The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Featured image via Sahara Survival School

One the one hand, those of us who inhabit big cities sometimes feel trapped by having a somewhat consistent soundtrack to our daily lives; drills, machines, aeroplanes, people talking and screaming, cars honking, and more. On the other hand, we all enjoy the convenience that comes with living in a big capital, and having all sorts of services – from access to ride-hailing apps and food ordering apps, to almost always having a nearby pharmacy or hospital at our disposal.

Indeed, Cairenes know that life in a big city can sometimes leave you confused; you just do not know whether you love it or hate it. As such, some of us find ourselves constantly unrelaxed, and perpetually in search of an opportunity to get away and do something a little different (even if it is just for a few days).

To mitigate the frustration that comes with inhabiting a city as big as Cairo, Ahmed Salem decided to start the Sahara Survival School; an academy which aims to educate its attendees about everything they would need to survive in nature (you know, without the constant need for validation from social media, and far away from the convenience of ride-hailing and food ordering apps)!

Salem started digging deep into the science of survival back in 2004 and was fascinated by it. In 2013, as Ahmed was mastering his own survival skills, he decided to launch Sahara Survival School. He wanted to make true independent survivors out of modern-day humans, by decreasing their over-reliance on technology.

That being said the academy’s purpose is not to denounce the importance of the technologies and the proliferation of services that have made our lives a whole lot easier, rather it is to have people realise their full potential and power as independent beings. The academy’s training starts with a comprehensive introduction to the know-how of basic survival. You will be shown what you are truly capable of, and you will be mesmerised by it. You will additionally realise that you are much stronger than you could’ve ever imagined; this will surely boost your confidence and sense of individuality.

Moreover, you will be brought closer to nature. How? Well, let’s just say that the training program will teach how to best utilise all that nature has to offer in order to survive. More specifically, you will be taught how to build a shelter, how to gather food, how to sterilise contaminated water, and how to start a fire. All that being said, having fun is definitely part of the program; however, safety and survival are prioritised.

It is all about taking that initial step towards exiting your comfort zone and, from there, combating fears that you did not even know you had. Additionally, we can all benefit from learning a thing or two about surviving without causing more undue harm to nature. Go ahead, pay their Facebook page a visit!