Abbey Travel Tours' primary goal is to give old and new friends of Saint John's Abbey an opportunity to journey around the world to explore faith, experience different cultures, appreciate art and architecture, and learn something of our history and that of the nations we are touring. And do this while strengthening their love of Saint John's and forming some wonderful friendships with fellow travelers.
July 30 - August 13, 2024
Itinerary and Online Registration
* Includes three days/nights pre-cruise in Athens
* Seven days on board the ship with excursions
* Three days/nights post-cruise in Rome
Accompanied by an excellent local guide, learn about the spiritual, historical, and cultural significance of Greece, Turkey, and Italy. Enjoy the best of both worlds—private group tours and free time in Athens, in Rome, and on the cruise.
Set sail on the Celebrity ASCENT for a 7-night cruise visiting ancient temples and idyllic seaside villages with five ports of call: Santorini, Kusadasi (near Ephesus), Mykonos, Naples, and Rome.
Masses will be offered by Fr. Geoffrey, as well as Morning Prayer with our group. Let us take you on one of our quality, customized tours that have been planned and perfected for over 40 years. Time is short for filling this cruise. Please contact Magi Travel ASAP to register for this Footsteps of Saints Peter and Paul experience.
Travel Discount Offer: Due to a cancellation of a trip to the Holy Land last October (canceled due to the conflict between Israel and Gaza), a couple has two $4,995 credits with Magi Travel that can be transferred to a third party. They want to sell them to future travelers at a $500-a-piece discount. If you want to purchase these credits at the $500 discount, please phone Kathy at 612-636-8822 or email her at jcu22657534@aol.com.
August 27-30, 2024
Itinerary and Online Registration
You are invited by the monks of Saint John's Abbey to come to our campus and enjoy a bit of our Benedictine hospitality. For your time here, we have planned an exciting three days' worth of activities, taking in five of the treasures of Saint John's: the monumental Abbey Church and a demonstration of the new expansion of the Holtkamp-Pasi Organ, the construction of the new Abbey Woodworking building, the acclaimed Saint John's Pottery Studio featuring the largest wood burning kiln in North America, and exploring the renowned Saint John's Bible. All of this while joining in a bit of the prayer life of Saint John's Abbey monks.
The Benedictine monks of Saint John's Abbey welcome guests of all faiths to experience the abiding presence of God with a praying community. Located in central Minnesota on over 3,000 lakes, the abbey provides monastic hospitality to all who call. Since they arrived in Minnesota in 1856, the monks have embodied a vital monastic presence, seeking God and witnessing to Christ and the Gospel through a common life of prayer, study, and work in service to the Church and the world.
The Benedictine monks are and have always been the lively leaven of the Saint John's community, providing invaluable support, inspiration, and leadership for Saint John's University, School of Theology and Seminary, Preparatory School, Liturgical Press, Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, and The Saint John's Bible program.
For this special pilgrimage, you will stay at the Abbey Guesthouse.
May 5-15, 2025
Itinerary and Online Registration
CRUISE FROM: AMSTERDAM TO BASEL
Contoured by vineyard-clad hills and castles from yesteryear, the legendary Rhine captivates. Experience the allure of France’s Alsace region in its welcoming capital, Strasbourg, and its priceless gem, Riquewihr. Discover Breisach, rising above the vineyards of the Rhine, and Freiburg, one of Germany’s sunniest cities and gateway to the Black Forest. Fabled towns lost in time present you with the chance to taste local flavors—Rüdesheimer coffee and legendary German beer—and to touch history up close with guided hikes and bike rides. From Amsterdam’s colorful canals to the majestic Swiss Alps, journey into the heart of the destinations you visit.
On this AmaWaterway River Cruise, you will enjoy an extensive lineup of included tours. In many cases, you will have a choice of excursions, such as standard tours, bike tours, hikes and Special Interest Tours. We always include a large variety of activities so that you can choose how you want to explore. No matter your preference, your days will be full of discovery and wonder.
COUNTRIES we will visit:
FRANCE, GERMANY, NETHERLANDS, SWITZERLAND
Good news. The agency has changed the registration deadline. Instead of needing to register the first sixteen passengers by December 29, 2023, the company has been able to renegotiate a registration deadline to June 28, 2024 in order to bring the registration date closer to our tour date in 2025.
August 16 – 30, 2025
Itinerary
Marisa at: marisa@southernexplorations.com
Phone: +1 (206)-784 8111
Fr. Geoffrey at: gfecht@csbsju.edu
Packed with adventure and outstanding natural beauty, Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands will be a lifetime holiday. Your thrilling adventure takes you first to Peru’s beautiful seaside capital of Lima, then off to the bustling colonial town of Cusco high up in the Andes Mountains to begin your Machu Picchu tour through the legendary Sacred Valley, stopping at villages and ancient Inca ruins along the way. A scenic train ride takes you to the magnificent ruins of Machu Picchu, where you’ll spend two days exploring the captivating ruins and the majestic mountains that surround them. Then you’ll fly to the magical country of Ecuador to embark on a Galapagos cruise of the "Enchanted Isles" that inspired Darwin's theory of evolution. The islands' unique ecosystem sustains extraordinary plant and animal diversity, where visitors on Galapagos tours may observe wildlife close-up and take amazing photos. You will encounter an abundance of rare, exotic wildlife found only on the islands of the Galapagos: blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises and found upon the Galapagos’ pristine sandy beaches, and sea turtles, manta rays, and sharks to be seen beneath the islands’ clear, azure waters.
You will also have the opportunity to soak up the vibrant culture, captivating history and passionate energy of some of the continent’s greatest cities, including Quito, Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Moray and Maras, indulging in delectable local fare along the way. One of the greatest highlights of this trip includes the famous and rewarding experience of one of the finest views imaginable, the World Heritage-Listed Machu Picchu – a must-see on many people’s bucket lists. We think that this tour is ideal for nature lovers, adventurers, and cultural enthusiasts, but note aspects of the itinerary are physically challenging, requiring a certain level of fitness.
While on the Galapagos islands, you will be based at a five-star tented safari camp and making daily visits to the surrounding islands. Snorkeling opportunities will be available for those tempted to take to the water.
This trip combines two of our most popular tours, exploring the mysterious lost city of Machu Picchu and cruising the famed Galapagos Islands.
Explore the stunning Galapagos Islands, home to a plethora of exotic, rare wildlife
Snorkel the incredible marine-filled waters of Kicker Rock, one of the world’s best snorkeling spots with playful sea lions, majestic sea turtles, manta rays and the Galapagos Shark
Encounter the near-extinct Galapagos Giant Tortoises from an up-close perspective
Scale the Galapagos’ second most active volcano on Isabela Island, home to the world’s largest crater
Trek Peru’s iconic Inca Trail, reaching dizzying heights of nearly 15,000 feet above sea level
Discover the beautiful sights and architecture of Quito and Lima, two of South America’s most attractive cities
Tour the breath-taking, incredibly charming cities of Cusco, Lima, Sacred Valley, Moray and Maras
Witness the world-famous sights of Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World
Especially during these uncertain times, we highly recommend the purchase of optional travel protection that covers Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, or Cancel For Any Reason. You may purchase coverage through any carrier of your choosing.
To view travel protection plans available through our travel company's partner, Travel Insured International, click any of the listed tours and then click “Travel Protection.”
For more information on the Abbey Travel Tours, contact Fr. Geoffrey Fecht at gfecht@csbsju.edu or 320-363-3818.
Stay tuned as these plans are developed.
