Many people ask us about our name, Zbar Travel. What does it mean? Where does it come from?
Who best to answer this question than Ahmed Hajja, the director of Zbar Travel in Morocco Here is his story about Zbar:
The name “Zbar” is taken from the name of a place in the Sahara desert where the Draa river branches out into many small rivulets.This is the source of our company name and of our family’s nomadic history. A hundred years ago, in thisspecial place in the Moroccan Sahara desert, between M’Hamid and Foum Zguid,my grandfather lived here, raising goats and camels as there was plenty of grazing pasture and tamarist trees grew here. My own father grew up here and I was born here too. Our familyall lived in typical tents woven from camel-hair.
My grandfather was a good man, a peaceful man who was known and respected by all the tribes of this fertile Zbararea of the Sahara desert.In the old days this area was often crossed by many nomadic tribes and my grandfather would let the caravans pass, let them make camp and take rest.
The region of Zbar is about 50 kilometers from the dunes of Erg Chegaga. It is no longer accessible to nomadic people or tourists. With the worsening drought, my family, like many other desert nomads, moved to a small oasis village near M’Hamid el Ghizlane – an area called Bounnou. We were the first Arabic family of the Chbalate tribe to have a tent in this area. The village Of M’Hamid el Ghizlane is just 5 kilometers from Bounnou and eventually our whole family moved and we went to school in the village.
The name of our old family pasture lives on through the name of my company – Zbar Travel. When I set up the company, I wanted to share this history and this culture with our guests. You can find the office on the main street in the village of M’Hamid el Ghizlane. We invite you to come by and meet us!
Ahmed Hajja – director, Zbar Travel