Most people come to the Sahara dreaming about dunes and camel caravans. Many arrange everything through companies based far away from the desert. My path was different because I grew up here. I was born near M'Hamid El Ghizlane, and for the first thirteen years of my life my family lived as nomads. We moved with our goats and camels, following water and grazing land. I still remember long days under the open sky and nights when the stars gave us our sense of direction.

Later, my family settled in M'Hamid El Ghizlane, the last village before the desert opens up. Tourism became an important source of work, and I decided to stay instead of moving to a larger city. I started Sahara Wonders with local people from the area. Guiding visitors gives me a chance to share what I learned growing up, from daily life in the desert to Amazigh traditions that are part of my family history.

What we do on my tours

Many trips begin with a camel trek. Camels move at a steady pace, roughly four kilometers an hour, which gives you time to notice details that disappear when you rush through the desert in a vehicle. Along the way I talk about the dunes, the wind, and the tracks left by animals. People are often surprised to learn how foxes, snakes, and other creatures adapt to such a dry environment.

Evenings are often my favorite part of the journey. Desert nights can be cold, sometimes around 5°C in the cooler months, so a warm jacket is worth carrying. We sit together, drink tea, and talk. Guests usually ask about my childhood, and I enjoy telling stories about traveling with my family and learning the practical skills that nomadic life required.

The tea ceremony always starts conversations. My grandmother taught me to prepare tea the traditional way, serving three glasses in sequence. Every family explains the meaning a little differently, and those small differences are part of what makes local culture interesting. I learned these customs at home, not from a guidebook.

I think many large tour companies see the desert as a quick stop. They arrive, take a look at the dunes, and move on. I prefer to slow down and give people time to experience the Sahara at its own pace.

Starting from M'Hamid

Whether you travel from Marrakech or somewhere else in Morocco, we usually meet in M'Hamid El Ghizlane. From there, the desert is close and the pace changes quickly. I do not claim to know every dune, because the wind reshapes them all the time, but I know this region well. It is the landscape where I grew up, and sharing it with visitors is still the part of the job I enjoy most.