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Laura Keas Egypt – November 2027

Pilgrimage to Egypt

Trip Date:
Nov 2, 2027
- Nov 12, 2027
Group Type
Open
Activity Level
Moderate
Price
From $4,836
Deposit $500
Hosted by
Laura Keas
Reserve Your Spot
or call us at (574) 383-9396
Mt. Sinai St. Catherine
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or call us at (574) 383-9396

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Trip Overview

Join Laura Keas and Msgr. William Skoneki on a handcrafted pilgrimage to the heart of Egypt. With daily Mass, opportunities for spiritual reflection, and excursions to some of Egypt’s most iconic sites, this pilgrimage is designed to offer comprehensive immersion into the Church in Egypt, as well as wonders of Egyptian culture. Trace the path of salvation history, from the Exodus to Mt. Sinai to the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt, marvel at ancient sites such as the Pyramid of Giza and Sphinx, and encounter God at work in story of this place.

What’s Included?

  • Local, licensed tour guide(s)
  • Meals as indicated on the itinerary, including a glass of wine or beer at dinner
  • Transportation on private motorcoach
  • 3 nights aboard the MS Nile Premium Cruise
  • Inter-Egypt flights (Cairo to Aswan, Luxor to Cairo, Sharm El Sheikh to Cairo)
  • Standard accommodations in double-occupancy rooms, including taxes (single rooms available on a limited basis)
  • Gratuities for pilgrimage director, guide(s), driver(s), hotel staff, and meals
  • Opportunity for daily Mass
  • Tickets for included activities
  • Audio headset for each pilgrim (not available at St. Catherine or Sharm El Sheikh)
  • Verso pilgrimage booklets and pilgrim kits
  • Preparation and follow-up materials
  • Airport/hotel transfers (if arriving/departing with Group Flight)

Itinerary

November 2, 2027

Depart the U.S. on your overnight flight to Cairo

November 3, 2027
  • Arrive in Cairo, and transfer to the hotel
  • Opening Mass at Our Lady of Heliopolis Basilica, a Byzantine-style church built to reflect Hagia Sophia
  • Welcome Dinner at the hotel
  • Overnight in Cairo

Accommodations: Sonesta Cairo or similar
Meals included: Dinner

November 4, 2027
  • Visit the Giza Plateau and see the Pyramids and the Sphinx
  • The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only surviving one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
    Entry to the Grand Egyptian Museum, the world’s largest archaeological museum, with over 100,000 artifacts
  • Mass at a local church
  • Dinner at the hotel
  • Overnight in Cairo

Accommodations: Sonesta Cairo
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 5, 2027
  • Morning Mass at a local church, then fly to Aswan
  • Board the cruise ship and begin your journey on the water
    • Today’s highlight is a stop at Philae Temple, dedicated to Isis, and one of the last of the ancient Egyptian temples to remain active until Emperor Justinian and the spread of Christianity turned it into a Christian church
  • Dinner on board
  • Overnight on board the cruise

Accommodations: MS Premium Nile Cruise or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 6, 2027
  • Visit Kom Ombo temple, unique in its architecture for being dedicated to two gods – the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Harwer
  • Lunch on board
  • Continue on to Edfu and visit the temple of Horus, one of the best examples of Ptolemaic architecture due to its preservation
  • Dinner on board
  • Overnight on board the cruise
    Please note: It may not be possible to schedule a Mass on this day.

Accommodations: MS Premium Nile Cruise or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

November 7, 2027
  • Sail to Luxor with visits to Karnak temple and Luxor temple
    • Karnak temple is the largest religious building ever constructed and the religious center of ancient Egypt
    • Nearby is the Luxor temple, which played an important part in Karnak’s religious festivals
  • Mass in a local church or on board the cruise ship
  • In the evening, enjoy a Galabeya party on board the ship, a party in which everyone is invited to wear traditional Egyptian dress (Galabeya)
  • Overnight on board the cruise

Accommodations: MS Premium Nile Cruise or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 8, 2027
  • Disembark in Luxor after breakfast
  • Visit the Valley of the Kings and see the tombs of ancient Egypt’s rulers, including Queen Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple
  • After lunch, fly back to Cairo
  • Mass in a local church
  • Transfer to the hotel for check-in and dinner
  • Overnight in Cairo near the airport

Accommodations: Sonesta Cairo or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 9, 2027
  • Morning visit to the Old Cairo churches, including Mass in a local church
    • Stops include the Hanging Church and St. Sergio, where the Holy Family stayed during their flight to Egypt
  • Transfer to St. Catherine, following the Moses Exodus Route and stopping in Marah, Elim, and Rafedim
  • Dinner at the hotel
  • Overnight in St. Catherine

