If you are like me, you get bored staying at hotels, which seem too civilized, and feel too uncomfortable staying in a camping tent, which doesn’t seem cozy enough. In this case you are going to love staying in a yurt, which offers the comfort of a real home while bringing you closer to nature.
The yurt grounds in Cyprus were created just over two years ago. Once you get there you feel just how much heart and soul went into this place. The relaxing atmosphere makes you leave behind all the noise and trouble.
Chongor is a young man who greeted and helped me when I first arrived. He showed me the Straw House, which includes the main kitchen (available to all the guests) and the bar (you can drink anything that’s available there and write down what you had on a piece of paper and pay when you check out; Chongor said that people usually choose to pay more than they have to). Breakfast is included in your stay. You can also order dinner (15 euros for adults, and 7,5 euros for children under 12). But I think it’s best to travel to the nearby village and explore their taverns.
The house also has a refrigerator, a bookcase, cozy couches and a guitar. I stayed in my yurt from Thursday to Friday and was the only guest there. But I am sure that on the weekends you’ll be able to enjoy the friendly company of other guests.
In addition to the main house, there are two shower rooms, a space used to hold different concerts, performances and seminars, and the yurts, of course.
Real Mongolian yurts! They are located far enough from each other to give their guests space and intimacy to feel closer to nature. I got to stay at the ENGKE yurt, which is the most secluded one. Next to the yurt there is a table with two chairs, which I used to read and draw, and a composting toilet. It may sound a bit scary, but in reality it is just like a regular restroom with a toilet and a sink and without a hint of unpleasant smell.
The people behind this place tried to make is as eco-friendly as possible, by using solar batteries, recycling bins, composting toilets and sustainable landscaping.
I was really impressed with the overall design of the grounds: everything is really beautiful, colorful and original. It feels like you are in an entirely different place far away from Cyprus. So if you feel the need to escape from reality, do stay here!
Another thing that I liked were the various thoughtful items that make your stay more pleasant, such as the flashlight (the yurt and the restroom have electricity, but the rest of the area is very dark at night, so the flashlight comes in quite handy), a phone charger, portable Bluetooth speakers and a fan.
So what can you do in your yurt? You can choose a hiking route and explore the surrounding area, or go biking. If you have a car, you can drive around the surrounding villages and visit some of the nearby wineries. You can also drive to Latchi and go for a swim or enjoy watersports activities.
I, for instance, spent the hot part of the day reading a book and around 5pm went for a walk inthe company of a wonderful dog called Shukra, who knows the area very well and won’t let you get lost. Chongor suggested a few walking routes and even drew a map showing how to get to the one I chose (a walk to a small church). But if you have Shukra, you won’t need a map, because he went straight for the church. When I came back I spent time in a hammock reading a new book. Shukra and a lovely black cat kept me company. I like animals so I was very happy to have them nearby.
I slept really well. The royal bed with its many pillows made it very easy.
In the morning Chongor gave me a yoga lesson, which I never tried so it was an interesting experience. And then he made me breakfast (eggs, toast, olives, butter and jam), which the cat first showed an interest in, but then left to go hunting for lizards.
Just before my departure, I met Pavel — the person behind this wonderful place. He is a very easy-going person and it became clear to me that it was thanks to him that this area has such a friendly atmosphere.
The place cannot be reached if you don’t have a car, but you can arrange a transfer from Paphos.
It takes about 40 minutes by car to get to the yurts from Paphos if you are heading towards Polis. The website has the GPS coordinates and the driving directions. It is quite easy to get there. I wasn’t careful reading the directions and got a little bit lost when I exited the road too early. However, I do think that the road could use another sign :)
Alexandra Malysheva’s blog: sparkling-photo.livejournal.com
