A day tour from Safaga to the Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great is a profound spiritual and historical journey taking you to the oldest active Christian monastery in the world. Nestled against the rugged backdrop of the Red Sea’s Galala mountains, this day trip offers a deep look into ancient Coptic monastic life. Because of the distance, most private tour agencies package this excursion together with a visit to the neighboring St. Paul Monastery.
Monastery of Saint Anthony Tour Safaga is a spiritual one-day trip to the Monastery of Saint Anthony from Safaga, Egypt! We recommend the trip for it allows tourists to see the oldest Christian sights built during Roman Egypt. Also, the Monastery of Saint Anthony Safaga program will teach more about the country’s history.
Highlights on Monastery of Saint Anthony Trip
- Visit the Monastery of St. Anthony.
- Lunch at a restaurant.
- Besides, visit the Monastery of Saint Paul.
Itinerary of Monasteries of Saints Anthony and Paul Excursion
A day tour from Safaga to the Monastery of Saint Anthony typically takes 10 to 14 hours. The journey covers about 250 kilometers one-way, requiring roughly 3 hours of driving each way through the scenic Eastern Desert.
- Landious Travel will pick you up from the Safaga hotels around 03:00 AM.
- After picking you up, your private vehicle (Limousine or minibus) will leave for the Monastery of St. Anthony. You will pass the Ras Ghareb and Ain Sokhna cities on your way to this monastery. All these cities are north of Hurghada, on the coast of the Red Sea. Furthermore, you will finally arrive at Zaafarana. The way from the centre of Safaga to the Monastery of St. Anthony will take about 5 hours.
Program in Monastery of St. Anthony
- Once you arrive at the Monastery of Saint Anthony, your guide will accompany you on tour. The Monastery of Saint Anthony has a massive wall that surrounds it. Inside this colossal wall, monks and an abbot live. More than 1,600 years ago, the hermit Anthony lived in a cave on a 680-meter-high mountain. Also, a staircase with about 1,000 steps leads you to this cave. It is especially worth seeing in the complex: the alleys, chapels, and gardens.
- Later, after visiting the Monastery of Saint Anthony in Zaafarana, you will enjoy your lunch.
Timetable in Monastery of St. Paul
- Then, you will drive some 40 km back towards the Monastery of Saint Paul. Accordingly, it will take you approximately 40 minutes to get there.
- The trip continues in the Monastery of St. Paul. Although this monastery is smaller than Saint Anthony’s, it has some important treasures. Among these treasures are altars, icons, an old olive press, an old pulley, and a coffin containing the remains of St. Paul.
Departure
- Finally, after such a program in the sacred Coptic monasteries of Saints Anthony and Paul, you depart for Safaga.
- This trip to the Monasteries of Saints Anthony and Paul from Safaga ends at approximately 17:00.
What does the Price of the Monastery of Saint Anthony Trip Safaga include?
- Private air-conditioned vehicle.
- Lunch.
- Drinks.
- Also, we provide a Private guide.
What does the Program of the Monastery of Saint Anthony Safaga not include?
- Additional programs if not included in the above program.
- Also, the price does not include drinks in the restaurant.
Suggested items to bring for your private one-day trip to Monastery of Saint Anthony Tour Safaga
- Breakfast box.
- Also, carry with you clothes for the season.
Monastery of Saint Anthony Trip Safaga Booking Days
- Daily from 03:00 – 17:00.
What can You Expect to See during the Monastery of Saint Anthony Trip Safaga?
The Monastery of Saint Anthony is a Coptic Orthodox monastery standing in an oasis in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, in the southern part of the Suez Governorate, some 50 km from the Red Sea coast. It appears deep in the Red Sea Mountains; St Anthony’s Monastery is Egypt’s largest and oldest Coptic monastery.
Monasticism, launched by St Antony the Great, is Egypt’s greatest gift to Christianity. His disciples established the monastery in the 4th century AD, just a short distance beneath St Anthony’s cave.
The monastery was plundered on many occasions and partly destroyed in the 11th century. Due to such attacks, it is now a fortress-style monastery.
Though Coptic, the sanctuary was often multi-faith, housing monks of several different Christian religions for many years.
Saint Antony’s Cave
Journey through 17 centuries of fascinating history and experience the awe of the natural mountain cave St. Antony loved and called his home for 43 years. The 45-minute trundle up 276m is well worth the breathtaking views across the Wadis and the Red Sea. St. Antony’s Cave, where he lived as a hermit, is 2 km away up 1200 steps.
Although some parts of the monastery remain off-limits to tourists, an English-speaking monk gives visitors a guided tour. Today, it is a self-contained village with gardens, a mill, a bakery and five churches, the best of which is St. Antony’s Church. There is also a library with over 1,700 manuscripts.
Exceptional Wall Paintings
The monastery has exceptional wall paintings of holy knights in bright colours and the hermit founders of the abbey in subdued colours and icons. These wall paintings, widely known to monks and art historians, were obscured by soot, candle grease, oil and dust.
These unique paintings were recently restored in a collaborative effort between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the American Research Center in Egypt. The oldest images date to the seventh and eighth centuries, while the newest are from the thirteenth century. In addition to the paintings, woodwork inside At. Antony’s Church was also restored.