As soon as one arrives at Ghardaia in the M’Zab Valley, one immediately perceives the extraordinariness and uniqueness of this out-of-this-world place, which has earned it UNESCO World Heritage status.
The M’Zab region is located in a valley, an oasis in the far north of the Sahara Desert.
It was among these limestone cliffs that the Ibadites, a Berber people fleeing invasions, settled in the 11th century. One after the other, they built the five oldest cities, the Pentapolis, Beni Isguen, Melika, Bou Noura, El Atteuf and Ghardaia, which is undoubtedly its most representative pearl.
Protected by rock, these cities reflect the ancient traditional social organisation, whose government is still entrusted to Muslim spiritual leaders. Towering pyramidal mosques dominate the community from the highest point of the city, their minarets originally also serving as watchtowers.
The settlement gradually develops around it in a hive-like structure. The appearance is that of fortress-like citadels, of which Ghardaia is the finest example.
Ghardaia is also the main centre and historically the most important commercial crossroads in the entire Saharan Algerian desert, which makes a visit to its souk a truly evocative experience. Beni Isguen, on the other hand, is home to the beautiful marché à la criée (auction market) where you can buy, among countless antiques or simple knick-knacks, the marvellous multicoloured carpets typical of the region.
The region is also dotted with lush, productive palm groves, equipped with ingenious water systems. During the summer and early autumn, the hottest time of the year when the palm trees are in fruit, families move to these oases to enjoy the shade and to collect the precious dates.