Spiritual Heritage and Discovery Routes | Cairo • Giza • Tanta • Alexandria | 3 Nights 5 Days
SPIRITUAL HERITAGE AND DISCOVERY ROUTES
Special journeys combining history, culture and authentic experiences
EGYPT: FROM THE AHL AL-BAYT TO THE PYRAMIDS
In the footsteps of scholars and sultans, from Cairo to Alexandria
5 Days / 3 Nights | Cairo • Giza • Tanta • Alexandria
All tours and meals are included in the package price. There are no mandatory extra fees during the tour…
DAY 1 | ISTANBUL – CAIRO
A JOURNEY OPENING TO THE HEART OF SPIRITUALITY
At 20:30 we meet our fellow travelers at the International Terminal of Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport. After baggage drop-off, ticket and passport procedures, we depart on the scheduled direct flight PC582 of Pegasus Airlines at 23:25 to Cairo/Sphinx.
Tonight we are not only setting off from Istanbul to Cairo; we are taking the first step of a multi-layered Egypt journey that extends from the shrines of the Ahl al-Bayt to the great scholars of the Islamic world, from the heritage of the Mamluk and Ottoman sultans to the Giza Pyramids, from the Sufi tradition of Tanta to the historic world of Alexandria opening onto the Mediterranean.
Important Accommodation Information
Our flight will arrive at Cairo/Sphinx after midnight. So that guests can settle into their rooms and rest after the journey without waiting for the standard check-in time, our hotel reservation in the Cairo/Giza area starts from today.
Night flight. Hotel reservation in the Cairo/Giza area begins.
DAY 2 | CAIRO
FROM SALADIN TO AL-AZHAR: SULTANS, SCHOLARS AND THE BLESSING OF FRIDAY
At 00:30 local time we arrive at Sphinx International Airport. After passport and baggage procedures, we head with our private vehicle to our hotel in the Cairo/Giza area.
Since our hotel reservation was started the previous day, upon arrival we settle directly into our prepared rooms without waiting for the standard check-in time and rest after the journey.
After breakfast at our hotel in the morning, we set off to explore Cairo, Egypt's historical, cultural and spiritual center.
Throughout the day, a sufficient amount of drinking water is provided free of charge in our vehicles. The in-vehicle Wi-Fi service can be used free of charge within local coverage and usage quotas. Since lunch is not included in the program today, snacks are offered to our guests in the vehicle at appropriate times.
Our first stop in Cairo is the Saladin Citadel, rising over the Mokattam Hills overlooking the city. Built during the Crusades to protect Cairo, the citadel reflects the foresight and defensive understanding of Saladin, one of the most important rulers of the Islamic world. In this historic area, which was used as the administrative center of Egypt for centuries, we see the successive traces of the Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottoman periods.
Inside the citadel we first visit the Muhammad Ali Pasha Mosque, one of the most prominent structures in the Cairo skyline. The mosque, which carries the influences of Ottoman architecture and stands out with its domes, elegant minarets and spacious interior, is one of the most magnificent works left by Muhammad Ali Pasha of Kavala, who left his mark on the military, administrative and social transformation of Egypt during the Ottoman period.
From the mosque courtyard, while admiring the wide panorama of Cairo, we see on one side historic Islamic Cairo and on the other the sprawling neighborhoods of the modern city. At the tomb of Muhammad Ali Pasha inside the mosque, we hear about his place in Egyptian history and his bond with the Ottoman State.
Then we visit the Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque, an important Mamluk-era monument within the citadel. This historic mosque, where Mamluk sultans and court members performed their Friday prayers for centuries, attracts attention with its balanced architecture and elegant details. The two mosques within the same citadel offer the opportunity to compare the architectural understandings of the Mamluk and Ottoman periods.
After our citadel visit we move to the Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrasa and the Al-Rifai Mosque, rising opposite each other.
The Sultan Hassan Mosque, one of the most magnificent works of Mamluk architecture, was built not only as a place of worship but as a great educational center where the Quran, hadith, jurisprudence and other sciences of the period were taught. This structure, where different circles of learning come together under one roof, is an impressive example of how in Islamic civilization the mosque and the madrasa, worship and education, were never separated.
The Al-Rifai Mosque, located directly opposite the Sultan Hassan Mosque, is a different gateway to Cairo's recent history. Besides the mosque's spiritual identity, the presence here of the tombs of members of the Egyptian dynasty makes this area a special visiting point both religiously and historically. The two great structures rising opposite each other bring together, in the same square, the centuries from the Mamluk period to modern Egypt.
Since today is Friday, we arrange our program as far as possible around prayer times. We aim to perform our Friday prayer at the Sultan Hassan Mosque or Al-Azhar Mosque. If this is not possible due to visiting hours, crowds, security or official procedures, we perform our prayer at another suitable mosque along the route.
Continuing our program, we visit the Al-Azhar Mosque, one of the oldest centers of learning in the Islamic world. Since its founding, Al-Azhar has hosted students from different regions for centuries and holds a decisive place in the intellectual, educational and scholarly life not only of Egypt but of the entire Islamic world.
As we walk through the courtyards and the historic sections where study circles were held, we listen to the stories of scholars raised here and of students who came to Cairo from different parts of the world to learn. Al-Azhar's centuries-old educational tradition conveys the place of transmitting knowledge from generation to generation in Islamic civilization.
Then we visit the Hussein Mosque and Shrine, which holds a very special place in the spiritual life of Cairo's people. According to the long-standing religious tradition kept alive in Egypt, the blessed head of Imam Hussein is believed to be located here. For this reason, the mosque and its surroundings are among the visiting centers where love for the Ahl al-Bayt is felt most strongly in Cairo.
Here we remember the great trial that the Prophet's beloved grandson Imam Hussein faced at Karbala and his steadfastness for justice and truth, and we listen to how the love and reverence for the Ahl al-Bayt is reflected in the religious and cultural life of the Egyptian people. We offer our prayers in the spiritual atmosphere of the shrine and spend a short time in contemplation.
After our visit we move to Al-Muizz Street, located in the heart of historic Cairo. Walking among mosques, madrasas, sabils, tombs and historic houses that have survived from the Fatimid, Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottoman periods, we proceed through a corridor of civilization resembling an open-air museum.
Among stone-decorated facades, wooden windows, narrow streets and bazaars that have kept their vitality for centuries, we feel Cairo's bond between past and present. Here we get to know not only architectural works but a living Islamic city where the call to prayer, trade, worship and daily life are intertwined.
We continue our walk in one of Cairo's most famous historic bazaars, Khan el-Khalili. We allow free time to shop and explore among spice merchants, coppersmiths, textile sellers, traditional handicraft shops and historic coffeehouses.
In the evening we move to the Al Saraya floating restaurant on the banks of the Nile. We enjoy our dinner, served as an open buffet, accompanied by the evening view of the Nile.
Open buffet dinner at Al Saraya is included. Limited beverages will be served during the meal.
Then we return to our hotel.
Overnight at our hotel in the Cairo/Giza area.
DAY 3 | GIZA – CAIRO
FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TO THE SPIRITUAL TRACES OF THE AHL AL-BAYT
After breakfast at our hotel, we set off to discover the Giza Pyramids, one of the most impressive structures in human history.
Throughout the day, a sufficient amount of drinking water is provided free of charge in our vehicles. The in-vehicle Wi-Fi service can be used free of charge within local coverage and usage quotas. Since lunch is not included in the program today, snacks are offered to our guests in the vehicle at appropriate times.
When we reach the Giza Plateau, the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, standing for thousands of years, appear before us in all their grandeur. These monumental structures, reflecting the eternity concept of ancient Egyptian rulers, their understanding of power and their belief in the afterlife, attract attention not only for their engineering achievements but also for humanity's quest in the face of time and eternity.
Accompanied by our guide's explanations, we hear how and for what purpose the pyramids were built, the understanding of the pharaoh in ancient Egyptian society, and the life that took shape around these great structures. Standing before works built thousands of years ago, we have the chance to reflect on the traces humans leave in the world, the power of time, and the transience of all worldly splendor.
We make a photo stop at the panoramic viewpoint where the three great pyramids can be seen together. Then we see the Sphinx, regarded as the ancient guardian of the Giza Plateau with a human head and a lion's body. We listen to the symbolic meanings carried by the Sphinx, which silently gazes at the pyramids, and the stories that have formed around it for centuries.
