Day Trip to Wadi El Natroun from Cairo

In the morning, one of our team members will pick you up from your hotel, then we will travel to Wadi El Natroun, and there your private guide will accompany you to visit:

Wadi El Natroun:

Wadi El Natroun is a desert depression that has been known by several names throughout history. One of its earliest names was “Sakht Hamat,” meaning “salt field,” due to the area’s rich deposits of natron salt.

It was also referred to as “Mount El Natroun,” and in the 4th century AD, it became known as the “Wilderness of Shehit,” a Coptic term meaning “the balance of hearts,” reflecting its significance as a center of worship, asceticism, and spiritual renewal.

Wadi El Natroun is believed to have been blessed by the Holy Family during their journey through Egypt. It is also where St. Macarius the Great began his monastic life and established the region’s first monastic community.

Monastery of Baramus:

The Baramus Monastery is the first monastic complex established by Anba Makarios in Wadi El-Natrun, dating back to 340 AD. It originally consisted of simple cells built around the saint’s own cell, with a central church later added.

The name “Baramus” comes from the Coptic word Be-Romeos, meaning “of the Romans,” referring to the Roman saints Maximus and Domadeus. The term is considered of foreign origin, not Arabic.

Monastery of Saint Bishoy:

Monastery of Abu Makar:

The Monastery of Anba Makarius, also known as Deir Abu Magar, is likely the oldest monastery in Wadi El Natroun, dating back to the 6th century. When Byzantine rulers ordered the Coptic Patriarchs to leave Alexandria.

This monastery became the new seat of the Coptic Church. Since 1995, a team from Leiden University in the Netherlands has been excavating the site. The monastery remained significant through the centuries and was restored in the 9th and 11th centuries.

El Suryan Monastery:

The Suryan Monastery is about 1640 feet northwest of Deir Anba Beshoy. The monastery was also built by St. Beshoy in the sixth century, though some might date it later. This splendid monastery was built to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

It has an interesting cave where St. Beshoy is said to have prayed with his hair tied with a chain to the roof to prevent him from sleeping. The monastery was acquired by Syrian monks at some time, which is why it gained its modern name "Al-Suryan," which means the Syrians.

At the end of your Wadi El Natroun day trip from Cairo, enjoy a delicious lunch at a local Egyptian restaurant. Afterwards, your driver will take you back to your hotel or cruise.

Meals: Lunch