The desert as the caravans knew it
Bivouac La Belle Étoile
Our oldest and most authentic camp — directly connected to Auberge La Belle Étoile, and run with the same family hands. Sahrawi camel-hair haimas pitched on the sand exactly the way the trans-Saharan caravans pitched them a century ago, with kerosene lanterns, hand-woven kilims and a single communal fire at the centre of the camp.
There is no electricity inside the haimas — only candles and lanterns. Mattresses sit on woven camel-hair carpets; thick wool blankets keep the desert cold at bay. Two shared washblocks (hot water from solar drums) serve eight haimas. Dinner is one menu, served at a long communal table around the fire: harira, lamb-and-prune tagine, fresh bread from a clay oven dug into the sand, mint tea poured high. After dinner, the family's musicians arrive with oud and karkabou — and the camp falls asleep one haima at a time.
Accommodation
8 traditional camel-hair haimas · twin or double Berber beds · shared washblocks with hot solar water · kerosene lanterns
Capacity
Up to 16 guests
Ideal for
Travellers who want the desert without filters — couples, families and small groups who would rather hear the wind than the generator. Children welcome.
- Connected to Auberge La Belle Étoile — start the night under a roof, end it under the stars
- Live Sahrawi music after dinner, twice a week
- 10-minute walk to the highest crest of Erg Chebbi
- Bread baked in a sand-oven in front of you
