Feynan EcoLodge: A regenerative oasis
Mediterranean Adventures
Enjoy the rare opportunity to disconnect as you reconnect with nature and reacquaint yourself with the simplicity of life at Feynan. Savor the joy of waking up to birds chirping, the sun rising over the mountains, and feast on a nourishing Arabic breakfast. Find a good reading spot at one of the serene terraces and marvel at the surroundings, or indulge in one of the many activities offered in the Dana Biosphere Reserve. And at night, unwind as the candlelit lodge flickers, then count the shooting stars as you lay under an endless blanket of galaxies.
The sight of the lodge by night is genuinely jaw-dropping. Illuminated only by stars and flickering flames, it looked as impenetrable as the crusader forts you can visit all over Jordan. When you look at the impressive atmosphere created by the shimmering lights of the candles, one may wonder why we use electricity in the first place.
Solar Powered
“Hahaha. Well, for hot showering, it comes in pretty handy,” Nabil Tarazi, the owner of EcoHotels, which operates the Feynan Lodge, laughs. “We have solar collectors for all of our rooms, so each room has its own hot water supply for the bathroom. We generate electricity via solar panels for bathrooms, kitchen and offices. But even the rooms themselves we light up with candles.”
“Our operation here supports around eighty families or roughly four hundred individuals, in one of Jordan’s poverty pockets. This is something that makes me exceptionally proud”
Community-based
For example, Feynan is genuinely community-based. “We try to source everything we need within a sixty-kilometer radius,” Nabil says proudly. “Forty drivers from the community shuttle our guests in their free time, our bread is baked fresh daily by Umm Khalid who runs her business from her goat hair tent, and has only one client; the lodge. We even helped one of the Bedouins to start a bike rental business. We give him our bikes and we refer our guests to him for any biking excursions. Our operation here supports around eighty families or roughly four hundred individuals, in one of Jordan’s poverty pockets. This is something that makes me exceptionally proud.”
Minimal environmental footprint
Feynan Ecolodge was designed to operate in harmony with its habitat. “We try to operate in a way which minimizes the impact of tourism on the surrounding natural environment,” says Nabil. “It is the most advanced eco accommodation in Jordan and employs many technologies to leave the smallest possible environmental footprint.
“We try to operate in a way which minimizes the impact of tourism on the surrounding natural environment”
Funding conservation
A portion of Feynan’s income is spent on conservation efforts at the Dana Biosphere Reserve, managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN). Established in 1989, Dana Biosphere Reserve is Jordan’s second-largest nature reserve, covering some 320km2 of the rugged and beautiful landscape along the face of the Great Rift Valley. Dana Reserve is important because it contains Jordan’s highest level of biodiversity.
Multicultural exchange
The historical caravanserai inspired the concept and design of Feynan Ecolodge. These were camel caravans taking long journeys across China, Central Asia, and Europe who would stop and rest at these inns along the silk route, restocking on their supplies and resting before embarking on the next journey. These staging posts were the world’s first global overland network, standing as a testament to the flourishing period of multicultural exchange in the Muslim world, a platform where travelers and pilgrims shared stories, discoveries, and knowledge. What stories will you share?
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Traveling can be a force for good when done right. A genuine sustainable adventure experience connects you with nature while conserving it. It allows you to interact and truly get to know the local communities you visit. It lets you feel, live, breathe, and submerge in its culture.
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