ITINERARY

Sunday, May 17
Depart the Twin Cities for Amsterdam.

Monday, May 18
We will have a layover in Amsterdam with a possible visit to the city then fly to Cairo, Arrive Cairo late night where you will be met by our Rep at the Airport who will assist you through the Airport Formalities then transfer to the hotel for the rest of the night. In-flight meals

Tuesday, May 19
Have a late breakfast, free day to recover the flight, late afternoon we gather for Orientation of the tour then go for dinner in a local restaurant, nearby. (B. D)

Wednesday, May 20
Today we take the Subway (METRO as we call it) to visit Old or Christian Cairo. First we will visit the Church of Abu Serga, where according to tradition the Holy Family rested after fleeing from King Herod; it has an icon dating to the 11th century, and then, we visit the beautiful Ben Ezra, where, according to legend, Jeremiah was buried and where the Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses in the basket in the reeds, and where Mary found water to wash Jesus .Finally we visit the Al-Muallaqa Church, called the Hanging Church built atop of a Roman fortress; it is one of the oldest churches in Egypt then we ride the Metro again to go to Maadi district where we have lunch Egyptian Feteer and have a walk to the Church of virgin Mary right on the Nile, according to traditions , the Holy Family took the boat to Upper Egypt. Then we ride again the Metro to the Hotel for dinner & Overnight. (B, L, D)
PS: If Pope Shenouda III, the Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox is giving his Audience, then we will drive to the Cathedral to attend it, we have instant translation to English.

Thursday, May 21
After breakfast, we will drive to The Citadel, whose construction was begun by Salah ad-Din in 1176 and from which rulers governed Egypt for 700 years. We will explore the Alabaster Mosque build by Mohammed Ali and the Al-Gawhara Palace and Museum with its diorama of palace life, and then we visit the AUC, in their new Campus, which is huge and built in a very highly architectural taste. We will have a tour of the campus seeing the different schools, Library, Auditoriums, Dormitory and also the book and gift stores, probably have time to set and talk with students.

Here is our Schedule at AUC
12:00noon arrive at new campus Gate 1 Visitors Gate
12-1pm: Tour of New Campus (will be met at Gate 1)
1-2:30pm: Lecture on “Ancient and Modern Egyptian Identity” (lecturer and class room to be announced)
2:30-3pm: free time, (mingle/bookshop/gift shop, etc)
3pm: Depart New Campus. Then, we visit the City of the Dead and having a Walking Tour between the Tombs. Late Lunch and return to the hotel for overnight. ( B, L, D)

Friday, May 22
After breakfast, we will visit St. Andrew United Church and get to know their Refugees service who come from various African countries and how they help them fit and adjust in Cairo, then we drive to Al Jamaliya, Khan El Khalili, and El Azhar Mosque, the Oldest Islamic University in The Whole World then have free time. We stop for lunch and make a visit to the garbage collectors district, where they live and work on sorting out the garbage for recycle, also visit the house of Charity of the Indian Sisters of Mother Theresa and the beautiful rock –cut Monastery of St. Simon with its beautiful carvings on the mountain side Made by a Polish Artisan named Mario who came to the area 15 years ago. Then we go to spend some time in El Azhar Park, a very beautiful Park in the heart of Islamic Cairo overlooking the whole city, with many restaurants, cafes lots of families visiting will give better understanding to the way of life for different classes of Egyptians. (B, L, D)

Saturday, May 23
Today we see one of the wonders of the world: the Great Pyramids of Giza. As we marvel at the human imagination and energy they display, we will find it will difficult to avoid being overwhelmed as these pyramids survived for 4,500 years, seeing dynasties come and go and surviving Egypt’s many foreign invaders and conquerors. A visit to a papyrus institute provides the opportunity to purchase gifts for others and treasures for ourselves. Then we drive to the railway station to take the overnight Sleeper train to Aswan. (B, L, D)

Sunday, May 24
After we get off the train we will go on the Aswan tour of the High Dam & Lake Nasser, the British Dam. Then we visit the Temple of Philae.
Then we check into the Hotel for Lunch. Rest of day is at leisure. Dinner & Overnight. ( B, D )

