We are from the south, it is where we come from and who and what we are; the desert is our backyard so we understand all its moods, it’s weather, it’s flora and fauna; we know its history, where the sacred oases are, how to leave as gentle an environmental footprint as possible; how to best get to anywhere – or nowhere.
You may wonder why we named our camp the Atta Desert Camp. What does the word Atta mean to us?
The history of the Ait Atta Berbers is long and rich, complicated and colourful and can be traced back to a common ancestor Dadda Atta whose descendants lived largely in the mountains of Southern Morocco. The Ait Atta Berber were in Morocco before the Arabs and the arrival of Islam in the 7th Century, and were the leading Berber tribe between the 15th and 19th centuries. They became a political force in the mountainous region of Jbel Saghro in the 16th century, remaining fiercely independent. They resisted the arrival of the French into Morocco until 1933.
Through many generations, and splitting into differing tribal dynasties, the Ait Atta Berber can still be found in the rugged mountains of Jbel Saghro, the Dades Valley, the Draa River Valley, the desert of the Sahara including Erg Chegaga, and as far afield as the Tafilalt in Eastern Morocco and Algeria. The Atta Berber are traditionally nomads and our own recent family history can be found in the wandering nomads of the desert around Erg Chegaga and the lower Draa River Valley. To us the Ait ATTA is our heritage. We invite you to come and experience our culture and customs in the hope it enriches your journey as a traveller through life.