Continuing our visit, we visit the Valley Temple, used in connection with the funerary ceremonies of the pharaohs and their understanding of life after death. Here we learn that the pyramids were not merely independent tombs but part of a vast complex consisting of temples, passageways and ceremonial areas.
After our Giza visit we go to a papyrus workshop where we will get to know Egypt's traditional culture. We watch how the papyrus plant, growing on the banks of the Nile, was processed in ancient times and transformed into a surface for writing and painting. Guests who wish may examine handmade papyrus works here and shop.
Then we visit a perfume and essence center to learn about Egypt's thousands-year-old tradition of fragrances and essences. We learn about the preparation of traditional essences, the plants used, and the place of beautiful scents in Egyptian culture.
In the second part of the day we visit the spiritual centers of Cairo that reflect the love for the Ahl al-Bayt and the tradition of learning. Leaving behind the stone-carved splendor of ancient Egypt, we now follow the traces of a different heritage kept alive for centuries through prayer and devotion.
Our first visit is to the mosque and shrine attributed to Sayyida Nafisa, a descendant of Imam Hasan, the Prophet's grandson. Known for her knowledge, worship, generosity and noble character, Sayyida Nafisa has held a special place in Cairo's spiritual life for centuries.
Here we hear about Sayyida Nafisa's life, her dedication to knowledge and worship, and the deep love the Egyptian people have for her. We offer our prayers in the peaceful atmosphere of the shrine and spend a short time in contemplation.
Then we visit the Mosque and Mausoleum of Imam al-Shafi'i, one of the greatest jurists of the Islamic world. Imam al-Shafi'i spent the final period of his life in Egypt, where through his scholarly work he matured his thought and left a great scholarly legacy that influenced later generations.
Through our guide's explanations, we learn about Imam al-Shafi'i's life story, his journeys in pursuit of knowledge, his careful consideration of different views, and his place in Islamic legal thought. During this visit we are reminded once again of the importance of knowledge, good character and the search for truth in Islamic civilization.
Our next stop is the mosque and shrine attributed, according to the long-standing tradition in Egypt, to Sayyida Zaynab, daughter of Imam Ali and Fatima and granddaughter of the Prophet.
Sayyida Zaynab's life is remembered for the patience, steadfastness and dignity she displayed in the face of the great sufferings of the Ahl al-Bayt. Her responsibility after Karbala in particular, and her courage in voicing the truth, have made her one of the strongest female figures in Islamic history.
In the spiritual atmosphere of the shrine we hear about Sayyida Zaynab's patience, resolve and loyalty to her family, and feel how love for the Ahl al-Bayt is kept alive in the religious and cultural life of Egyptian society.
Depending on route, visiting hours and suitability for worship, other selected Ahl al-Bayt and Islamic scholar shrines mentioned in the program may also be visited. At appropriate prayer times we perform our prayers in mosques at the visiting points.
After our spiritual visits, we move to Mevlana Restaurant for dinner.
Our dinner menu includes lentil soup, cold mezes and salad varieties, mixed grill served with rice, okra stew, dessert and fruit.
Dinner is included. Limited beverages will be served during the meal.
Then we return to our hotel.
Overnight at our hotel in the Cairo/Giza area.
DAY 4 | CAIRO – TANTA – ALEXANDRIA
TO THE MEDITERRANEAN IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SUFISM: FROM SAYYID AHMED AL-BADAWI TO ABU AL-ABBAS AL-MURSI
After breakfast at our hotel, we check out of our rooms and set off toward Tanta, an important city of the Nile Delta.
Throughout our journey, a sufficient amount of drinking water is provided free of charge in our vehicles. The in-vehicle Wi-Fi service can be used free of charge within local coverage and usage quotas. On sections of the road where road and traffic conditions are safe and suitable, limited tea, coffee and snacks are offered to our guests.
Today's journey brings together on one route two great spiritual figures of Egypt and the spiritual heritage that developed around them. While following the traces of Sayyid Ahmed al-Badawi in Tanta and Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi in Alexandria, we closely feel how the Sufi tradition touched Egypt's urban life, worship culture and the spiritual world of its people.
After our arrival in Tanta, we visit the Sayyid Ahmed al-Badawi Mosque and Mausoleum, rising in the heart of the city. After a life journey extending from North Africa to the Hejaz and then to Egypt, Sayyid Ahmed al-Badawi settled in Tanta and, with a life devoted to knowledge, worship and spiritual education, became one of the most revered spiritual figures in Egypt.
