Private Tour at the Cave Church of St. Simon

Overview

In the morning you’ll be picked up from your hotel in Cairo and driven to the Mokattam Mountain area, passing through the so‑called Garbage City, home to the Zabbaleen community. There you’ll visit the Monastery of Saint Simon, also known as the Cave Church of Zabbaleen, where several churches have been built into the mountain’s caves. As you move through the site, you’ll see Saint Simon the Tanner Hall and St. Mark’s Church, both carved into the rock. The main cave was discovered in 1974 and was originally filled with hundreds of tons of stone up to the 17‑metre high ceiling. It was later cleared and adapted to form two storeys; the upper storey houses Saint Simon the Tanner Hall, which has seating for around 2,000 people and walls decorated with numerous images engraved into the rock that depict scenes from the Bible. You will then continue to the Cathedral of Virgin Mary and St. Simon the Tanner before being transferred back to your hotel.

Highlights

• ✦Private tour
• ✦Hotel pickup

What's included

Frequently asked questions

How long is this experience?

5 hours - 6 hours

Can I cancel my booking?

Yes — you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before it starts.

What's included?

Entrance fees · Transfers by air-conditioned van from hotel in Cairo · Professional tour guide · All taxes and fees