Not named on the listing (a guest review credits Emo Tours) · Coptic Cairo, Mokattam
A private car takes you to the churches of Roman Babylon, Ben Ezra Synagogue and then up through Manshiyat Naser to the Monastery of St Simon, carved into the Mokattam cliffs. Pick it for the Cave Church: it's the one stop on this side of Cairo that's genuinely awkward to reach alone.
Two very different Christian Cairos in one morning or afternoon. First the Coptic quarter inside the walls of Roman Babylon: the Hanging Church, built over the fortress gatehouse, the Church of St Barbara and Ben Ezra Synagogue, where the Cairo Geniza manuscripts turned up in the 19th century. Then the drive east to the Monastery of St Simon the Tanner in Mokattam, where the main cave church, cut into the cliff, is commonly said to seat about 20,000.
Three booking options. "Only Car With Driver" is the $15 one: the driver takes you to each site and waits. "Car + Tour guide Only" adds a guide. "Car + Guide + Lunch" adds a meal at a local restaurant. There are no ticket options because there is nothing to pay for: the itinerary marks every stop free. The only optional fee nearby is the Coptic Museum, EGP 280 for a foreign adult, which isn't on the route.
Here's the honest part. You don't need a tour for the Coptic quarter: Metro Line 1 to Mar Girgis costs EGP 10 and drops you at the door. The Cave Church is another matter. The road climbs through Manshiyat Naser, the Zabbaleen district of Coptic waste collectors locals call Garbage City, and taxis sometimes refuse it. That's what the driver is for. Guests who took the driver-only option liked it; one noted that guides can be hired inside the church complex. Reviews sit at 4.6 from 205, and two one-star reviews describe a private tour that picked up another couple.
Your driver, and guide if booked, collect you from your hotel.
Walk the lanes of the old fortress of Babylon, past the round Roman tower by Mar Girgis station.
The Hanging Church above the Roman gatehouse with its icons and carved screens, then the Church of St Barbara. Guests mention the crypt and well tied to the Holy Family's stay.
The restored synagogue where the Geniza documents were found. Photography inside isn't allowed.
Up through Manshiyat Naser to the cave churches and the relief carvings in the cliff face, then back to your hotel. Lunch on the lunch option.
★★★★★I took the driver-only option. It was great and affordable. The driver was punctual and very flexible with the itinerary. [...] The drive to the Cave Church through Garbage City is the most unique thing you will see in Egypt!
★★★★★Hisham was an amazing driver. He got me to the places, and even though he was driver only, he answered questions. This is okay for a female solo traveler. When you get into the church complex you may find that a guide is helpful so that you don’t miss anything. There are inexpensive guides for hire walking around.
★★★★★The Cave Churches are also remarkable, you really have to be there to see the scale of what they have done. This tour, which includes lunch, is probably the best value tour that I went on
★★★★★Our guide Wagih was a very good guide. I enjoyed everthing about the tour. The information provided was the perfect amount of information. We went on a Saturday and it turns out that was the best time to go.
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No. The Hanging Church, St Barbara, Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Monastery of St Simon are all free. Donations are welcome at the Cave Church. Only the Coptic Museum charges (EGP 280), and it isn't on the itinerary.
Guests describe the drive through Manshiyat Naser as eye-opening rather than unsafe, and the monastery receives visitors every day. The issue for independent travellers is transport: some taxi drivers won't take the road up, which is why a car with driver makes sense here.
Not necessarily. The cheapest option is car and driver only, and guests on it were happy. One noted that guides can be hired inside the Coptic complex. Book the guide option if you want the history explained throughout. Our Coptic Cairo guide covers what to look for.
The operator is not named on the listing; a guest review credits Emo Tours. The booking is through Viator, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
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The churches of Roman Babylon and the Mokattam Cave Church in four hours, every stop free to enter.
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