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Cairo Top Tours' tour operators will customize your tours according to your budget and interests. You shouldn't worry about anything with us because we will take care of all the details of your vacation. That is why we provide a variety of travel alternatives that are affordable while providing an amazing vacation experience. We will work directly with you to ensure that you stay within your budget while enjoying the wonderful experiences. Please contact us immediately to learn more about our budget-friendly travel choices!
Egypt is considered one of the safest countries not only in the Arab world but in the world because Egypt has one of the strongest security services. The Egyptian government is interested in taking all the necessary safety measures to secure tourist trips in Egypt, so you do not have to worry about that at all.
Yes, the Grand Egyptian Museum is officially open for visitors. Come and explore the world’s largest collection of Pharaonic treasures, from the majestic statues to the dazzling artifacts of ancient Egypt. Your unforgettable journey into history starts here.
In the case of cancellation of the trip by the customer, based on the start dates of the trip, the following costs will be charged:
15% of the total cost of the trip, with cancellation from the booking date up to 61 days before the start date of the trip
25% of the total cost of the trip, with cancellation from 60 to 31 days before the start date of the trip
35% of the total cost of the trip, with cancellation 30 to 15 days before the start date of the trip
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The Baptism Site at Bethany, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Jordan River, is a significant religious site where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. It features ancient churches, baptismal pools, and archaeological remains, making it a major pilgrimage destination for Christians and a rich biblical history of the region.
The Site of Jesus' Baptism
Al-Maghtas is an archaeological site, to be found in Wadi al-Khararar in the village of Beit Aniya that is located east of river Jordan 9 kilometers north of the Dead Sea, And because of its religious and historical significance, the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Organization ‘UNESCO’ included it in the World Heritage List in 2015, and in this article, we will discuss Al-Maghtas in more detail and examine its religious as well as its historical significance.
Al-Maghtas includes two primary archaeological zones: Tell al-Kharrar, or the ‘Hill of Mar Elias’ in reference to the Prophet Elijah; and the second zone along the river which contains the ancient Church of Saint John the Baptist as well as ruins of other churches, baptismal tanks and lodgings for the pilgrims.
Roman and Byzantine structures which include churches, chapels and monasteries, caves previously used as hermitages and baptismal fonts also prove the sacredness of the locality. Additionally, the location experiences a number of Christian pilgrims.
Al-Maghtas has a special religious status, as its location is called the ‘House of the Crossing’, meaning that it is the place where the Prophet Elijah passed through and entered the Promised Land, according to the Hebrew Bible, which also described how the Prophet Elijah stood with Elisha at the waters of the Jordan River, and it is also the place associated with the Baptist activities of St John.
Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of Al-Maghtas was home to many farmers who settled there during the Stone Age around 3500 B.C. It also contains several buildings and pools located on both sides of the buildings that served as a ritual bath for the Jews.
Some archaeological discoveries in the Byzantine and Roman era indicated that Al-Maghtas was a famous pilgrimage site at the beginning of the 6th century. Between 491 and 518 AD, the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius built the first church of St. John the Baptist, and in 614 AD, acts of desolation, floods and earthquakes led to the destruction of that church, which was rebuilt three times.
In the thirteenth century, the Orthodox monastery was built, and the number of pilgrims decreased at that time, but in 1484 AD, the place was in a state of complete desolation, so the decision was made to build a small church, and during the nineteenth century, this church was destroyed by the earthquake that occurred in 1927 AD, and in the 1990s, Al-Maghtas witnessed maintenance and restoration work for the destruction that occurred during past history and was allowed to conduct its own traditional ceremonies since 1985.
