What to Do in Ghardaïa and the M'Zab
Ghardaïa is the main town of the M’Zab Valley, a UNESCO-listed group of walled desert towns on a dry limestone plateau about 600 km south of Algiers. Visitors come for architecture, craft and quiet oasis scenery. Do not plan on beaches, bars, lakes or any kind of water sport: the valley’s river bed, the Oued M’Zab, is dry for most of the year and floods only after heavy rain.
Main activities
- Guided walk in Beni Isguen. The walled holy town can only be visited with a guide, and the guides’ office stands near the East Gate. Office hours change with the season, so a morning or afternoon start is the safest plan.
- Late-day auction. Towards the end of the afternoon, licensed auctioneers sell goods in the Beni Isguen market square. Ask your guide which days it runs, and stay behind the crowd without taking photographs of the sellers or buyers.
- Ghardaïa market. Arcades frame the square under the old town, and the stalls hold Mozabite rugs, copper, spices and dates. Haggle politely and pay in cash.
- Palm-grove walk. Paths through the oasis follow the irrigation channels that feed the palms below the ksour.
- Zelfana thermal station. About 65 to 67 km east of town, this spa was founded in 1975 and offers hot mineral water, around 40 degrees C, in hotel pools.
Manners that matter
Mozabite towns are Ibadi Muslim communities, and everyday life goes on inside the old centres. Cover your arms and legs, and bring a scarf. Women should have a headscarf ready when entering religious areas. Smoking is not allowed inside Beni Isguen, and photographing local people is not acceptable. Reports say that non-Muslims cannot sleep inside the walls of Beni Isguen and may be kept out of certain parts of it, so book a room in Ghardaïa or in the palm groves.
Season and money
The pleasant months run from October to April. In summer, daytime temperatures commonly pass 40 to 45 degrees C, and in winter the nights can get close to freezing. The currency is the Algerian dinar. In October 2026 the official rate was about 150 to 152 DZD to the euro, and cash is the normal way to pay because few places take cards.
Getting here and getting in
Air Algérie runs flights from Algiers to Ghardaïa (GHA), taking about 1 hour 20 minutes. Services were around 12 per week in early 2026, and flight trackers show regular delays. Overland, buses take 8 to 10 hours and cars 6 to 8 hours. A visa has to be obtained beforehand from an Algerian consulate, as Ghardaïa is outside the visa-on-arrival list for the Great South.
Do not bring alcohol or expect to find any. Cameras with long lenses, drones and binoculars may need permission from the authorities, and police checkpoints will ask for photo ID. A local agency can organise guides and transport, and you can browse tours based in Ghardaïa to compare. The Routard entry on Beni Isguen sets out the visiting rules.
Read more: sightseeing and walking tours .