Places to Visit in Ghardaia, Algeria, North Africa, Africa

Places to Visit in Ghardaia, Algeria, North Africa, Africa

Ghardaia is a city belonging to the province of Ghardaia in the northern part of Algeria, around 600 km south of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. The province of Ghardaia is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, called M’zab valley. It is geographically positioned around 572 meters above sea level, between 32°29′ N latitude and 3°40′ E longitude, covering an area of 590 sq. km.

The economy of Ghardaia is concentrated on its date production from around 60,000 palm trees. Rug and cloth manufacturing is the next important economy source of Ghardaia. Situated in the Sahara Desert, Ghardaia experiences a hot desert climate with mild winters and extreme hot summers.

History of Ghardaia:

There is no certain theory about the origin of the name Ghardaia, although one theory states Ghardaia got its name from the Tamazight term Tagherdayt which means ‘the castle’. The modern Ghardaia originated in the 11th century as a village and with the increase of population by the Kharijite Muslims came from the northern part of Algeria after persecuted by Orthodox Muslims which converted village into a town.

How to reach Ghardaia?

The Noumérat – Moufdi Zakaria Airport is the airport serving Ghardaia with scheduled flights from Algiers, Constantine, Illizi, Oran, Tamanrasset nd charter flights from Jeddah. The airport is served by Air Algérie, Saudia and Tassili Airlines and is situated around 15 km away from the heart of the city.

Ghardaia has a good connectivity by bus to all the important northern Algerian cities, including the national capital, Algiers.

Culture, Shopping and Food in Ghardaia:

Metlili-Chaamba, around 30 km from Ghardaia, is a commune known for the camel race “Day mehr” which receives tourists and other people from all around the country. It takes place during spring. The city of Ghardaia is famous for carpet festival held in March and April which features carpet sale and many other colorful cultural programs.

Varieties of colorful carpets are famous among visitors and also one can buy handicraft items at weekly market of the city. Restaurants in Ghardaia also offer international dishes other than traditional Algerian.

Things to do in Ghardaia:

Visiting archeological sites
City tours
Shopping
Walking

What to see in Ghardaia?

M’zab:

The M’zab Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site coming under the province of Ghardaia. It features many historical citadels of which most are well preserved and allowed for visitors. Taking a guided tour would be better to explore this World Heritage Site.

Noumérat – Moufdi Zakaria Airport:

Situated around 15 km away from the centre of the Ghardaia city, the Noumérat – Moufdi Zakaria Airport is a modern and well constructed airport, was named after renowned Algerian writer and author of the National Anthem of Algeria, Moufdi Zakaria.

Main square of Ghardaïa:

The main square of Ghardaïa is the most important landmark of the city where weekly traditional markets and many cultural festivals organized by great enthusiasm and fervor by gathering all people of the city together.

List of the other tourist attractions in and around Ghardaia includes:

Maison de Jeunes Manar
City Hall of Biskra
Complex “Hammam Salhine”
Sidi Uqba
Oued Abdi Valley
Massinissa’s Mausoleum
Church of Saint-Augustine of Hippo in Annaba
Abd al Hamid Ben Badis Mosque
The Palace of Ahmed Bey
Musée National Cirta
Eddoug National Park
The Valley of Wadi Abiod
Palmeraie Tolga and Zawiya

When to visit Ghardaia?

Probably the months of April, May, September and October would be best to travel Ghardaia in Algeria.

Where to stay in Ghardaia?

As like the rest of Algeria, Ghardaia houses limited number of hotels, so it is suggested for visitors to book desired hotels prior to reaching the city well in advance through online to avoid difficulty in finding hotels during peak season. The famous hotels in Ghardaia in Algeria are given below: