| Moses and the Pharaohs - Reviving the story of the Exodus - Refugees past and present. Dates in Egypt: February 20 - March 7, 2023 This program welcomes all people with reasonable walking mobility. https://www.stars-egypt.org/ is an ELCA ministry serving refugees primarily from Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, and Yemen. In addition to seeing the wonders of Egypt, this trip allows you to meet the people behind this vibrant refugee-led organization.
Day 1 Arrival day, meet your expeditor at Cairo International Airport, checking into the Nile view hotel at Zamalek Island (Sofitel El Gezirah). During the check-in there will be an introduction about Egypt and the itinerary. At sunset we will do a Nile sailing felucca (sailboat) including a drink and snacks and talk to me* hour. During the felucca ride you'll have the chance to meet staff from the Stars refugee program and to hear of their experiences. *Talk to me hour is a free nightly talk about anything that you would like to know from the Egyptologist guide.
Day 2 After breakfast we check out of the hotel then starting at 8AM we drive to San El Hagar Tanis, which was the biggest settlement in the east of the Nile Delta and was one of the main cities to host the Israelites in Egypt. Next we drive to Ismailia, the Biblical site of the fire coming down heaven to guide the Israelites during the Exodus. Check-in at the hotel (Mercure) with a Suez Canal view followed by dinner and talk to me hour. Tonight's question and answer will cover more questions about the day, talking about the next day, and discussing the digging of Suez Canal Driving hours, 3 hours from Cairo to Tanis, 2 hours from Tanis to Ismailia.
Day 3 After breakfast, we check out of the hotel. Starting at 8AM, we drive to Saint Catherine's monastery, also known as Mt. Sinai, the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments. En route, we'll drive through the historical sites of Moses Springs and the Pharaoh's Bath. Arriving at Saint Catherine's monastery, we check-in at the hotel (Morgan Land or Catherine Plaza). We'll enjoy an early dinner and talk to me hour, discussing the Bedouins of Sinai. We'll go to sleep early in order to climb to the summit early the next morning in time for the sunrise Driving hours, 5 hours from Ismailia to Saint Catherine.
Day 4 Optional after midnight (1 or 2 AM according to the sunrise of that day) climb to the summit of Mount Sinai (Moses' Mountain) to get to the peak where Moses received the Ten Commandants, watching one of the best sunrise of your life over the mountain. After climbing down (or driving from the hotel for the people who don't climb), we'll visit Saint Catherine's monastery, then return to the hotel to refresh and have a late breakfast. Next we'll drive to Ain Sokhna to check in the hotel (Movenpick) and have dinner. Tonight's talk to me hour is about monasticism in Egypt Optional climbing, 3 hours up and 2 hours down. 4 miles ascending and 750 steps to the peak with an availability of riding a camel for 4 miles distance up and back down Driving, 5 hours from Saint Catherine to Ain Sokhna.
Day 5 After an early breakfast, we check out of the hotel and head towards the oldest monastery in Egypt, Saint Anthony. We'll have a tour with one of the monks in the monastery which still maintains most of its ancient buildings from the end of the 4th century A.D. Afterwards, we drive to Hurghada, check-in at the hotel, and have dinner Driving time 1 hour from Ain Sokhna to the Monastery An additional 4 hours to Hurghada.
Day 6 Enjoy the Red Sea with a full board accommodation at the hotel. An included optional tour of watching the sunset from a boat in the Red Sea.
Day 7 After breakfast we check out of the hotel and drive to Luxor. Upon arrival we will visit Karnak Temples then we head towards the Nile Cruise to check-in and have lunch. After a few hours of resting, we'll have an evening visit at the temple of Luxor during sunset Talk to me hour after dinner about Ancient Egyptian Religion Driving hours 4 hours from Hurghada to Luxor.
Day 8 4 Early morning start to the hot air balloon, optional with an additional charge based on the number of interested people After breakfast, we drive to the Western Bank of the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings and Queen Hatshepsut's temple Returning back to the Nile Cruise, we sail towards Esna Lock After lunch talk to me about the Nile and Esna Lock and cultivation in Egypt while watching the beauty of Egyptian countryside. The boat reaches Edfu around midnight.
Day 9 Before breakfast, we embark on an early visit by horse carriage to Edfu Temple of the god Horus. After we have breakfast, you have a free morning to rest or nap before lunch, then the cruise moves to Kom Ombu to visiting the temple of gods Horus and Sobek. Next we visit the Crocodile Museum. The cruise moves to Aswan reaching Aswan around 9 PM Talk to me about the Dams of Egypt and the rescuing of the ancient temples of being submerged under Lake Nasser.
Day 10 Included optional tour to Abu Simbel starts at 4AM, taking a breakfast box before driving for four hours to Abu Simbel to visit the temple and then heading back to Aswan to have lunch at the cruise. During the afternoon, you have free time till 4 pm for the optional included tour to the Nubian Village. The tour starts with a felucca sailing boat then a motor boat to the village. On the way to the Village talk to me about the Village and the Nubians and the different origins of the Egyptians Driving 3 hours to Abu Simbel and another 3 hours back to Aswan.
Day 11 After breakfast, we visit the Aswan High Dam before continuing to Philae Temple to visit goddess Isit (Isis) Temple. Next, we visit the quarries of red granite to see one of Egypt's most famous incomplete monuments, the unfinished obelisk. Our time in southern Egypt concludes with our flight back to Cairo. After checking in the hotel there, we will enjoy dinner with a view of the iconic Pyramids of Giza Included option a Nile dance boat with people from STARS.
Day 12 After breakfast, the crown jewel of your visit to Egypt: a visit to the Pyramids of Giza to see the Great Pyramid of King Khufu, the Pyramid of King Khefre and the Pyramid of King Menkawre. Last but certainly not least, we'll explore the great statue of The Sphinx. Having lunch at El Azhar Park then driving to the Egyptian Museum. Talk to me about Cairo its history and culture.
Day 13 After breakfast at the hotel attend an optional refugee service at St. Andrew's Church, then head towards Coptic Cairo and the Citadel of Salah Al Din to visit Mohammed Ali Mosque the Khan Al Khalili Bazaar, dinner at the Bazaar.
Day 14 Explore an in-depth history of the historical pyramids at Saqqara and Dahshur.
Day 15 Drive to the airport for your flight back home
The itinerary includes: All the meals mentioned 4 night Nile Cruise AC accommodations and transportation. Stated hotel cost is for double occupancy. Single occupancy is available for a small supplement. English speaking Egyptologist guide Tickets to the mentioned archeological sites and national parks Water and soft drinks during the tour Tour cost (all expenses within country) $5000 Please note, international airfare to Egypt is not included in the tour cost. A deposit of $1000 is requested by Nov. 30th.
Please contact Pastor Bekah Davis at [email protected] with any questions or inquiries
Ministry in Cairo. |
