07/04/2015
Samaan El Kharaz, the Garbage City,
Islamic & Coptic Cairo,
Citadel & Churches
You will be picked up from your accommodation in either Cairo or Giza by your Cairo Day Tours Egyptologist Guide; you will start the day by visiting Samaan El Kharaz cave church, also known as Church of St Ibram Ibn Zaraa El Soriany, Moqattam, Cairo, Egypt. The church in Moqattam, Cairo is made up of 3 sets of caves. The largest one is said to be able to contain 10,000 people, the middle-sized on around 2,000 and the smallest around 200.
In 1969 President Gamal Abdul-Nasser (the president of Egypt after the revolution of 1952) gave permission to 15,000 Christian Egyptians to live in a deserted area by Moqattam hill. The area is now known as Mansheyet Nasser, or Zabaleen.
The families made their living as garbage collectors and made recycling into a profession. To this day every morning piles of trash are dumped in the area by dozens of garbage trucks from all around Cairo and families collect garbage themselves using small donkey carts in the different neighbourhoods of Cairo. Once the garbage is collected it is sorted and recycled.
You will then continue your tour to the Citadel of Saladin built during the 12th Century (it is comprised of a number of important monuments) the Alabaster Mosque of Mohammad Ali built during the 18th century, the mosque of Suleiman Pasha, Joehs Walls and Mohamed Ali Pasha Palace
At the conclusion of your tour, you will be driven back to your accommodation for drop-off.
Prices: Per Person USD
• 1 - $80
• 2 - $60
• 3 - 5 $55
• 5 - 8 $45
• 9 - 15 $40
Tour Details:
• Availability: Everyday
• Duration: 8 hours
• Type: Private Tour
• Pickup & Drop off: Clients location in either Cairo or Giza
Tour Includes:
• Accommodation pick-up & drop off service
• Private air-conditioned vehicle
• Private Tour Guide that speaks your language
• All Entry Fees
• Soft drink/bottled water during tour
• Snacks
• All taxes & services
Excludes:
• Optional activities with charges
• Personal items
• Tipping
