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26 Mar 2025
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Description
A people- and pets-friendly homestead (small farmhouse built as part of a 4200sqm permaculture/ organic food+ farm with abundance of greens, sand, water, breath-taking sunrises and sunsets).
Homesteady is a farmstead (farmhouse) that looks forward to a simple life that revolves around nature, local resources and in a few years farm produce.
As a homestead— embracing the coziness of living within a farm (within desert: Sahara), we need and welcome volunteers from time to time.
Workawayers who qualify are those who love what they do, look forward to happy relaxed time, and would like to add their touch to the place.
What we can promise is that you enjoy a wonderful experience where work and fun are blended in the right ingredients. Your safety and good mood are our major concern.
Volunteers will have their own room (solo or a couple) during the stay, and will be given a brief orientation about the activities that can be done in the amazing oasis of Siwa.
We currently have 2 rooms with en-suite bathroom. Both are designed to be double rooms. One with one 2-persons bed, and the other with 2 1-person beds.
You may be just renting a room, or bedspace, but you will have full access to the farm, rooftop, kitchen, washing machine and pool. We will even help you to be able to get any other/external amenity or service we, should it be out of our current scope.
Other than Workawayer visits, long-term staycationists and/or digital nomads (working online/remotely) are preferred, and thus offered rockbottom deals (tapwater, electricity & wifi are free, for instance.
You may also rent a tent, or bring yours. We appreciate campers,small groups, solo-travelers and budget-travelers.
We seek serenity, peace of mind and simple joys. Please be simple and ego-free.
Maximum number of guests-in-house at any time is 4.
We provide all activities, sightseeing and safari adventures for our guests at actual market cost.
‡Location:
Located in the western half of the inspiring Siwa Oasis, overlooking the Great Salt Lake and the Great Sand Sea (of Sahara) dunes, and at the same time at walking/cycling distance from most attractions in Siwa:
†3.5km from Fitnas Island (west, sunset) at a viewing & walking distance (less than a km) from Siwa Great Salt Lake (opposite bank to Fitnas')
†6.5km to downtown (Souq/market)
†11 & 15km to the infamous Dakrour Mountain & Awsat Salt Lakes & Mines, respectively
(Maps: please check the photo section!)
‡Activities:
There is always something to do at the house and/or the farm. You may just pick the things you enjoy doing the best, and please get them done in support and hopefully love to the place.
Sometimes we may announce lists of priority activities. If this is the case, you will receive the list before you confirm your booking.
Workawayers/volunteers receive the following as a courtesy of Homesteady, in appreciation to their support and value to us:
†Your stay (default: bed-only)
†Courtesy sightseeing activities (1 half day per 3-day stay)
†A few rides to downtown (market/shops)
†All other activities available in Siwa can be booked for you on-demand on cost basis.
The following amenities/services are available at most times:
†2 double rooms with en-suite bathrooms
†Kitchen (CIY: cook it yourself)
†Tapwater (underground well)
†Mineral (potable) water (free, in 20-liter common drums. Source: mineral water factories in Siwa)
†Washing machine (WIY: wash it yourself)
†Water heater (for the showers)
†Enough power with rational use (solar)
†Farm with various trees, fodders and edible plants
†4 sweet yet playful dogs
†Swimming pool (source: underground well)
†Raised roftop (usable but still to be worked upon. Not suitable for children so far)
†A few surprises..
‡Pets, Children & Families:
You need to like dogs, we share the land with 4 (so far) friendly free-range dogs, but very playful.
Your children are more than welcome, so are small families who like the sort of stay of offer.
‡Languages spoken:
Language is never a barrier. We speak Arabic, English, a bit German and a lesser bit Turkish. None of these applies to your tongue? No issue, communication is not just a language, it is just a tool.
‡When:
March 2025. Any 3-6 nights (4-7 days) between 01 first check-in) and 20 (last check-out)
‡Recommended group size in each booking:
1-4 (solo-travelers, couples, group of friends)
‡Who is welcome?
Everyone who is nice, simple and ego-free..
‡Your host:
Egyptian, not a Siwi by birth but have been living in Siwa for more than a decade. Lived aboard for significant number of years. Like to mingle with other cultures and ideologies since no single person ot group exist alone. Dog lover.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
Interests
Videography
Sustainability
Self development
Politics / Social justice
Pets
Farming
Charity work
Plant care
Photography
Music
Gardening
DIY & crafts
Cooking & food
Carpentry
Animals
Yoga / Wellness
Nature
Beach
Camping
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You will be introduced to a unique Amazigh local community which is unique even compared with the other western original Amazigh region (Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco). How unique? A story-telling session about Siwa might be planned whether indoors or outdoors. If managed, it will be given by a great Siwi storyteller.
