Sahara Hidden Treasures

This morning, your private guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel for a tour of the M’Zab Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Since the 11th century AD, five ancient towns, including Ghardaia, have been established here. The hillsides are densely packed with beige or blue houses resembling toy bricks, cascading from the top down. Each town’s houses cluster around a hilltop minaret, creating a distinctive and iconic view of the M’Zab Valley.

Our first stop is Beni Isguen, the most traditional town in the valley, enclosed by a 3-meter-high (10 ft.) ancient city wall. To this day, Beni Isguen strictly follows its ancient customs. At sunset, the city gates are securely closed, and outsiders are not permitted entry. You may see conservative Berber women dressed in full white robes with long veils covering their faces, leaving only a small triangular opening for their eyes. It’s advisable to avoid photographing local women to respect cultural norms. When visiting the Boulila Tower, an important historic watchtower used for surveillance and defense against raiders on the city wall’s edge, you can enjoy views of Beni Isguen and the nearby Ghardaia. 

Next, let’s return to Ghardaia to explore the Ghardaia Ksar. A ksar is a fortified village typical of North African deserts. Traditional desert communities often feature one or more ksars, characterized by small house doors that reflect their defensive architecture. Although windows are not apparent from outside, each family can view the mosque on the hilltop from their home, maintaining privacy while highlighting the local religious culture. Ghardaia has been a major trading hub in the Sahara for centuries, and we will visit the rectangular, open-air Stone Market to find local products such as dates, peanuts, and handmade carpets.

In the afternoon, we’ll head to Bounoura, another town in the M’Zab Valley, to explore its eco-district, Ksar Tafilelt. As the newest part of the valley, this district stands out for its low-carbon, energy-efficient buildings made from local materials. The streetlights run on solar power, and wastewater is recycled. At Eco Park, you can learn about local environmental initiatives and organic farming. Notably, each resident in Ksar Tafilelt is responsible for caring for at least one palm tree, one ornamental tree, and one fruit tree within the park.

► For your information: If you prefer desert exploration, we can replace this afternoon’s visit to Bounoura with activities in the Sebseb area. Please note that additional costs for mileage and on-site experiences such as camel riding, sandboarding, and 4x4 dune driving will be at your own expense. This depends on your preference. 

After all the visits today, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 
Accommodation: Belvedere Hotel, Ghardaia (3 stars) or similar

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel for a 3.5 to 4-hour trip to the oasis town of El Menia. Once check in and have lunch, let’s begin today’s sightseeing. 

First, we will visit Boulila Tower, which, like the watchtower of Beni Isguen, is a key part of the city’s defense system. From here, you can enjoy expansive views of the entire oasis, where the abundant palm trees clearly demonstrate why El Menia is called “The Oasis of One Hundred Thousand Palms.” Then, follow your guide to climb Vieux Ksar, a 75-meter-high (246 ft.) dune. Resembling an isolated island outside the oasis, it has quietly overlooked the lush date palm groves and the distant trade routes of the Sahara since the 10th century. 

Next, let’s return to the city center to visit Notre Dane des Sables, also known as the Church of Saint Joseph. Built a century ago, this Christian church dates to the French colonial period. To better blend into the local culture and promote Christianity in the Sahara, it features a beige facade that reflects local architectural style and incorporates elements of a mosque, such as a circular entrance and two minarets. The renowned French missionary Saint Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916), who spent many years in North Africa and contributed greatly to missionary efforts, is buried here. In the late afternoon, your guide and driver will accompany you to a Salt Lake for a stunning sunset to take photos, and finally escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Oasis El Menia

Today, with your guide and driver, you’ll continue exploring El Menia. Start at the Musee Public National d’El Menia, which features fossils of animals, dinosaur bones, and artifacts from prehistoric human activity in the Sahara Desert. Notably, you’ll see the stunning Sahara Desert Roses – naturally formed flower-shaped crystal clusters. These are not only natural marvels but are also believed to hold spiritual significance, symbolizing good luck and positive energy. 

