The Land of Egypt: Pharaohs, Early Christians and Alexandria

This eleven-day journey through Egypt traces the full arc of faith — from the pharaonic colossi of Giza to the living monasteries of Wadi El Natron, where monks have prayed without ceasing since the fourth century. Sail the Nile from Luxor to Aswan aboard a 5-star cruise, walk the Coptic churches of Old Cairo, and stand in Alexandria where Mark the Evangelist planted one of the first churches outside Jerusalem. Egypt is not only the land of bondage. It is also the land where Christian monasticism was born — and where it still endures.

What You'll Encounter

• The Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and the Valley Temple — monuments standing before the Exodus

• The Grand Egyptian Museum — the world's largest archaeological museum

• Karnak and Luxor Temples — the greatest religious complex ever constructed

• The Nile — four nights aboard a 5-star cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan

• Luxor West Bank — the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple, Colossi of Memnon

• Philae Temple and the Unfinished Obelisk at Aswan

• Coptic Cairo — the Old Cairo Churches, Coptic Museum, and Citadel of Salah El Din

• Alexandria — the Catacombs and the Library of Alexandria, founded in the city where Mark preached

• Wadi El Natron — four ancient monasteries founded between 360 and 645 AD, still inhabited today

The Journey

Day by Day

1. 01

   Arrival in Cairo

   Arrive at Cairo International Airport, where your Veritas representative meets and assists you. Transfer by private vehicle to your hotel for a relaxing evening. This evening, enjoy a two-hour dinner cruise aboard a 5-star floating restaurant on the Nile, with belly dancer and oriental show — the great river carrying you gently beneath the lights of Cairo. Overnight in Cairo.
2. 02

   The Pyramids of Giza & the Grand Egyptian Museum

   After breakfast, your private guide takes you to the Great Pyramids of Giza — the only surviving wonder of the ancient world — along with the Sphinx and the Valley Temple at its feet. The Israelites who labored in Egypt would have known monuments like these. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, then spend the afternoon at the Grand Egyptian Museum, the world's largest archaeological museum, home to the complete treasures of Tutankhamun and artifacts spanning three thousand years of pharaonic history. Overnight in Cairo.
3. 03

   Flight to Luxor — Nile Cruise Begins

   After breakfast, transfer to Cairo Airport for your flight to Luxor, ancient Thebes — the religious capital of the New Kingdom. Upon arrival, board your 5-star Nile cruise ship and settle in. After lunch on board, explore Luxor's East Bank: walk through the great hypostyle hall at Karnak, a forest of 134 massive columns and the largest religious complex ever built, then continue to the elegant Luxor Temple at the heart of the ancient city. Overnight aboard the Nile cruise in Luxor.
4. 04

   Luxor — The West Bank

   Cross to the West Bank of the Nile and enter the Valley of the Kings, where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom — the era of Moses and the Exodus — were buried in tombs cut deep into the limestone. Visit the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of the most accomplished rulers in Egyptian history. Stand before the Colossi of Memnon, two massive stone sentinels that have watched the Nile flood and recede for thirty-three centuries. Return to the ship for lunch and begin sailing toward Edfu, passing tranquil villages and scenic riverbanks. Overnight aboard the Nile cruise.
5. 05

   The Temple of Horus at Edfu & Kom Ombo

   After breakfast, take a horse-drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus at Edfu — one of Egypt's best-preserved ancient temples. Continue sailing to Kom Ombo and explore the extraordinary twin temples dedicated to Sobek and Horus — divided precisely down the center for two gods, perched dramatically above a bend in the river. Enjoy dinner on board as the cruise continues toward Aswan. Overnight aboard the Nile cruise.
6. 06

   Aswan — High Dam, Philae & the Unfinished Obelisk

   Spend the day in Aswan, where the Nile runs slow and green. Visit the High Dam, the modern engineering feat that reshaped the river. See the Unfinished Obelisk still resting in its ancient quarry — abandoned mid-carving, a window into the craft that built a civilization. Take a short boat ride across the Aswan reservoir to the island sanctuary of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis and one of the last temples to remain active into the Christian era. In the afternoon, enjoy an optional felucca ride on the Nile to the Botanical Gardens. Your final evening aboard the Nile cruise.
7. 07

