The tour to St Anthony and St Paul monasteries from Hurghada is a 12-hour tour, you will explore the Christian heritage of Egypt. The tour starts from Hurghada where you will travel through the mountains and deserts of the Eastern desert with your private tour guide. You will stop to see the St Anthony monastery which is a village-like style and is one of the most ancient working monasteries. While hearing the story of its history enjoy seeing the beautiful palm trees and the decoration of the churches and chapels. Afterward, head to the Monastery of St Paul which was built in the 4th century and looks like a fortified retreat. The St Paul monastery contains well-preserved frescoes and churches as well as a cave church. Have lunch at a local restaurant and return to Hurghada.
Centrally located Hurghada Hotels
Daily
We will meet you at your hotel in Hurghada; you will recognize our driver by a sign with your name in his hands. Throughout our journey north, we will make some stops so you can admire and capture the beauty of the Egyptian landscape.
Your path will fall through the desert until you reach the first stop – the monastery of St. Anthony. More than 1600 years ago Antony lived as a hermit in one of the caves in the mountain at 680 meters above sea level. A staircase of 1000 steps will bring you to his cell. On the walls along the stairs you can see the scriptures and drawings of the saint, and from the roof offers a fantastic view of the mountains and desert. At the foot of the mountain itself, Christian monks founded a monastery in 356 AD, immediately after his death. This date is considered to be the beginning of Christian monasticism and today about 100 monks live on the monastery grounds.
The monastery occupies a huge area of 6g and is surrounded by a wall (about 1200 meters long and 12 meters high), which protected the monks from Bedouin attacks. You will see the ancient Coptic church where the saint was buried and where medieval paintings are preserved. The monastery library contains priceless ancient manuscripts. The monastery itself has recently been renovated.
After lunch, you will head to the other side of the mountain range, where the second monastery is located – the monastery of St. Paul,built over the cave of St. Paul. He was a Christian hermit who died in the 4th century AD. According to legend, God sent a crow who brought bread to Paul every day so that he would not starve to death, and after Paul’s death at the age of 119, the lions dug a grave for him. You will visit the crypt, located deep under the monastery and decorated with colorful frescoes. Besides icons, there are practical things, such as an old chain block, olive presses, and, unusual for desert, a freshwater source.
In the evening you will go on your way back to your hotel in Hurghada.
The tour is held daily.
| prices per person | Book Online | |
| 1 person | 400 USD per person | |
| 2 persons | 220 USD per person | |
| 3 persons | 210 USD per person | |
| 4 persons | 190 USD per person | |
| 5 persons | 180 USD per person | |
| 6 persons | 170 USD per person |
