Travel diaries: Ancient Egypt with Inés Ybarra
A magical trip through a blur of Ancient towns, warm deserts, hidden treasures, and the best company. Inés Ybarra takes us through the most incredible trip along the Nile and the mountains of Siwa, in Egypt.
Our Egyptian hideaway adventure starts in Siwa, in the hotel Adrere Amellal. Organized by our host Thomas, we headed to this dreamy, primitive destination made of ocher-colored mud and salt, sitting beside a peaceful lake, with a crystallin-water swimming pool for bathing in the warm summer days.
The eco-lodge is nestled between palm trees, at the foot of the majestic mountains of Siwa, blending naturally into the authenticity of the landscape; it is a wild experience, different from any other, simple and barefoot.
Every night, we had a candlelight dinner served in a distinct magical location in the hotel, one of them, in the middle of the silent desert, contemplating the starry sky, and surrounded by the best company. There is no electricity, bring external batteries and solar chargers if necessary!
The easiest way to get there is by plane, there are flights once or twice every week. For the more adventurous, there is also the option of traveling by car from Cairo, through the desert, for about 10 hours.
Wake up to a true natural retreat and do not forget to visit Adrere Amellal's shop, the absolute corner to find small forgotten treasures of the Egyptian desert.
Head to the Old Town of Siwa at sunset and discover the local shops in the town. Charming shops with unique and handmade products. Feel immersed in its heritage and tradition through the scent of fresh orange marmalade, the vibrant colors of Persian rugs, and the murmur of the dunes dancing to the rhythm of the wind.
After a delicious and exotic breakfast, we took an excursion to the salty natural pools. Take a ride of 30/40 minutes by car and find an oasis of turquoise waters that is just aesthetically wonderful. Of course, take cans of water to get wet after taking a bath. Salt is not pleasant on the skin, especially if you have wounds.
After spending the best days in the warm desert of Siwa, we traveled through the Nile with Nour El Nil – A colonial, enchanted boat, whose owners Enrique and Leonor, made of it a wonderful experience. You must try to meet them!
Not only every corner of the boat is just gorgeous, and the service feels spotless, but it is more flexible than others with the stops, of course, if the other crewmembers feel comfortable with it. You will feel home away from home throughout the whole trip! The boat is the perfect place to see all the temples and pyramids in and around Luxor (where the tour begins) and Aswan (where it ends).
In Luxor, the owners of the ship have a very cute little guest house, Beit Sabée, and in Aswan, I recommend that you stay at the Anakato Kiki hotel, in the Nubian Village. Around the hotel, there is a market with artisan findings, the ideal spot for a treasure hunt!
The group I went with was wonderful, without them, the experience would have not been the same.
Michela Pelizzari and Nicolás Bellavance-Lecompte were the ones who guided us throughout the whole trip; they had spent the entire quarantine there and they knew all the hidden secrets of Egypt! My friend Justina Bustos was the one who convinced me to go, and Omar Sosa who convinced her. David Luraschi took some wonderful photos, obviously much better than the ones I did. He also made us all laugh non-stop with his jokes. Ahmed Khedr and Hend Ghorab our two Egyptian friends who since the very beginning, made us feel at home. And Francesca Cefis, who became someone fundamental to me during the trip and I can only miss her and wishing that she and we all lived in the same city!