   Aswan to Cairo — Optional Abu Simbel

   Disembark after breakfast and transfer to Aswan Airport for your flight back to Cairo. For those who wish, an optional early morning excursion to Abu Simbel is available — the rock-cut temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, relocated in one of the greatest engineering feats of the twentieth century to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Alternatively, visit a traditional Nubian village on the banks of the Nile. Arrive at Cairo domestic airport, transfer to your hotel, and enjoy a free afternoon at leisure. Overnight in Cairo.
8. 08

   Coptic Cairo — The Churches, the Museum & the Citadel

   After breakfast, spend a full day in the oldest Christian quarter in Africa. Visit the ancient churches of Old Cairo, the Coptic Museum — the world's finest collection of early Christian art, from the apostolic age through the Islamic conquest — and the Citadel of Salah El Din, the medieval fortress with sweeping views across Cairo. End the day at Khan El Khalili, the ancient bazaar that has stood since the fourteenth century. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant during the visits. Overnight in Cairo.
9. 09

   Alexandria — Mark's City

   Check out after breakfast and travel to Alexandria by deluxe coach — approximately 230 km (three hours). Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great and became the intellectual capital of the ancient world. By tradition, it was the city where Mark the Evangelist planted the church that became the Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the oldest Christian communities on earth. Visit the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the modern resurrection of the ancient Library of Alexandria. Stroll through the Montazah Gardens on the Mediterranean. Overnight in Alexandria.
10. 10

    Wadi El Natron — The Monasteries of the Desert

    Check out after breakfast and return toward Cairo, stopping en route at Wadi El Natron — one of the most significant sites in the history of Christian monasticism. Visit four ancient monasteries still inhabited by Coptic monks today: the Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great (Deir Abu Magar), founded around 360 AD, housing the relics of the Three Macarii and the Chapel of the 49 Martyrs; the Monastery of the Syrians (Deir al-Surian), with its Church of the Virgin Mary built in 645 AD and ancient frescoes; the Monastery of Saint Bishoy (Deir Anba Bishoi), the largest in the region, with a 10-meter fortress wall and five churches; and Al-Baramous Monastery, one of the oldest, dedicated to Saints Maximus and Domadius. These communities have prayed without ceasing for more than sixteen centuries. Arrive Cairo and check in to your hotel near the airport. Overnight in Cairo.
11. 11

    Departure

    Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, then transfer to Cairo International Airport for your flight home, carrying with you unforgettable memories of ancient wonders, living faith, and the extraordinary land that formed God's people.

Program Rates Include

What's Included

• Meet-and-assist service at all airports

• Personalized guest relations assistance throughout your stay

• All airport and hotel transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle

• Ground transfers between Cairo and Alexandria in an air-conditioned vehicle

• 5 nights accommodation at the 5-star Cairo Marriott Omar Khayyam on half-board basis, standard rooms (Nile-view upgrade available at $40 per person per night)

• 4 nights aboard a 5-star Nile cruise ship (Luxor to Aswan) on full-board basis

• 1 night accommodation at the 5-star Hilton Alexandria on half-board basis

• Domestic flights in Egypt as per the itinerary

• Egypt Entry Visa fees

• Private guided tours in Cairo

• Guided sightseeing tours in Luxor and Aswan as per the itinerary

• Guided group tours during the Nile cruise

• Professional English-speaking Egyptologist guide throughout

• All entrance fees to sites listed in the itinerary

• Meals as specified in the itinerary (breakfast, lunch, and dinner where applicable)

• Bottled water during excursions

• Luggage handling where needed

• All service charges and applicable taxes

Not Included

• International airfare

• Optional tours and activities not listed in the itinerary

• Personal expenses (telephone, laundry, beverages during meals, etc.)

• Tipping for guides, drivers, and cruise crew (at your discretion)

Accommodation

Hotels of the Package

• Cairo

  Cairo Marriott Omar Khayyam

• Nile (Luxor–Aswan)

  5-Star Nile Cruise Ship

• Alexandria

  Hilton Alexandria

Or similar properties of equivalent standard.