Excursions South and East of Ghardaïa

Ghardaïa Province has only a short list of excursions beyond the valley itself. The area is hyper-arid, towns are far apart and many roads cross open desert. Three outings are realistic from Ghardaïa town: the oasis of Metlili to the south, the dunes near Sebseb further on, and the thermal station at Zelfana to the east. All distances below are rough, taken from secondary sources.

Metlili, about 40 to 45 km south

Metlili is an oasis town of the Chaamba community, set in camel-breeding country. OPVM, the heritage body for the region, lists the old ksar. Each year the town stages the Okadiate festival of popular poetry, though dates are not fixed, so ask in Ghardaïa. A visit takes half a day with the drive.

Sebseb, about 60 km south by road

Sebseb lies beyond Metlili. Visitors go for desert scenery and sand dunes. Because it is a longer drive, book a local agency or guide, fill the fuel tank before leaving and do not rely on mobile signal.

Zelfana, about 65 to 67 km east

Zelfana is a spa town whose thermal station opened in 1975. The water is about 40 degrees C and the hotels there have pools. It is the easiest outing for a rest day. Before setting out, find out the opening times, the entry rules and any special arrangements for swimwear or separate sessions for men and women.

Places that are too far

Tassili n’Ajjer, reached from Djanet, and the Hoggar, reached from Tamanrasset, lie more than 1,000 km away and cannot be done as day trips. The same goes for Algiers, Oran and Constantine. As a general rule, ask your guide about conditions before choosing between outings, because the valley has had communal tensions in the past.

Tips for the road

  • Take water, a hat and sun cover, and keep dinars in cash.
  • Have photo ID ready for police checkpoints.
  • Leave drones, binoculars and telescopes at the hotel unless you hold permission.
  • Mobile coverage fades in the remote south, and some online maps are inaccurate.
  • The comfortable season is October to April. Midsummer heat can be punishing and winter nights chilly.

A local agency or guide is the most sensible way to arrange any of these trips, because they know the current road and security picture. For tour ideas, see excursions from Ghardaïa . The official FCDO page on safety in Algeria covers remote travel and checkpoints.

Read more: multi-day trips and sightseeing .