Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesArabic, English, Spanish
Private tourOnly your group will participate
Pickup offeredSee the meeting and pickup details below
Overview
In the morning pick up from your hotel in Cairo and visit the Monastery of Saint Simon, also known as the Cave Church of Zabbaleen. It is located in the Mokattam Mountain, a short drive through the so called “Garbage City’ – a large population of garbage collectors or Zabbaleen that live there. Several churches have been built into the caves found in Mokattam, First we visit, Saint Simon the Tanner Hall and St. Mark’s Church.
This huge cave was discovered in the year 1974. It was full of hundreds of tons of stones even up to the ceiling of the cave (which is 17 meters high from the ground), and was later prepared to contain two stores: 1. The upper story is the St. Simon the Tanner Hall, with seating capacity of 2000 people for spiritual meetings. The walls are decorated with many wonderful pictures engraved on the rocks representing scenarios from the Bible
Then we continue and visit the Cathedral of Virgin Mary and St. Simon the Tanner. After the tour transfer back to your hotel.
What's included
Private transportation
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Air-conditioned vehicle
Qualified Egyptologist guide
Gratuities
Lunch
What to expect
Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus
30m
The church is dedicated to Sergius and Bacchus, who were soldier-saints martyred during the 4th century in Syria by the Roman Emperor Maximina. The most interesting feature is the crypt where Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus are said to have rested. The crypt is 10 meters deep and, when Nile levels are high, is often flooded.
The Hanging Church
30m
The Hanging Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress, the Roman fortress in Coptic Cairo (Old Cairo); its nave is suspended over a passage.The church is approached by twenty-nine steps; early travelers to Cairo dubbed it "the Staircase Church". The land surface has risen by some six meters since the Roman period, so the Roman tower is mostly buried below ground, reducing the visual impact of the church's elevated position.
Synagogue Ben Ezra
20m
The Ben Ezra Synagogue (Hebrew: בית כנסת בן עזרא; Arabic: معبد بن عزرا), sometimes referred to as the El-Geniza Synagogue (בית כנסת אל גניזה) or the Synagogue of the Levantines (al-Shamiyin), Is situated in the Fustat part of Old Cairo, Egypt. According to local folklore, it is located on the site where baby Moses was found.
St Simon the Tanner Monastery
1h 30m
LARGE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES ARE NOT abundant in Muslim-dominated Egypt. One of the more populous groups is the garbage scavenging Zabbaleen, who have retained their Coptic beliefs and established the largest Christian church in the Middle East at the Monastery of Saint Simon.
Meeting and pickup
Pickup details
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza
Additional information
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
