we’ve made on this epic tour. Hilton Heliopolis Hotel Meals: Breakfast,Lunch.

Enjoy a final breakfast with your group before boarding your transfer to Cairo International Airport. Here you can relax in the airport lounge before catching your international flight home. Hilton Heliopolis Hotel Meals: Breakfast.