Injy El Kembeshawy

Injy El Kembeshawy is an uprising actress who emerged in “El-Araab” tv series and participated in “Adam and Jamila” tv series. She has also presented an artistic programs on the Al-an channel. El Kembeshawy has recently launched “In Love with Egypt” campaign to encourage Egyptians to savor the beauty of their country.

What urged you to organize this campaign? And what was the aim you had in view?

Egypt has always been a renowned touristic destination, hailed by the whole world. However, despite the wide variety of its incredible destinations, Egyptians don’t pay their country its dues. There are still many that are hidden. That’s why, we decided to launch a campaign to exhibit the hidden Treasures of Egypt.

What was your first destination? And why did you choose it?

Our first destination was El Fayoum. Yes, not Sharm El-Sheikh, or Ras Alam, or Hurghada. ELFayoum is one of the unnoticed beautiful destinations, especially its Tunis Village, which is two hours away from Cairo.

And how was your visit? Are there any interesting anecdotes you’d like to share?

First of all, we got lost and entered a wrong gate because the whole road was not paved. We asked a passerby to guide us to the main gate. Afterwards, we encountered the gate of Tunis Village, so be careful in order not to get confused, especially at night. Afterwards, the road was so smooth and everything went well. The village of Tunis is a village replete with resorts, boutiquehotels, beautiful houses, and pottery workshops.

What is the most peculiar thing that you encountered at the village?

I was fascinated by The Olive Tree Lodge, which was named as such because it was built on a multi-sided high hill overlooking olive trees. You can easily see how vast and all-encompassing the landscape is from above.

Was there any memorable food and drink experiences?

The village residents welcomed us with their special lemon-with-mint drink. It was sweet and refreshing as it was taken directly from the ground. After the first five minutes of our stay, we took our fill of the pleasant, fresh air. The food was fresh and tasty, namely the grilled chicken, meat, and fish. Even the breakfast was distinctive; the hot puff pastry (Fteer Meshaltet), honey, and cheese were a perfect match.

What you did you mostly love regarding the housing?

When we checked the bedrooms, we noticed that all of the rooms were in a dome so that we can always smell the breeze outside; we didn’t need to turn on the air conditioner!

Did you take any exploration-tours around the village?

Of course, once our second day started, we started wending our way to discover that the whole village is made up of white houses and colorful windows. Most of the houses have carved drawings of animals, most of which are done by village residents. So, this was just a cute little glimpse into their genuinely sweet identity. You instantly feel how respectful are they to everyone around them since they always welcome strangers open-heartedly. You can walk freely anytime regardless who you are and what you wear. Before dawn, Ibrahim- one of the residents- guided us into the desert. The road was dark and everything was black, yet the moon was shining. Imagine that you are in the desert, and the moon is big, sparkling, surrounded by a plethora of shiny little stars while you are sitting under the vast sky enjoying air and fire. Those admirers of fire and barbecues will indeed feel the magic once they start burning tree branches. We sat filming and shooting and enjoying delicious tea till sunrise, and suddenly we saw a herd of wild buffalos, whose beauty really got me. How beautiful it is to feel that you are at one with nature with its stunning beauty. Besides, I discovered that flamingo birds always stay there from November to February to enjoy the beautiful weather. People from all countries of the world come to watch these flamingos, flying over the lakes– a scene that brings joy to the heart. It was times like these when I enjoyed desert the most and stayed till morning. Afterwards, we visited Qaroun Lake, where you can enjoy a horse ride on the beach. It definitely is a beautiful place to have your mesmerizing photo shoots.

What was your last impression regarding the whole visit?

The final night– right before we head home, we realized that El Fayoum is filled with abundant fields of sunflowers, about seven minutes away by car from Tunis Village. It was then that I said to myself that I spent four days in heaven.

” I spent four days in heaven ”

Dresses by: Ola Azzam & Mariam Daoud

Location: Tunis Village in Fayoum

by: Christina Aziz

Photos by: Youssef Kamel

Make-up by: L’Oréal