Camp Sahara are Abderrahmane (aka Barbossa) and Ali Laghfiri, who between them have over 20 years of experience of working with visitors to the Sahara and Katherine Soutar (Caddick) a British Artist and illustrator who is fascinated by both the inspirational qualities of the desert for an artist and its natural history, culture, tradition and stories.

 


A Moroccan Saharaoui nomad, Barbossa is happiest out in the dunes and has 16 years of experience working on desert tours and at various bivouacs before starting to offer tours on his own behalf. He has an intimate knowledge of the desert and is also an experienced cook, including the making of the famous sand bread. He has been working with camels all his life, working alongside him is his brother Ali, who also has several years experience working with visitors to the Sahara.
The lack of rain forced the family to leave their nomadic life and base themselves in the ancestral house in the village (ksar) of M’hamid El Ghizlane. Although many Moroccans have never visited M’hamid, they know its romantic name which conjures up the image of the gazelles that used to roam this area.
His first guiding experiences were gained accompanying treks into the dunes, travelling several days with camels and all the necessary camping equipment and supplies. He still considers this the best way for people to really get to know the desert. Both Barbossa and Ali speak basic French and a little English and a smattering of phrases in German, Spanish and Italian taught to them by clients.

The family also has a shop in M’hamid where you can buy your Shash (turban) and other desert clothes and accessories.


Camp Sahara have other local drivers and camel guides working with us, depending on the group size, all good reliable people we have worked with before. Everyone will always work hard to give you the very best experience possible of our desert and the nomad way of life

The third member of our team is Katherine Soutar Caddick


Katherine is a British illustrator and Artist with a special interest in folk tales and folklore and is currently collecting and researching tales that have common threads from the Moroccan Sahara and her Fathers birthplace of Scotland and working on paintings and mixed media works inspired by them.
She fell in love with Morocco on her very first visit in 2015 and especially the landscapes and way of life of the Desert. Now, along with her Saharaoui friends at camp Sahara she is keen to offer other travellers an insight into the nomadic way of life and the unique combination of stunning landscape, warm hospitality and peace the desert has to offer.
Katherine also writes the ‘discovering the desert’ blog on this site about her experiences and the animals and plants she has encountered while travelling in the desert with us.
It is Katherine who answers all your emails, requests and questions. Whatever your wish or query, you will receive a considered, individual reply. Katherine is fluent in English, speaks basic French and also speaks a little Darija (she is learning more all  time. She is also a bit of a camel fan…