Then, let’s visit the Palm Grove in the oasis to explore ancient methods of planting and irrigating date palms. By around 4000 BC, locals had already perfected the date palm cultivation, and today El Menia is home to more than 180,000 date palm trees. One tree can produce hundreds of kilograms of sweet, nutritious dates, making it ideal for arid regions and earning the nickname “Bread of the Desert.” After a visit to the local market and a lunch break, we’ll drive about an hour to the expansive Oasis Lake, which serves as a key stopover for migratory birds traveling from Europe to Africa. Each November, tens of thousands of pink flamingos pause here to rest. You can walk along the lake and enjoy views of the distant dunes. Ultimately, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Oasis El Menia

Today, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel for a 5.5 to 6-hour journey along the edge of the Grand Erg Occidental, one of the Sahara’s largest sand seas, heading toward Timimoun. As we pass through several checkpoints en route, you may encounter people from various regions or wild dromedary camels. If you’d like to photograph the stunning scenery, feel free to request a stop.

Timimoun, often called the “Red Oasis,” features natural red soil used in building mud-brick houses, giving the town a warm ochre color visible from a distance. Upon arrival, your guide will help with your hotel check-in. After a brief rest, we’ll visit Ighzer Castle, a former ksar located on a rocky plateau. Today, most of it lies in ruins, with only narrow alleyways hinting at its past grandeur. Below the castle lies Ighzer Cave, a vast, deep natural red cave ideal for photography. From this spot, you’ll also enjoy views of the peaceful Ighzer Village in the distance.

Next, let’s head to the Feraoun Caves, which have served as shelters and storage for centuries. Inside, you’ll feel a coolness that contrasts sharply with the outside heat. Locals often come here to escape the hot weather. Before dusk, we’ll ascend the vibrant red Tindjillet Dunes to enjoy a Sahara sunset, watching the Grand Erg Occidental turn golden. Finally, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Guest House in Timimoun

Today, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel for an in-depth exploration of Timimoun’s ancient heritage and architecture. First, we’ll visit the Timimoun Museum if it’s open. Then, move on to some of the most historic ksars in Timimoun, including Old Ksar Tahatayt, Aghlad’s Ksours, and Ouled Haroun Castle. These villages were built for defense and living, and each ksar reveals the ingenuity and resilience of people who have thrived in the harsh Sahara Desert for hundreds or even thousands of years.

★ Hidden Facts You May Not Know About Ksar

1. Narrow, Maze-like Alleyways: Designed to the width of a pregnant donkey, they are suitable for carrying goods, escaping heat and wind, and confusing enemies.
2. Strategic Site Selection: Most ksars are located on highlands near oases, enabling residents to monitor enemy activity and steer clear of natural hazards like floods.
3. Unique House Design: Houses in the ksar usually feature only a few small windows, serving as the most straightforward method to reduce indoor sunlight and provide shade.

Next, in Ouled Said and Hadj Guelmane, discover the secret behind the lasting vitality of desert oases – the Foggara irrigation system. As early as the 11th century AD, desert dwellers developed the technique of constructing foggaras, which are underground channels to bring essential groundwater into the oases and settlements, supporting both crop irrigation and the water needs of residents. Seeing flowing water in the Sahara is truly remarkable! Finally, we will reach Tmana Village, renowned as Small Tassili for its stunning wind-carved terrain and ancient human relics. Here, you can admire the striking ochre-colored rock formations, explore the landscape reminiscent of the moon, and enjoy watching the sunset over the dunes. After that, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Guest House in Timimoun

This morning, say goodbye to Timimoun and travel northwest with your guide and driver for about 4.5 to 5 hours to reach another desert oasis, Beni Abbes. Upon arrival, check into the hotel with your guide’s assistance and have a lunch break before the upcoming sightseeing. 

