Ghardaia

Ghardaia

Ghardaïa lies in north-central Algeria, in the Sahara Desert, on the left bank of the Wadi Mzab. The M'zab Valley in the province of Ghardaïa was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982. It’s an incredibly unique community overlooking an oasis in the Algerian desert. With its many fascinating cultural nuances and traditions, it is an absolute must-see for a world traveler. Ghardaia is just one of five nearby towns that share the oasis valley. Although maps and guidebooks usually group the towns together and refer to everything as Ghardaia, a better and more correct name for the area is the M'Zab Valley. Despite being surrounded by vast desert, the M'Zab Valley is fertile and bustling with life. Date palms, olive trees and fruit trees contrast vividly with the lifeless sandy range. For centuries, local communities have learned how to care for the oasis in a sustainable way. Algeria is one of the world's exporters of date fruit, much of which comes from the M'Zab Valley. Therefore, almost all people grow their own dates in their back gardens or help with the harvest.