Monday, May 25
This morning we rise very early to join the Police Convoy to Abu Simbel Temples, Two Magnificent Temples built by the most famous Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Return for lunch, rest of day is at leisure. Dinner & Overnight Aswan. (B, L, D)

Tuesday, May 26
This morning, we will explore the Nubian village, one of the homes, the way of life by visiting the Nubian village on the Elephantine Island. Then we visit the Botanical Gardens of Aswan, also visiting the National Park Islands with its beautiful plantations and Birds. Then we have lunch, and start our drive to Luxor, on the way we will stop to visit the dual Temple of God Sobek & Harroris at Kom Ombo. Arrive Luxor, check into hotel & overnight. (B, D)

Wednesday, May 27
After breakfast, our first visit will be the Valley of the Kings, including a tour of tombs with hieroglyphics that recount myths and kings and the journey to the afterlife. After exploring these ancient sites we will drive to an alabaster workshop where we may purchase items of aesthetic quality fashioned from beautiful material. (I will arrange for a visit to A Coptic Nunnery from the 4th century in Luxor, nearby the valley of Queens) As we return to our hotel for lunch we will view the Colossi of Memnon, a pair of statues more than 60 feet tall commemorating Amenophis III. We return to the hotel for lunch, late in the afternoon we will cross the Nile by a motor boat to the west bank villages of Luxor where we have a camel ride between the villages and the Sugar fields ending with having dinner in a local restaurant while attending the Sunset on the roof . (B, L, D)

Thursday, May 28
We will check out of the hotel and visit the Temples of Karnak & Luxor then we have lunch in a nice local restaurant before we start our drive to Hurghada and check into our hotel for dinner.
Dinner & overnight at Hurghada. (B, L, D)

Friday, May 29
After breakfast we will have a whole day Boat Trip to the Gifton Islands, for snorkel and swim with fresh fish Lunch on board to see the beautiful Corals and Colored fish of the Red Sea). (B, L, D)

Saturday, May 30
Today we have a free morning on the beach, enjoy swimming or sun-bathing, after lunch we will start a Safari Adventure to go through the Red Sea Mountains to see local Bedouin camps, how they live and manage water, and enjoy dinner and a belly and Bedouin show between the mountains. Then we return to the hotel for overnight. (B, D)

Sunday, May 31
Drive from Hurghada to Cairo with a stop to visit St. Paul Monastery at the Red Sea Mountains and its 4th century church with a tour of the Monastery guided by one of its Monks. Probably a light Lunch at the Monastery before we continue to Cairo. Dinner & overnight at Cairo. (B, D)

Monday, June 1
After a late breakfast, we will have a free day for relaxation and doing our assignments. Dinner & overnight. (B, D)

Tuesday, June 2
After breakfast, we will checkout of the Hotel and hit the road to Wadi Natrun where we stop first at St. Makarious 4th century Monastery which is renovated recently in the seventies and is the most famous one along the history of the Coptic Church. About 6 of the Coptic Patriarchs where monks form this Monastery, we will have a tour of the monastery conducted by one of its monks who speaks 5 foreign languages. Then we visit St. Bishoy Monastery and Al Saurian which has very beautiful frescos from the 4th – 10th centuries. We will have lunch at a nice restaurant on the road then we continue to Alexandria, rest of day is free. In the evening we will have free tour at downtown area where the local shops & cafes. (B, D)

Wednesday, June 3
Full day tour of Alexandria, The Roman Amphi-theatre, and the New Library of Alexandria with a tour by one of its Girl-tour guides then we end by the fortress of Sultan Quit-Bay. In the evening we will visit an Orphanage for girls (Sisters of the Bible Orphanage) where we will tour the place, sit and talk with the girls, some of them speaks fair English enough to hold conversation. Dinner & overnight. (B, D)

Thursday, June 4
After breakfast, we will visit the Montazah Gardens & Palace and then get to the beach where we spend the rest of day enjoy swimming (it is a private beach and we will reserve tickets for them, the weather will be hot and it will be nice to enjoy the refreshing water of the Mediterranean. dinner & overnight. (B, D)

Friday, June 5
After breakfast, we will have a free day in Alexandria where they can return to the Library again, late in the afternoon we will take the seated train back to Cairo, and then we will go to have a nice farewell Dinner cruise before we get to the airport for our international departure. (B, D)

Saturday, June 6
Flight home.