Said has been involved in our vision casting since the very beginning. Said grew up in a semi-nomadic family between Erfoud and Merzouga. The majority of his family still lives in Erfoud, the gateway to the desert. He first got started in tourism working for a desert camp as a camel man.

Now, nearly 25 years later, he still works with guests, but he’s also involved in training other guides for the field. Supporting local communities and providing authentic experiences are both very important to Said. In addition to his skills in working with foreign guests, Said is a gifted photographer. He has an artistic eye and enjoys capturing shots that show off Morocco’s natural beauty.

Habib's knowledge of tourism best practices is very important to our team. He was born in the Taous area of the desert in a nomadic family. Later, they moved to Erfoud and continued to live a semi-nomadic life by spending part of the year in the desert and the other part in Erfoud. His early life experience has given Habib a very interesting view of the world. He has worked in the tourism industry for over 20 years. Habib has a heart for developing fair practices by curating amazing experiences for our guests and ensuring that staff and suppliers are paid fairly. Habib lives in Marrakech with his wife and two children.

Mohammed grew up in Erfoud, near the Sahara Desert. In order to be near Open Doors Morocco, he now lives in Marrakech. He has worked in the tourism industry for over fifteen years. Mohammed started in desert camps, getting an idea about how to work with guests and learning languages. Later, he began driving guests all over Morocco. He loves welcoming our guests and sharing his country with them. He says safety is the most important thing that Morocco can offer guests, and he is thankful to live in such a safe country. After that, he says Morocco’s geographical variety and its food, followed by the weather which offers sunshine almost every day of the year! Mohammed speaks Arabic, French, English, and Berber.

Mustapha grew up in the desert in Tafraout Taouas. His family lived the simple and traditional life as nomads with sheep and camels. Mustapha loves welcoming people to Morocco. He says his favorite things are seeing guests trying local dishes for the first time and loving it. He also enjoys showing them beautiful landscapes in Morocco and hearing them say, “wow.” In his free time he enjoys watching movies, playing and watching football (soccer), and enjoying time with friends and family. Mustapha speaks English, French, Spanish, and Arabic dialects.

Ismail was born in the desert to a nomad family. Once he was school age, he moved to the village, M’Hamid El Ghizlane for school. He started out in tourism as a trekking guide in the desert because he loved being around camels and in the desert and he found that he enjoyed sharing about nomad tribes and their lifestyles with foreigners. He says that he loves welcoming people to Morocco and seeing them feel at home in a place that is new to them. He says, “It’s special to watch someone experience our food, music, and traditions for the first time and to see their eyes light up with surprise and joy. It creates a connection beyond language or culture, and turns strangers into friends.” His favorite part of Morocco is the southeast because of the simple traditions and because the Sahara is home. He enjoys spending time with family and out in the desert with their camels. His favorite music is Touareg music, nomad music and music in English. He speaks Arabic dialects, English, German, and French.

Mustapha was born into a nomad family in Zagora. When he was six, his parents sent him to live with his uncle in a village near Zagora so he could have stability and an education. He has two sisters and four brothers. Mustapha got his start in tourism as a camel man at a desert camp. Of this, he says, “It’s like a school for us.”

Mustapha currently lives in Marrakech with his wife and young son. He speaks Amazigh (Berber), Arabic, English, French, and Spanish. He says that his favorite thing about being a guide is that he gets to meet people from different countries and traditions. When asked about what wants for the guests he accompanies, he says, “I want them to feel safe and to learn about the history of Morocco. I want them to enjoy the different landscapes from sea to desert.” He feels that the best things about Morocco are its food, hospitality, and landscapes.

Youssef grew up in the small town of Tahnaout, about a 45 minute drive from Marrakech. His family all lives in Marrakech. He grew up with three older sisters and two younger brothers. He says, “they have all been a source of inspiration and support for me.” Outside of work, Youssef enjoys playing soccer and spending time with family and friends. His favorite Moroccan music includes: Maâlem Mahmoud Guinia, Hassan Hakmoun, and Hamid El Kasri. He also enjoys Gnawa music. Youssef started his journey in tourism due to his passion for exploring new places and connecting with diverse cultures. He enjoys making travel experiences memorable for our guests. Youssef speaks English, French, Arabic, and Spanish.