Sleep By Ancient Treasures at Villa Sakkara

Tourists visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza are often taken aback when they discover the Cairo metropolis creeping into its shadows. Where, they ask, is the quixotic desert landscape of their fantasies, where dunes and pyramids intermingle on the edge of a fertile oasis? Well actually, all that’s only about 20 minutes down the road in Sakkara - where some of most magnificent discoveries of recent years have been made (circa Netflix’s 2020 documentary ‘Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb’), where the pyramids of Dahshur and Abu Sir sit undisturbed, and the recently restored temple at Djoser glows in the moonlight. Yet there are barely any places in Sakkara to escape to for a whimsical weekend. The gorgeous Ardi Dashur is more of a private retreat than a hotel, and famed filmmaker Marianne Khoury’s private residence does welcome guests, but they’re all artsy types specifically there for the workshops. So aside from random rooms / houses that sporadically pop up on AirBnB, there hasn’t really been a cute commercial outpost in the area. Till now.

Nestled on the edge of the Abusir Pyramid, Villa Sakkara is a passion project born of a love of nature and adventure. “As a young boy, my family and I would holiday in places like Siwa rather than Sahel,” says Omar Ghannam, who bought the property in 2018 and started welcoming guests last month. “There’s something about the desert that melts away your anxiety and releases negative energy.”

Villa Sakkara’s four bedrooms, simply clad in local materials, offer an intimate experience where new friends can be made over an authentic Egyptian breakfast, the morning can be wiled away by their pool, and afternoons can be devoted to ancient adventures before settling in for a night of tea-drinking and stargazing.  “Villa Sakkara is about showing people a different way of experiencing Egypt,’ says Ghannam. “This is not about money or business. Egypt is amazing, and when explored correctly it can completely recharge your soul.”

The villa is currently open for booking through Instagram and Facebook.