With his settlement in Tanta, the city over time gained an identity not only as an important trade center but also as a powerful spiritual center to which people came to pray and gather in meetings of knowledge and wisdom. The Sufi tradition that developed around Sayyid Ahmed al-Badawi brought people from different regions of Egypt together in Tanta for centuries and made the city an important place of visitation identified with his name.
In the peaceful atmosphere of the mosque and mausoleum, we hear about Sayyid Ahmed al-Badawi's life, his place in the spiritual memory of the people of Tanta, and the Sufi tradition that developed around him. We offer our prayers and, if visiting and worship conditions allow, perform our prayer here.
After our Tanta visit, we set off toward Alexandria, on the Mediterranean coast.
When we reach Alexandria, we begin to get to know this ancient port city that bears traces of different cultures, from Alexander the Great to the Greco-Roman world, and from Islamic civilization to the Mamluk and Ottoman periods. Surrounded by the blue of the Mediterranean, Alexandria has throughout history been a meeting point not only of merchant ships but of ideas, scholars, mystics and different civilizations.
Our first visit is to the Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque and Mausoleum, one of Alexandria's most important spiritual centers. Known for a life journey that began in Andalusia and extended through North Africa to Alexandria, Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi is an important spiritual figure who left deep marks on the scholarly and Sufi life of the city.
His story is also a story of the spiritual and cultural bond established between the two shores of the Mediterranean. Bringing the knowledge and wisdom he carried from Andalusia together with the multicultural world of Alexandria, Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi contributed to shaping the spiritual identity of the city through the circles of conversation and education that formed around him.
Today the mosque bearing his name, with its domes, elegant minarets and impressive stonework, is one of the most striking structures in Alexandria's Islamic skyline. Inside the mosque and around the shrine, we see how the city's daily life and the centuries-old tradition of spiritual visitation coexist.
We listen to Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi's life and his place in the Sufi tradition, and offer our prayers during our visit to the shrine. If visiting and worship conditions allow, we perform our prayer in the mosque.
After our spiritual visit, we move to the Qaitbay Citadel, rising on the Mediterranean coast. Built by the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay to protect Alexandria against dangers coming from the sea, this magnificent citadel is one of the important structures in the history of Islamic defense in the Mediterranean.
Rising on the site where the Lighthouse of Alexandria, regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, once stood, the citadel brings together different historical periods of the city at the same point. The fact that a fortress protecting the city later rose on the spot where the great lighthouse once guided sailors shows that Alexandria has preserved its character as a strategic gateway opening onto the Mediterranean throughout history.
Around the citadel we enjoy the panoramic view of the Mediterranean and the Alexandria coastline, feeling the strong bond the city has with the sea.
Continuing our program, we view panoramically important points that reflect the different layers of civilization in Alexandria. We see the Roman-era monument known locally as Pompey's Pillar while listening to the story of Alexandria's Greco-Roman past.
Then we see from the outside the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which keeps alive the memory of the ancient Library of Alexandria, one of the most important centers of learning in the ancient world. This structure, a symbol of knowledge, research and intercultural interaction, represents Alexandria's claim to be a city of learning and culture today, as it was in the past.
During our panoramic tour along the coastal strip, we observe the ports opening onto the Mediterranean, the historic urban fabric and the distinctive daily life of Alexandria. If the program and time conditions allow, we will see the Montaza area and palace gardens in panoramic or brief visits.
After the day's visits, we move to a local restaurant on the Alexandria seafront. Our dinner menu, enjoyed with a view of the Mediterranean, includes cold mezes and salad varieties, the grilled or fried seasonal fish of the day, and dessert or fruit.
Dinner is included. Limited beverages will be served during the meal.
Then we give some free time along the seafront. At the designated time we meet again and head to Borg El Arab Airport for our return flight, which departs after midnight.
DAY 5 | ALEXANDRIA – ISTANBUL
RETURN WITH MEMORIES ENRICHED BY SPIRITUALITY
After midnight we arrive at Borg El Arab Airport. After completing ticket, baggage and passport procedures, we depart on the scheduled direct flight PC629 of Pegasus Airlines at 03:20 to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport.
We complete our journey through the Ahl al-Bayt shrines, scholars and sultans of Cairo, the thousand-year-old heritage of Giza, and the Sufi tradition of Tanta and Alexandria.
Throughout this special route we not only saw Egypt's historical monuments but also closely got to know the traces left on the same lands by different civilizations, beliefs, and traditions of knowledge and wisdom. We bid farewell to Egypt with prayers, spiritual narratives and the beautiful memories we gathered together.
After our arrival at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 06:25 local time, our tour comes to an end.
Hoping to meet again on another TurWiz journey…
What's Included
INCLUDED IN THE PRICE
- Economy class airline tickets on Pegasus Airlines' scheduled direct flights from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen to Cairo/Sphinx and from Alexandria Borg El Arab to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen
- Airport taxes for the airline tickets
- A total of 3 nights' accommodation in hotels in the Cairo/Giza area as stated in the program or in hotels of a similar category
- 3 hotel breakfasts as specified in the program
- Buffet dinner at the Al Saraya stationary ship restaurant in Cairo, with limited non-alcoholic beverages
- Set-menu dinner at Mevlana Restaurant in Cairo, with limited non-alcoholic beverages
- Fish-menu dinner at a local restaurant on the seafront in Alexandria, with limited non-alcoholic beverages
- Visits to the Saladin Citadel, Muhammad Ali Pasha Mosque and Sultan Hassan Mosque, with standard site entrance fees included in the program
- Visits to Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrasa, Al-Rifai Mosque, Al-Azhar Mosque, the Mosque and Shrine of Imam Hussein, Muizz Street and Khan el-Khalili
- Visits to the Giza Pyramids area, a panoramic viewpoint, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple, with standard site entrance fees included in the program
- Visits to the Sayyida Nafisa Mosque and Shrine, the Imam al-Shafi'i Mosque and Tomb, the Sayyida Zeynab Mosque and Shrine, and other selected spiritual visits specified in the program
- Visit to the Sayyid Ahmed al-Badawi Mosque and Tomb in Tanta
- Visit to the Abu'l Abbas al-Mursi Mosque and Tomb and the Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria, with the standard entrance fee included in the program
- Panoramic city and site tours specified in the program
- All intercity transport, airport–hotel transfers and excursion transfers specified in the program
- Private air-conditioned tour vehicle suitable for the group size
- Sufficient complimentary drinking water for guests to use in the vehicles throughout the tour
- Complimentary in-vehicle Wi-Fi within local coverage and usage limits
- Limited tea and coffee refreshments on long journeys, where road and traffic conditions are safe and suitable
- Snacks served in the vehicle on long journeys and on days when lunch is not included in the program
- Professional Turkish-speaking guiding services, knowledgeable and experienced in Islamic history, Egyptian history, the heritage of Ahl al-Bayt, and Mamluk and Ottoman monuments, along with local guides with the same knowledge and experience where required. (This service may be provided with an Egyptian guide on certain dates)
- Airport greeting and farewell, vehicle and in-destination assistance services
- Tours, activities and standard entrance fees expressly stated as included in the program
- Certificate of the compulsory insurance policy to be issued by the package tour organizer travel agency under Law No. 1618
Not Included
SERVICES NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE
- Egypt arrival visa for Turkish citizens holding maroon passports, visa application, service and processing fees (60 USD) (Note: Guests holding green passports do not need a visa.)
- Outbound departure tax
- Lunches and other meals not explicitly stated as included in the program
- Food and beverages ordered beyond the amount specified in the included meals or outside the standard service
- Tea, coffee, soft drinks and other beverages not offered within the program
- Minibar usage in hotel rooms; room service, laundry, telephone and similar hotel extras
- Museum, archaeological site, event and special entrance fees not explicitly stated as included in the program
- Entrances to the interior of the pyramids
- Extra tours and personal activities not included in the program
- Personal expenses at papyrus, perfume, essence and other shopping stops
- Personal expenses
- Tips that may be given to guides, drivers and local staff
- Private travel health insurance
- Optional insurances such as trip cancellation, visa refusal, baggage, flight delay, extended coverage health and similar
- Additional baggage, seat selection, in-flight meals and other extra services not included in the relevant airline ticket class
- Additional transportation, accommodation and new flight ticket expenses that the passenger may need due to their own actions, delays, lack of documents or missing a flight
- Tips