At the foot of the “White Mountain,” overlooking Siwa’s largest salt lake and the dunes of the Sahara Desert, the Adrère Amellal ecolodge emerges from the earth with effortless grace.  The embodiment of harmony between nature and mankind, it reflects the spirit of Siwan culture and hope for its future. 

The 39-room lodge features indigenous natural elements and traditional Siwan designs, and its construction has breathed new life into a cultural tradition that had teetered on the brink of extinction.  Restored from derelict Siwan houses and constructed of kershef, a traditional building material made of sun-dried salt, mud and sand, Adrère Amellal has provided Siwan master craftsmen an opportunity to educate younger generations in this ancient construction technique.

Adrère Amellal minimizes and where possible eliminates any impact on the surrounding environment.  A natural insulator, kershef keeps rooms cool in the hot summer sun and mild in the crisp desert night.  In combination with strategically positioned doors and windows to capture the desert breeze, it eliminates the need for electric-powered air conditioning.  Further, Adrère Amellal uses oil lamps and candles for lighting and draws nearly all of its power from solar and alternative energies.

Adrère Amellal soon became just the first step in a larger Siwa journey.  As the ecolodge evolved, EQI recognized new opportunities to revive or sustain Siwa’s cultural and natural assets, and new projects began springing to life: the success of building with kershef led to the construction of Shali Lodge and Albabenshal; the desire to engage and benefit Siwan women spawned Siwa Creations; and the hope of preparing locally-grown, organic produce launched Siwa Organics.  What had begun as one EQI venture in Siwa became the genesis of a far more ambitious initiative. 

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