Accommodations: Monastery Guest House, Morgan Land Hotel, or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 10, 2027
  • Early morning climb of Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments, with Mass outdoors (pending availability)
  • Return for breakfast at the hotel
  • Visit to St. Catherine’s Monastery (pending availability) to see the Burning Bush and Moses’ Well
  • Transfer to Sharm El Sheikh for some time on the shores of the Red Sea
  • Dinner at the hotel
  • Overnight in Sharm El Sheikh

Accommodations: Coral Sea Holiday Resort or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 11, 2027
  • Enjoy a morning in Sharm El Sheikh with Mass before flying back to Cairo
  • Gather as a group for final reflections on the experience of and graces from the pilgrimage
  • Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant
  • Overnight in Cairo

Accommodations: Sonesta Cairo or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

November 12, 2027
  • Transfer to Cairo airport and depart on your journey home

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodations

Standard Accommodations

Sonesta Cairo
Cairo
MS Premium Nile Cruise
Nile Cruise
Coral Sea Holiday Resort
Sharm El Sheikh

Pricing

Package Cost
$4,836

Optional Add-ons

Travel Protection
Quote provided after registration
Single room supplement (limited availability)
$1,465 / person

Pricing listed per person in double-occupancy rooms and does not include airfare.

The number of available single-occupancy rooms is limited. Rates assume a minimum of 20 full-paying pilgrims.

If pilgrims traveling by themselves are unable to be matched with a roommate, the single room supplement may apply. See Additional Information section below for details.

*Travel protection is calculated based on a variety of factors and optional plans are provided by Travel Insured International.

Led by

Spiritual Director
Msgr. William Skoneki
Mobile, AL
Rev. Msgr. William J. “Father Bill” Skoneki was ordained for the Archdiocese of Mobile in 1987. He served as parochial vicar at St. Bede Parish, Montgomery, and Christ the King Parish, Daphne, before being named Fiscal Officer and Catholic Charities Appeal Director for the Archdiocese of Mobile in 1992. In 1996, he became the pastor of St. Dominic Parish, Mobile, then pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Auburn, in 2005. Since 2019, Father Bill has served as rector of the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Mobile and Vicar General of the Archdiocese.   Son of an Air Force officer, Father Bill lived in thirteen different houses before his family settled in Montgomery, Alabama fifty years ago. He graduated from the University of Nebraska and worked as a CPA for Touche Ross and Company for 3 years before entering the seminary. He was blessed with four trips to Israel from 2013 to 2018, all of which included some days working at archaeological digs there. An Egyptian Catholic Coptic nun Father Bill met in Israel in 2018 was the first person to encourage him to visit Egypt. He is excited to finally be able to fulfill that dream on this pilgrimage.
Group Leader
Keas, Laura
Laura Keas
Mobile, AL
Since 2016, Laura has coordinated and acted as group leader for pilgrims traveling from her native Alabama as well as other states in the South, Midwest, Southwest, and Pacific Northwest to shrines and holy places throughout the countries of Europe, including France, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the Holy Land. In addition, Laura is a volunteer at The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes and has made personal pilgrimages to sites across North America, in both the United States and Mexico. A highlight of Laura’s pilgrimage involvement has been coordinating the pallium pilgrimage to Rome for the newly appointed archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mobile where, during the Mass of the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul at St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope bestows the pallium collar on the new archbishops, a symbol of pastoral authority and unity with the Holy See. Devoted to her family, Laura is a wife, mother, and grandmother, sister and daughter, and has enjoyed a successful professional career in company management.

Flights

There will be an optional group flight available for this pilgrimage. Flight details will be available below 10 months prior to departure. Pilgrims may also arrange their own airfare based on the designated arrival/departure times provided.

There are also three inter-Egypt flights already included in the package price. Verso Ministries will manage ticketing of these flights.

  • Day 4: Cairo to Aswan
  • Day 7: Luxor to Cairo
  • Day 10: Sharm El Sheikh to Cairo

Details provided ten months before departure.

  • Details provided ten months before departure.

More Details

  • Entry Visa (current cost is $25 / person)
  • Verso Pilgrimage Director (included if group is 30+ pilgrims)
  • Roundtrip group flight (if group flight option is not selected)
  • Airport transfers (if group flight option is not selected)
  • Passport, visa, or luggage fees
  • Any personal purchases
  • Any meals not indicated on the itinerary, as well as beverages at meals
  • Any required COVID tests or vaccinations
  • Recommended travel protection with Cancel for Any Reason coverage
  • Anything else not explicitly mentioned as included

Payment Schedule

  • Deposit- due upon registration: 500/person
  • Final balance- due 120 prior to departure: Final balance

Please note: Payment plans can be arranged if needed. Please contact us if you would like to pay in several installments.

Final package price is estimated. Pricing is based on currency exchange rates as of February 2025. Any drastic fluctuations in currency exchange rates may impact final pricing. If you have any questions about pricing and when final pricing decisions will be communicated, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time.

