MALKATA ARTS RETREAT

Imagine a timeless land nestled between the harsh beauty of the Sahara Desert, the ancient tomb lined Valley of Kings, the rich waters of the Nile River, and surrounded by rich agricultural lands of a farming village. Here you find connection in the breath that whispers to you from the ancients, calls to you from the Mosques, hurtles at you from the tuk tuks, and lures you from the dancing sand. Not a place for subtlety, you will love or hate this place. And perhaps both. Welcome to the West Bank of Luxor.

This home decided it wanted us to finish it a few years ago. Us being my family and I, fresh on Egyptian rubble after leaving another life in Australia. This has been a most curious adventure, which certainly hasn’t ended yet. But the current step is we have this ruggedly beautiful part of the world to share with you. In the future we are planning to use this space for events, retreats and workshops, but for the next year or two we will be offering the lower half of the house as accommodation for artist residencies, creative retreats, archeologists, or anyone seeking a slow immersion in Upper Egypt.

WELCOME

Fellow travelers and creatives!

Are you seeking a beautiful place to relax, centre and focus while enjoying easy access to ancient temples and local conveniences? Nestled between Valley of Kings and the Nile River, is this lovingly built soulful Nubian style dome house with modern amenities, filtered bore water and earthed electricity.

With spacious almost self contained rooms, here you will enjoy the privacy and space to write, meditate, draw, paint, stretch, sew, sing, dance, or whatever else your soul desires!

THE HOUSE

Malkata Arts Retreat has 2 bedrooms upstairs and 2 bedrooms downstairs, each with its own ensuite. The two lower bedrooms are off the main living area, which includes lounge, dining and kitchen. The front garden has a gorgeous sitting area under a pergola, and the back garden is small but lovely and shady.

STARSEED ROOM

Your room is on on the ground floor nestled in at the rear of the property. It has its own studio nook, where you can get creative, do your work, or stretch out and do yoga!
It also boasts a stunning ensuite which looks like it belongs in a castle!

DRAGONFLY ROOM

Your room is on on the ground floor at the front looking over the front garden. It has its own studio nook, where you can get creative, do your work, or stretch out and do yoga!
It also boasts a stunning ensuite which looks like it belongs in a castle!

HOUSE ACCESS

Relax in the lounge and dining area, make use of the well equipped kitchen, and chill out in the front garden.

When the owners are home the upstairs balcony and rooftop can be accessed for stunning 360 deg views.

OTHER DETAILS

ABOUT US
Please note this is the part-time home of myself and my Australian family. Generally if we are in Luxor we are in the upstairs part of the house, but may need to use the washing machine in the downstairs part of the house. Other than that the downstairs is pretty quiet.

We are all very busy, but also sociable, so whether you like a bit of company or really just want your own space and privacy, you are welcome. We are all considerate of noise, and we appreciate guests who are the same.

TRANSPORT
Unless you really just want to unwind in the space, you will need some form of transport to get around. There is a small shop, a vegetable kiosk and a few cafes within 10 minutes walking distance, and a lot more shopping about 30 minutes walk away. We mainly use bicycles to get around locally so we can organise one for you, or we can get you a tuk tuk or car driver as needed.

TOURS
If you are looking to visit any of the local temples and other tourist attractions we can arrange that for you also.

CATERING
We have a fabulous cook that can cater for you if you prefer to eat at home but don’t want to have to cook!

GATHERINGS
When suitable we may host creative community gatherings in the space which is a lovely way to meet locals!

NOISE
That said, in the summer months the swimming pool next door can be quite busy, so if you are noise sensitive please visit in the cooler months.

CONNECTIONS

I hear of many horror stories of people getting stranded at Airbnbs, and I have been stuck in dreadful situations several times in Egypt! So please be assured you will have plenty of wonderful and friendly English speaking staff available to connect with, and always someone close by.

If I am out of town, I will let you know prior to your booking where possible, and most definitely prior to your visit. Myself and my family will always be contactable here in messenger or via phone.

I will ensure our driver can pick you up from the airport and help with anything else you may need.
Our Egyptian family man takes wonderful care of us and the property, so you will be able to contact him.
We have a fantastic cook who can bring food of good quality at decent prices to the door.
Our neighbour also runs a small cafe with lovely Egyptian meals for dinner.
And I have a list of local services and lovely locals for you to connect with.

If I’m local while you are here, I am happy to share a cuppa or meal, and help out when you need it, but for the most part I will be busy in my own space with creative projects.

I also offer creative wellness and business coaching using various creative and wellness tools, so if you are interested in that please let feel free to chat to me about it.

Or you can find out more here: tjoni.com/facilitator

CONTACT

If you’re interested in discussing our beautiful space regarding arts residencies, retreats, creative intensives, accommodation or events please email tjonij@outlook.com. If you were referred to us by a real estate agent or other associate please direct your inquiries back to them.

Thanks so much, and we look forward to co-creating a wonderful experience with you.