Secreted amid the arid Red Sea Hills, Egypt's oldest monasteries – dedicated to St Paul and St Anthony – trace their origins back to the infancy of Christian monasticism, observing rituals that have scarcely changed over sixteen centuries. This tangible link with the primitive church gives them a special resonance for believers, but you don't have to be religious to appreciate their tranquil atmosphere and imposing setting – there's also scope for bird-watching in the vicinity.

Though neither monastery is directly accessible by public transport, they can 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; 02/396-0025) or the YMCA (72 Sharia al-Gumhorriya, downtown; 02/591-7360), which dispatches an occasional minibus. Coptic churches in Luxor or Hurghada may also run tours on a nonprofit basis. If you're travelling independently, chartering a taxi for the six- to eight-hour excursion should cost about £E400 from Suez, or £E700 from Cairo; taxis from Za'farana might do a four- to five-hour jaunt for around £E180. To drive from one monastery to the other (82km) takes about ninety minutes.

The cheapest way to see the monasteries 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 and 152km south of Suez), 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. Another place to try to cadge a lift is the cafeteria of the Sahara Inn motel. Otherwise, you can approach St Anthony's Monastery on one of the 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. It's also possible to hike between the two monasteries along a trail across the top of the plateau. This is quite demanding, so it's strongly recommended to engage a guide; you've a better chance of doing so at the Monastery of St Paul than at St Anthony.

Both monasteries are open daily from 9am to 5pm, but visitors are not permitted during Christmas or Lent. There are dormitories at the monasteries, though to stay in them you need written permission from the "residence" in Cairo (26 El-Kenisa El Morcosia St, Kolet Beck, Cairo; 02/590-0218), which is often refused, particularly if you are not part of a religious group. Both monasteries have cafeterias, and St Paul's has a shop selling basic foodstuffs, but you might want to bring your own supplies. Smoking and drinking alcohol are forbidden here, and you should respect the monasteries' conventions on dress and behaviour.