Ghardaïa
Algeria · 530 m
Description
Ghardaïa is the principal town of the M'zab valley, a group of five fortified settlements founded in the eleventh century by the Ibadi Mozabites in a rocky Saharan wadi. Each ksar is built as a cone of cubic houses climbing a hill to its mosque, whose minaret doubles as a watchtower, with palm gardens and summer houses in the valley below. The arcaded triangular market square of Ghardaïa is the commercial heart of the region. The austere geometry of the M'zab influenced Le Corbusier and Fernand Pouillon, and the whole valley carries UNESCO World Heritage status.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 4 days (optimal 3 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: October – March
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- M'zab Valley ksour (UNESCO)
- Ghardaïa market square
- Beni Isguen holy city
- Ghardaïa ksar & Great Mosque
- Melika ksar & cemetery
- El Atteuf & Sidi Brahim Mosque
- Bounoura ksar
- M'zab palm gardens & summer houses
- Mozabite carpets & silverwork
- Beni Isguen auction market
- Ghardaïa viewpoint terraces
- Guerrara ksar(Day trip)
- Zelfana hot springs(Day trip)
- Metlili desert dunes(Day trip)
Getting there
- Airports:
- GHA