We all need a place where we can let go, somewhere away from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan life with its distortions and other problems. The past couple of years have also been exceptionally stressful for everyone, with the sudden spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent losses it has left behind.
When life overwhelms you with storms and hurricanes, there is nothing better than to run to the wilderness for shelter and peace of mind. It is also the holiday season, and hence there is a need for a break and an adventure in a new place where one can find new horizons and learn new lessons about life.
It was our family’s choice to visit the small village of Tunis in the Fayoum Oasis on our way to the Wadi Al-Rayan Nature Reserve. Located on a hill facing a large saltwater lake, Tunis has spectacular views of the edge of the desert on the other side of the lake. It is one of the most wonderful and unique places in Egypt that is a must-visit at least once in a lifetime.
There are many advantages in visiting Tunis as it is a place where children and adults can indulge in many activities, including a desert safari, sand boarding, swimming in the magnificent Lake Qaroun, or simply enjoy a relaxing sail-boat trip while watching a spectacular sunset.
The village is a great opportunity for children to learn about new places and different lifestyles away from the city, as well as for adults to experience a different place to the more popular break-away destinations of Luxor, Aswan, or the Red Sea resorts.
All this can be done on a low budget, which adds to the attraction of the village, since many households’ incomes have been significantly affected by the pandemic that has left many people either suffering from a reduced salary or even lay-offs.
The village was for decades a community of farmers and fishermen on the southern shores of Lake Qaroun. It was not until the 1980s when Swiss potter Evelyn Porret visited the village and decided to live and work there that the village witnessed a radical change. Porret opened her first pottery school and taught the locals the secrets of a new craft that helped them better their incomes and hence their quality of life. The village then became more attractive to entrepreneurs, artists, and writers, who started to go there for inspiration.
I have always wanted to go to Tunis and enjoy the heritage of a place so rich with positive energy, simplicity, art, palatable food, fresh air, nature at its best, and most important of all, local people who will always exceed your expectations, hands down.
The trip would also be the first of its kind for our children to experience a different taste of travel, that of the Egyptian countryside with all that this entails. It would be my first time in Tunis despite my visiting Fayoum a couple of times in the late 1990s to cover various stories about the governorate. I was very excited to finally be visiting a place I had so longed to see.
HITTING THE ROAD: Our journey began in the early hours of Friday morning, so we stopped by a small falafel shop in Remaya Street to grab our fuul and taameya sandwiches for breakfast, the official Friday breakfast in most Egyptian homes.
In khelis al-fuul, ana mesh mes’oul, or “I am not responsible if the fuul runs out,” is the falafel shop’s motto, stated on a big side sign at the entrance. On such a humorous note we enjoyed our breakfast and were all ready to hit the road.
The more we drove away from the capital, the more serene the passing scene became. Despite the modesty of the streets, the greenery on both sides of the road provided a peaceful sense in the air. After driving for almost an hour and a half, we were greeted by a modest sign saying “welcome to Tunis Village.”
Driving through the narrow winding streets we reached our longed for ecolodge called Zad Al-Musafir, or “Traveller’s Luggage”.
Booking was simple: call, make a reservation, and no down payment. Nothing is needed — just pack your bags and drop by. The moment you step foot in the place, you will feel humbled by its simplicity and by the people whose genuine smiles will last in your memory forever.
The reception is a small room surrounded by a moderately sized garden. We were immediately given the key to our four-bed room called suite 11. The ecolodge has traditionally decorated rooms with stone floors, mudbrick walls, and colourful rugs and a closet made of straw. The rooms are bright and well ventilated, thanks to their many windows.
On checking in, Omar, the multi-tasking, multi-talented young man at the ecolodge, explained that should we need any housekeeping services Um Talal would help us during our weekend stay.
In her early 40s, Um Talal is a sweet-natured villager from Tunis and the mother of five boys who all help guests at the ecolodge. Um Talal’s family is always ready to do any chores for the guests and help them with anything they might need. They are available from eight in the morning and leave at dusk.
Food is served at the Al-Mendada restaurant, which literally means “The Table”. The menu offers traditional Egyptian country food, and Al-Mendada is the best place to treat your palates with unforgettable tastes. Any order takes approximately an hour or so to prepare, or you can order and choose what time you would like to be served.
There is an indoor swimming pool and a couple of swings in the garden surrounding the rooms where you can chill and enjoy the singing of the birds, swing, or read a book.
INSPIRATIONAL LAKE: Our adventure began with a five-minute walk to Lake Qaroun to enjoy a sailing boat and liberate ourselves from the stress of the city. Other people chose to reach the lake on horseback.
Lake Qaroun is the third-largest lake in Egypt and the second most famous after Lake Nasser in Upper Egypt. It is one of Egypt’s most treasured natural landmarks.
It lies some 45 m below sea level and occupies the lowest northern section of the Fayoum depression. People in Fayoum believe that if one has not visited the lake, then one has not visited Fayoum. The lake is rich in both natural and archaeological resources. It also plays host to thousands of migrant birds fleeing the cold of Europe.
The lake can also be considered to be a wetland of international importance because of the presence of the water birds. In 1989, it was declared a nature reserve.
By the lake were a handful of camels ready to give entertaining rides, a grilled sweet potato vendor, and a tent serving Bedouin tea. To reach our boat we had to walk on a narrow walkway made of clay and covered with cement sacking. We were greeted by our sailor, Haggag, and his assistant Mahmoud, who told us very interesting stories about the lake and its importance.
After half an hour of a spectacular boat trip, we went back to the shore and enjoyed the last moments of dusk watching the birds and sipping Bedouin tea.
We went back to our haven, feasted on a palate-pleasing dinner of fish, stuffed pigeons, and the standard vegetable plates Al-Mendada serves with each lunch and dinner plus soup and salad.
With all this done, it was eight in the evening. We went for a walk, and then the kids enjoyed some grilled marshmallows by the bonfire made by Hassan, the ecolodge’s night guard. By 10pm, we were in bed looking forward to the coming dawn and a day on which a desert safari was planned.
ENCHANTED BY DUNES: We woke up shortly after sunrise to the humming of birds, the beauty of nature, and a super delicious breakfast of fiteer, or Egyptian pancakes, cheese, molasses, and honey.
Our plan was a desert safari to the famous Wadi Al-Rayan Nature Reserve. All was set for our adventure to begin. Our guide, Sayed, had his Landcruiser all set and ready for a super exciting day in the desert.
Our first stop was the Wadi Al-Hitan, or Valley of the Whales, grocery shop to grab some snacks, juice, and water for a safari due to last for almost eight hours. Haj Gomaa Zaqzouq from the southern Sohag governorate was very pleased to see us. He explained that his trade and that of many people in the small village had been badly affected by the two-year pandemic. He invited people to come to visit what he described as “the most peaceful and refreshing countryside”.
The road to Wadi Al-Rayan is narrow and flanked by greenery on both sides. Once you reach the mesmerising reserve, the openness of the desert, the freshness of the air, the enchanting lakes, and the silence of the dunes reflect an incomparable and breathtaking state of nature unfolding its secrets and its beauty.
As impressed as we were, Sayed started explaining that the reserve consists of seven parts: the upper and lower lakes, the Al-Rayan Springs, the Al-Rayan Falls, the Al-Rayan Mountain, the Al-Medawara Mountain, and the Wadi Al-Hitan. “These spectacular areas are rich in inspiring landscapes such as oases, mountains, rock formations and waterfalls,” Sayed explained.
The reserve is also host to wildlife including the Egyptian gazelle, sand foxes, and fennec foxes, as well as rare species of resident and migrant birds. “Different kinds of falcons and eagles can also be seen,” he added.
Our tour started by the lower lake at the Al-Medawara Mountain, which Sayed explained was where the Syrian singer Asala Nasri had filmed her Bint Akabir video clip in 2019. He pointed to an island by the lake, saying it was where in the late 1990s pop singer Ehab Tawfik had filmed his hit song Tetraga Feya, or “Begging”. “The lake is very romantic and is usually visited by lovers who take pictures and enjoy the beauty of the surroundings,” Sayed said.
The Al-Rayan Falls was our next stop. We took a quick tour and bought some Bedouin scarves, and then our guide advised us that we should head directly to the Wadi Al-Hitan as it closed shortly after noon unlike the rest of the reserve.
As mesmerised as we were, we could only follow our guide’s instructions for he had so far captivated our attention with so much beauty and excitement. Between each tour, Sayed made sure to keep up the thrill by driving us up and down the dunes for an adrenaline rush.
VALLEY OF THE WHALES: Reaching Wadi Al-Hitan, we took a brief rest at its only cafeteria for a cup of tea and a quick snack.
There is an entry fee for the valley’s museum if you wish to take a tour; otherwise, you can just walk along a 3 km track and look at the fossils displayed on both sides of the valley.
We chose to take the full tour starting with the museum, which had a ten-minute documentary prior to the tour.
The documentary explained why the valley is the most important site in the world for showing the evolution of whales as an ocean-going mammal from their previous life as a land-based animal. “The site is unique due to the number, concentration, quality and accessibility of the evidence of the earliest whales, the complete skeletons, and the record of the environment in which they lived,” explained the museum guide.
Our children were beyond delighted with the new lessons that nature was unfolding to them with each step they took in the reserve. They were genuinely proud of their heritage and realised the abundance that nature has to offer.
Done with the museum, we walked half way along the track with an overwhelming feeling of excitement to be trekking on what was once a sea where whales and sharks lived.
Back in our four by four, we could tell from the smile on Sayed’s face that he had plans for more off-roading. “Are you ready for some fun,” he asked in the assertive tone of someone who by now had gained our trust as the master of the desert.
With equal excitement, my 11-year-old son decided to sit in the front seat and not miss a moment of fun. “I want you to have a fearless heart and enjoy the ride,” Sayed said. He took us up and down and round and round with our screams of super excitement accompanying him, and just as it felt as if we were going to fall down a steep hill, Sayed pulled on the brakes and we found ourselves bedazzled by a superb view of the surrounding panorama.
There was a relaxing view of a small lake and sand dunes where one could enjoy a bit of sand-boarding or chill and watch the flocks of migrating birds.
Of course, I chose to chill while my eight-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son kept rolling up and down the sand dunes until they had mastered the game.
There is nowhere to watch the sunset and wrap up such a fantastic journey like the magic lake. Surrounded by sand dunes, this is one of the most spectacular lakes in Egypt and an embodiment of beauty. The lake contains minerals that help treat patients with rheumatism. When the weather is warmer, one can take a dip. But, since it was winter time, we chose to enjoy the magical view of the sunset, sipping on Bedouin tea while the children had a lovely time horseback riding.
Our desert safari came to end, but we plan a second visit soon to camp by the lake where we can spend a night of stargazing.
THE FEAST: Back to our colourful ecolodge, our chef, Omayma, had prepared a splendid table of various delights.
We had roasted duck, oven-baked lamb with oriental rice, stuffed vegetables, molokheya, soup, salad and pickled aubergines, followed by a huge pot of green mint tea with cloves. We enjoyed our tea in the garden watching some yogis perform their night rituals before going to bed. Of course, we wished to join them, but that would have been impossible after the feast we had just devoured.
The weekend was over and it was time to go, but that would also have been impossible without taking a walk in the narrow streets of the village, inspecting its artistically decorated houses and pottery workshops. You are sure to get the best pottery crafts at the best prices and meet the friendly villagers if you do so, and they will most probably ask to take a picture with you.
It was such a fantastic experience for the whole family, and it reminded us to expand our perceptions of what we are looking at and to remember that beauty lies in the simplest of nature’s forms. No matter how stressful life in the city may be, we can always run to the serenity and peace of the countryside for solace.
*A version of this article appears in print in the 13 January, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
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