In the afternoon, our exploration of Beni Abbes begins at the Hermitage of Charles De Foucauld. Do you remember Foucauld, the missionary we discussed during our visit to El Menia? This was once his retreat, where he spent his last years. A few monks still live here, holding daily Mass in his memory. If there’s time and the site is accessible, we might also visit the Sahara Museum to see an extensive collection of insect and animal specimens from the Sahara. Afterward, follow your guide to the Marhouma area to appreciate impressive rock paintings and engravings from the Neolithic Age (around 10,000 BC to 3,000 BC), especially those depicting carts and trade routes, which provide evidence of ancient commerce between West and North Africa.

Later, after enjoying the breathtaking sunset over the Saoura Valley in the vast desert, you’ll be escorted back to your hotel by your guide and driver. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Saoura, Beni Abbes (3 stars) or similar

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel for a 2-hour journey to Taghit. Nestled in a narrow valley and sustained by rich groundwater, it is among the most stunning oases in the Sahara Desert.

Upon arrival, we’ll begin by exploring the ancient petroglyphs hidden in the desert. About 15,000 years ago, the Sahara was a lush, fertile plain, brimming with grassland animals. This is why rock paintings depict animals such as antelopes, giraffes, ostriches, and elephants. Some are simple lines, yet they are strikingly vivid and captivating. Then, we’ll enjoy the striking contrast between the lush palm groves and the golden dunes in the Valley of Ksour, where six ancient ksars, dating from 600 to 700 years ago, are scattered, forming what is now known as Taghit.

After lunch, let’s take a short rest to escape the intense midday sun before embarking on a guided tour of the Grand Erg Occidental in the afternoon. These enormous dunes, formed over 2 million years ago, continue to shift with the wind, creating crescent-shaped formations. Stroll with your guide to admire the stark desert landscape, and then relax as the dunes shift from gold to pink at sunset. Finally, your guide and driver will accompany you to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Bladi Palace Taghit (4 stars) or similar

This morning, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel to explore the Taghit center. Our first stop will be the Taghit Palm Grove. Hidden deep within the forest is a natural lake formed by groundwater from the valley, providing a cool and peaceful retreat in the hot desert. During your walk around the lake, look out for the black and white Moula-Moula bird, believed to bring good luck and vitality. Additionally, we will visit the Old Ksar of Taghit, where you can admire its ancient wells, mosques, and ochre-colored houses.

Later, enjoy a 1.5-hour private transfer to Bechar Airport, followed by a 2-hour flight back to Algiers. Upon arrival, your Algiers guide and driver will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

► Flight Information for Your Reference
Direct flights from Bechar to Algiers are not available daily. If your flight is on a Sunday, you might need to transfer in Oran. On Tuesdays or Thursdays, when no flights are scheduled, we can organize a private transfer back to Algiers, which may take an entire day. Please contact our travel consultants for more details before finalizing your plans.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel El Aurassi, Algiers (4 stars) or similar

On the final day of your 10 days tour of Algeria, follow your guide to visit the city’s significant historical sites before leaving. Our first destination is the Kasbah Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From afar, it appears as a chaotic jumble of houses clustered on a hillside. As you enter, be prepared for a labyrinth of narrow streets and stairs. Driving is nearly impossible inside the Kasbah, and residents still depend on donkeys, which made it a vital refuge during the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962). Heading south, the surroundings will change as the architecture shifts from white Muslim-style buildings to French colonial structures with porches and verandas. If not for the spice and grocery stalls and people in robes at Martyrs’ Square, you might think you were in Paris. Next to the square is El Djedid Mosque, Algiers’ oldest mosque, where you can photograph its Byzantine-Ottoman architecture.

Afterward, we’ll visit the Basilica de Notre Dame d’Afrique, built in 1872 in French colonial style, overlooking the Bay of Algiers. This church is perhaps the most special Catholic church you’ve ever seen: its facade features Arabic-style carvings and mosaics, and it welcomes everyone - regardless of faith - including Muslims in robes and veils. Then we will conclude our sightseeing at the Martyrs Memorial, honoring the martyrs of the War of Independence.

Finally, your guide and driver will escort you to Algiers Airport in about 30 minutes to see you off. Have a pleasant journey!

► Note: We can adjust today’s itinerary according to your departure time. However, we suggest booking a later flight to ensure you have enough time to explore the historic city.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch