After a revolution that changed the attitudes of many toward this country, eco-conscious travel across our newfound Egypt seems more of a possibility now than ever before. While the nation has its share of luxury eco-lodges, such as Siwa’s Adrere Amellal or Dakhla Oasis’ Al Tarfa Lodge, traveling green is more a matter of mind-set than budget.

At its core, traveling green lies in having a minimum negative impact on the environment you visit and preferably leaving behind a positive one. A few simple tips:

• Save fuel. Carpool or take a bus to your destination. Once there, explore by foot or bicycle when possible.
• Choose locally owned hotels. 
• Save energy. Leave your tech toys at home. If you’re staying at a hotel, unplug the appliances you’re not using. 
• Save water. Take shorter showers and reuse hotel bath towels over several days.
• Explore, don’t exploit. Set aside your usual lifestyle to learn more about the host culture. Try local food, buy local handicrafts, and take part in the local customs.
• Respect your hosts. Seek permission before photographing people. Try to learn a few words of the local dialect. If invited to a local home, follow their example: If they take their shoes off before entering a house, do the same.
• Save the environment. At camp and picnic sites, leave nothing behind and, preferably, leave the site cleaner than you found it.

Remember the universe usually remembers favors. Karma will reward you, and you will be preserving Egypt’s beauties for years to come for your generation and those to come. et

—Pakinam Amer