What to Expect
A Nile River cruise, dozens of ancient sites, and the brand-new Grand Egyptian Museum.
You won't find a better way to experience dozens of sites while learning from Jonathan Greer each morning and evening as he unpacks what we're learning in the context of biblical history as well as our daily faith.
This video includes sites from Jordan and Israel that we will not visit on this tour.
Dr. Jonathan & Jennifer Greer
Your Study Tour Teachers
Jonathan & Jennifer Greer have enjoyed learning and teaching the Story of the Bible together in a variety of contexts in the Middle East for nearly two decades. They are faculty members at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary where Jonathan serves as Associate Professor of Old Testament and Director of the Hesse Archaeological Lab and Jennifer as Adjunct Instructor of Bible with a New Testament focus. Together they lead an annual study tour course in cooperation with GTI to the lands of the Bible as well as courses in biblical interpretation and background studies. Jonathan holds M.A. degrees in Old Testament and Biblical Languages from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University where he focused on Hebrew Bible, ancient Near Eastern studies, and archaeology. He is also the Associate Director of archaeological excavations at Tel Dan, Israel, and has published a number of works on the relationship of the Bible to the ancient world. Jennifer earned an M.Div. at Gordon-Conwell and, in addition to her teaching, serves in leadership at Madison Square Church in Grand Rapids, where they reside with their three children. She and Jonathan are currently working on a book entitled How to Read the Bible in Its Ancient World and Why It Matters for Ours. They look forward to every opportunity to teach the Bible and find no better classroom than the lands where the Story all began.
Any Questions?
If you have questions, you're not alone! Use the following form to submit any questions you may have and we'll get back to you.
And of course, you can always give us a call during business hours at 616-396-1234 or 800-829-8234.
- $4390 base cost
- $900.00 single-occupancy supplement available
Fees:
- $30.00 for Egyptian Visa
- $30.00 for Jordanian Visa
Optional payment schedule available:
- $500.00 per-person deposit upon registration
- $2547.50 per-person due by Oct 8, 2021
- Remaining balance due by Jan 6, 2022
- Economy class air from/to ORD
- GTI Hydration Packs with bottled water on tour
- Charter air flights as indicated
- Hotel and Cruise accommodations as per itinerary
- Daily breakfast and dinner buffet
- Lunches on site
- Bible, Journal, Plug adapter
- Deluxe touring motor coach
- All entrance fees
- Guide/Driver Tips
- Porterage
- Boat tips *Covid test for returning to the US
- Egyptian visa (currently $30)
- Ala Carte beverages ordered with meals
“GTI Tours has been serving, listening to, and learning from their network of leaders and ministries for years—which is why their study tours are exceptional!“
Dr. Mark Strauss
Bethel Seminary Professor
Itinerary
A day of travel
Welcome to present day Cairo and ancient Egypt
After our luggage is collected, we’re taken by motor coach to the wonderful Le Meridien Hotel for a good night’s sleep before our adventure begins in the morning.
Le Meridien Airport Hotel
Ancient Egypt: The Pyramids & the Old Kingdom
After breakfast we will fly to ancient Thebes, modern day Luxor, where we will be taken to the beautiful Nile River Palace Hotel. In the afternoon we will explore this amazing city on the Nile as well as the famous temple of Luxor.
The Greatness of Pharaoh: New Kingdom Mortuary Temples
Today we board our cruise ship that will be our home for the next several days. We will begin the day with a “hands-on” experience of brick making, much in the same way the ancient Israelites would have known it, and then we will cross over to the west bank of the Nile River. There we will visit the Ramesseum (the memorial temple of Ramesses II) and Karnak Temple as we discuss the power of New Kingdom pharaohs and the crisis of ca. 1200 BC and how these realities relate to the biblical story.
The Quest for Eternity: Valley of the Kings:
We will head back to the west bank of the Nile and there we will explore the elaborately painted tombs of key Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings and also visit the mortuary temple of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut. That afternoon, we will re-board the beautiful Movenpick Nile cruise ship and begin our journey along the Nile.
Cosmic Order & Chaos: Ptolemaic Temples
This is a day of cruising and touring as we make our way south. First we will come to Edfu where we disembark to visit what is perhaps the best-preserved temple in all of Egypt: the temple of Horus, the son of Osiris and Isis, and protector of Pharaoh. Returning to our ship we will continue to sail south to visit the temple at Kom Ombo, which honors Sobek the crocodile-headed protector of Egypt.
Securing the Border: The First Cataract and Elephantine Island
This day, after a visit to the massive “unfinished obelisk,” we will explore Elephantine Island in the center of the Nile, the site of a temple to Khnum, an Egyptian creator deity, and also a temple to Yahweh, built by a Jewish mercenary community who wrote letters to Jerusalem mentioning figures from the book of Nehemiah. In the evening, we head back to our cruise ship for dinner and our last night on board.
Into the Wilderness
Today we will explore some more fascinating sites in the Aswan region. After lunch we will bid farewell to our ship and crew and make our way to Aswan airport and back to Cairo. Tonight we check into a hotel near the famous pyramids of Giza.
Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel
Cairo and the Pyramids
After breakfast we will make our way to the iconic Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, all constructed during ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom period.
Cairo
Today we will explore the world famous Grand Egyptian Museum and all of its priceless archeological treasures. Our day will be finished with some shopping in the old city of Cairo before we prepare for our journey home.
Flight Home
Flight Details
Fri, Feb 25 2022
ORD to IST on tk6
Duration: 10 hours 20 minutes
Sat, Feb 26 2022
IST to CAI on tk694
Duration: 02 hours 20 minutes
Sun, Feb 27 2022
CAI to LXR on MSR62
Duration: 01 hours 00 minutes
Fri, Mar 4 2022
ASW to CAI on MSR150
Duration: 01 hours 15 minutes
Mon, Mar 7 2022
CAI to IST on tk691
Duration: 02 hours 25 minutes
Mon, Mar 7 2022
IST to ORD on tk5
Duration: 11 hours 45 minutes
Why GTI Tours?
All Inclusive
More than simply a statement about pricing, “All Inclusive” describes GTI’s holistic approach to facilitating purposeful travel and experiential learning in cooperation with our Ministry Partners.
Biblically Focused
Your tour leader, study materials, and even itinerary are biblically focused, creating a journey that will draw you more deeply into God’s Word with each step you take.
Experiential Itinerary
Each stop on your itinerary is selected because it provides an experience than brings meaning and emotional significance to the information you will be learning.
All Expenses Covered
There’s no need to worry about wasting time and money haggling or being surprised by hidden costs. Except for souvenirs and optional upgrades, every part of your trip is covered.
Online Registration
Our secure online payment and registration system allows for payment plans and reminders, easy passport and document uploads, and confidence that your money and information is safe.
Online Tour Journal
Friends and family can receive daily updates of text, photos, audio, and video from you and other participants to keep up with where you are and what you’re learning via the GTI Online Tour Journal.
Backpacks and Gear
We take care of everything so you can stay focused during your Study Tour, including providing you with a hydration backpack, study guide, passport/ticket carrier, and even a flashlight (when the trip calls for it).
Local Guides & Drivers
We have spent years developing relationships with experienced guides and drivers because they are an integral part of a study tour. And if you already have a trusted guide/driver you prefer that’s ok too!