M'Zab Valley Sights and UNESCO Ksour
The M’Zab Valley was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 (reference 188, criteria ii, iii and v). It protects five fortified towns, called ksour, built on a limestone plateau in the northern Sahara and founded between about 1012 and the mid-1300s. The valley’s heritage is managed by the Office de Protection et de Promotion de la Vallée du M’Zab (OPVM). The ksour are living religious communities, so sightseeing here is quiet and respectful.
The five ksour
Ghardaïa is the largest and the commercial centre, with an arcaded market square below the old town. Beni Isguen is the walled holy town, with a hilltop minaret and the Bordj Boulila watchtower. El Atteuf is the oldest, from about 1012, and sits among the palms. Melika is a hilltop ksar on a ridge beside a large cemetery of whitewashed graves. Bou Noura is a quieter hillside ksar with terraced lanes and valley views.
Sidi Brahim mosque, El Atteuf
The Sidi Brahim mosque is built of plain mud brick and shows the austerity of Ibadi Islam. It is often said to have inspired Le Corbusier’s chapel at Ronchamp, which was built between 1950 and 1955. Le Corbusier visited the M’Zab in 1931. The mosque is in use, so look at it from outside unless your guide confirms that visitors may enter.
Beni Isguen and Bordj Boulila
Beni Isguen is visited with a guide only, from the office near the East Gate. A path leads from the hilltop minaret to the Bordj Boulila watchtower, so ask your guide about going up. Rules are strict: no smoking, no photographs of residents and modest dress. Non-Muslims are reported to be barred from some sections of the town.
Melika ridge and cemetery
The ridge at Melika gives a clear view over the valley and is best in the soft light of morning or late afternoon. The cemetery is a place of mourning, so keep voices low and avoid photographs of mourners.
Ghardaïa Great Mosque
The Great Mosque of Ghardaïa has a prominent minaret that dominates the old town. It is an active place of worship, and visitors should admire it from outside.
Practical notes
October to April is the comfortable season, while summer is extremely hot. Air Algérie flies from Algiers to Ghardaïa in about 1 hour 20 minutes, and the town is about 600 km south of Algiers by road. A visa must be arranged in advance, because Ghardaïa is not on the visa-on-arrival list. Carry photo ID for checkpoints, and leave drones and binoculars at home without authorisation.
Compare guided sightseeing tours offered by agencies, and read the OPVM site and the Wikipedia entry on the M’zab for background. The Routard guide to Beni Isguen covers visitor rules.
Read more: walking tours and attraction tours .