Though neither monastery is directly accessible by public transport, they can still be reached in several ways. The main thing to realize is that a quick visit is impossible, and no one is in any hurry once you get there. If you feel OK about travelling with devout believers, it's best to join the
pilgrim tours arranged from Cairo by the Coptic Patriarchate (22 Sharia Ramses, Abbassiya; tel 02/960-025), or the
YMCA (27 Sharia al-Gumhorriya; tel 02/917-360), which dispatches a minibus every week. Coptic churches in Luxor or Hurghada may also run tours on a non-profit basis.
Commercial tours from Cairo or Hurghada are another possibility. Misr Travel does a tour from Hurghada to both monasteries for US$55 per person; other agencies charge less but visit only one. Depending on your starting point and number, it could work out cheaper to negotiate a rented taxi . A six- to eight-hour excursion should cost about ŁE240 from Suez, ŁE340 from Cairo or Hurghada; taxis from Za'farana might do a four- to five-hour jaunt for around ŁE150. An overnight stay for your driver adds at least ŁE80 more. To drive from one monastery to the other (82km) takes about ninety minutes.
The cheapest method combines public transport , hitching and walking . Outside of the hottest months, this shouldn't be dangerous providing you bring ample water and minimal luggage. Any bus from Cairo or Suez to Hurghada can drop you at the turn-off for St Paul's Monastery , 26km south of Za'farana, which is recognizable by its plastic-roofed bus shelter. Young Copts alight here, confident of hitching to the monastery, 13km uphill, for there's a fair amount of traffic along the well-paved road. If pilgrims visiting both sites don't offer you a lift, St Anthony's Monastery can be approached via service taxis running between Beni Suef and Za'farana. From the signposted turn-off 33km west of Za'farana, it's 15km uphill to the monastery, with some hitching prospects.
To stay at the monasteries' guesthouses, you must have written permission from their "residence" in Cairo (26 El-Kenisa El Morcosia St Kolet Beck, Cairo; tel 02/590-6025) and the offer is open only to religious groups. Accommodation is in basic dormitories or family rooms. Both monasteries have cafeterias and St Paul's has a shop selling basic foodstuffs, but you might want to bring extra food. Respect conventions on dress and behaviour; smoking and drinking alcohol are forbidden.