We like to do things together hand-in-hand, from our hearts, with a decent sense of ownership - that’s the very core of it. And we will mingle with the local community and close Siwi friends.
A photo session in Siwan traditional costume might be arranged if you like.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
‡Requested Activities:
Among the main assignments for Workawayers stand:
†House/room decoration— adding unique individual touches". This includes cob application, painting, ornamentation, etc. Bare min is to add your touch to at least one room (reflect your own style and sense of creative imagination)!
†Redesigning of available, or creating new, spaces, as deemed nicer. This entails any house or landscape areas and rooftop.
†Ad-hoc: help with feeding the dogs (they eat raw, no worries).
†Ad-hoc: help with irrigation (no more than opening a valve or priming a water pump).
‡Duration:
Let's synchronize dates that fit well in our schedules during March 2025
‡Accommodation:
Own Room (solo or a couple)
‡Meals:
Breakfasts (CIY)
‡Benefits:
†Accommodation, own room for solo or a couple (default: bed-only, 4 to 7 days) unless otherwise agreed
†Courtesy sightseeing activities (1 half day per 3-day stay)
†A few rides to downtown (market/shops) when needed
†Other on-site surprises pssoible!
Languages
Languages spoken
Arabic: Fluent
English: Fluent
German: Beginner
Turkish: BeginnerThis host offers a language exchange
Can help with Egyptian Arabic (mother tongue) and English. I know little bits of German and Turkish.
Accommodation
We currently have 2 rooms, plastered in natural cob (local clay with straw++) with en-suite bathrooms. Both are designed to be occupied as double rooms. One with one 2-persons bed, and the other with 2 1-person beds.
Room floors are covered with a heavy layer of natural rock salt— you have to check and feel the miracles it does to your breathing, energy and room cleanliness (insect-free as well) by yourself! The rock salt nightstands with built-in candles looked better than initially imagined.
Power comes from a 1kw solar system. We need to conserve but not suffer. Backup small solar lights are available, not to mention the candles and oil lanterns/lamps.
You may be just booking a room, or bedspace, but you will have full access to the farm, kitchen (CIY), rooftop, washing machine (WIY), and pool.
We will even help you to be able to get any other/external amenity or service we, should it be out of our current scope.
You will have full access to the kitchen during your stay. We love to diversify how the food is catered. Sometimes we may cook together dishes from Workawayers’ homeland cuisines, some traditional Siwan dishes, or we BBQ in the desert section on the bonfire (Rackia)..
A rooftop seating is available— still using a handmade primitive yet safe basic ladder, with magnificent sunrise and sunset views, owing to our raised roof and location almost at Siwa Great Salt Lake and the Great Sand Sea dunes.
Other than Workawayer visits, long-term staycationists and/or digital nomads (working online/remotely) are preferred, and thus offered rockbottom deals (tapwater, electricity & wifi are free, for instance).
You may also book a tent, or bring yours. We welcome campers, small groups, solo-travelers and budget-travelers.
‡We seek serenity, peace of mind and simple happiness. Please be simple and ego-free.
‡In-kind detailed benefits (meals, sightseeing, etc):
Workawayers will be offered, in appreciation, some in-kind incentives besides the free accommodation:
†Staples for simple CIY breakfasts will be available. We should cook in rota or as agreed per assignment.
†We shall also let you know activities and adventures that can be done in Siwa, connect you with good service providers, and help you get very good prices for the activities you
What else ...
Workawayers will be guided and assisted as much as needed during their stay.
Some courtesy activities like sightseeing will be arranged.
If required and possible, we might organize some activities together as a group/family at cost (like safari adventures and salt lake anti-gravity flaots).
We aim at getting you back, this might explain it all :)
‡Last Minute Request:
(Posted for a week)
Immediate tasks include landscape, little decoration touches (house), and some dog care assistance (friendly dogs).
This is most suitable for Workawayers already in Siwa Oasis, or planning to be, during the week
Ciao :)
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Good wifi connection available. Great ambience I guess/hope!
Space for parking camper vans
On-site parking space available.
Can possibly accept pets
I have 4 sweet dogs myself living in the premises. Of course I do accept pets.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