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations of individual pilgrims must be made in writing (email or letter) to Verso Ministries. Cancellations are possible at any time, but refunds are subject to cancellation fees at the rates listed here. Cancellation fees are for individual pilgrims. Any cancellation charges incurred from other suppliers or vendors (flight, lodging, ground transportation, tickets, etc.) may come in addition to the administrative fees listed here. All group flight airline tickets, optional excursions, trip options, pre/post extensions, private transfers, and additional hotel nights are non-refundable 100 days or less prior to departure unless otherwise noted. We highly recommend the purchase of individual travel insurance.

• Within 2 weeks of deposit: Free Cancellation*
• 14 days after deposit and 91 days or more from departure: Deposit is retained
• 90-61 days prior to departure: 25% of trip cost is non-refundable
• 60-31 days prior to departure: 50% of trip cost is non-refundable
• 30 days or less prior to departure: 100% of trip cost is non-refundable

*To qualify for free cancellation within 2 weeks of deposit, deposit must be made 180 days or more prior to departure.

Important Information for Pilgrims Seeking to be Matched With A Roommate

  • Pilgrims who register by themselves can indicate in their Pilgrim Portal that they would like to be matched with a roommate. Verso Ministries will make every effort to accommodate that request, however, cannot guarantee that this will be possible.
  • If, by 90 days prior to departure, Verso has not been able to match a solo pilgrim with a roommate, the single room supplement will be applied to the pilgrim’s invoice and due for payment.
  • If Verso is able to match a pilgrim with a roommate after they have paid the single room supplement, the pilgrim will be refunded the extra charge.

 

Arriving early or staying late? Pre-stay and post-stay options

 

Want to arrive or depart outside of the designated times?

  • Please note: If you arrive/depart outside of the designated times, private transfers (fee applies) can be arranged on your behalf. Airport transfers outside of the designated arrival/departure times are not included in the package pricing.
  • Need to book a private transfer? Contact us at hello@versoministries.com or call us at (574) 383-9396.

 

Want help arranging your flights?

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Verso Ministries prepare me for my journey?

We know from experience that preparing for a journey is just as important as the journey itself. From pre-departure spiritual formation emails and webinars hosted by the Verso trip leader, to providing you with a pilgrim kit to bring with you on your journey, we accompany you through the entire process – before, during, and after the pilgrimage – to prepare your mind and heart for what you’ll encounter. And of course, we’re always available by phone or email to answer and assist with any questions you might have.
Read More

Should I purchase travel protection?

We recommend that all pilgrims consider purchasing travel protection. We partner with Travel Insured International (TII) to offer travel protection.  According to TII, travel protection helps protect you and those you are traveling with from unforeseen emergencies, which always seem to happen at the worst possible time. In the event of emergencies, both before and during your travels, as well other circumstances, like travel delay, lost baggage, missed connection(s), and much more, travel protection can help. Upon registration you will receive a travel protection quotation from TII. If you have any questions regarding your quotation, please call TII. If you need an updated or new quotation, please contact us at hello@versoministries.com or call us at 574-383-9396.
Read More

Why should I travel with Verso Ministries?

At Verso, we believe in crafting pilgrimages that offer you a view of God’s world and his work in it that you can’t get anywhere else.    We believe that everything – from the holy sites, to the meals, to daily Mass, to your fellow pilgrims – shape the ways God can speak to you, which means we’re intentional about it all.  We believe a pilgrimage isn’t just the days you travel, but it’s how you prepare – from the moment you sign up, to the days and weeks after you arrive home. We shepherd you through the entire process so you can achieve the most transformative experience possible.  We’re not just travel experts; we’re experts in Catholic pilgrimage.
Read More

Resources

Discover helpful guides and tips to prepare for your pilgrimage and enrich your journey with Verso Ministries.

A metaphor of one of the benefits of going on a pilgrimage, a highway comes into sharp focus through a camera lens.

5 Benefits of Going on a Pilgrimage

Read More
A journal with pen and flower laid on top.

5 Ways to Pray Before and During your Pilgrimage

Read More
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the model pilgrim.

3 Reasons Why Our Lady Is the Model Pilgrim

Read More

What Our Pilgrims Have to Say

Father Kuhn

Jocelyn

“Verso provided a safe, quality travel experience, but even more important – a transformative pilgrimage. You are making a solid choice when traveling with Verso and will not regret the decision.”

Rev. Jonathan Meyer
Pastor, All Saints Parish

“It was the experience of a lifetime. This pilgrimage gave us a true glimpse of what it would be like to walk with Jesus in the Holy Land. Celebrating Mass, traveling with superb guides, and reflecting on Biblical passages enriched our love of the Holy Land and deepened our faith.”

Deacon John & Ada H.
Pilgrims, Holy Land

“Who doesn’t love a trip that’s already perfectly planned for you? You don’t have to do much except come and experience the trip. I’m really grateful for Verso because they know what they’re doing.”

 
McKenzy S.
Pilgrim, World Youth Day
View all Testimonials

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