Ksar Beni Isguen
The most traditional of the five Mzab fortified towns, climbing a hillside to a mosque and minaret. Entry is with a local guide, modest dress is expected, and photographing residents is discouraged.
Ghardaïa (M'Zab Valley)
Palm groves surround fortified hilltop towns that the Mozabite community built in this UNESCO desert valley.
Attractive locations
Ksar Melika
A hilltop fortified town in the Mzab valley, with narrow lanes of tightly packed sand-coloured houses around a central mosque. It is part of the UNESCO-listed Mzab group of towns.
M'Zab Valley
A dry river valley in the Sahara with five fortified hilltop towns of pale, rounded houses built around central mosques. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is still home to the Mozabite community.
El Atteuf
The oldest of the five fortified towns of the M'Zab Valley, with tight alleys, a mosque and palm gardens in the valley below. Visitors are asked to dress modestly and a local guide helps.
Bounoura
One of the M'Zab Valley's old hilltop towns, with pale houses stacked around a mosque and winding alleys. The palm groves below are a pleasant place for a walk.
Ksar of Ghardaia
The old town of Ghardaïa, rising in tiers up a hill to a mosque with a pointed minaret, with a large arcaded market square at its foot. It is the main town of the valley.
Airports
Noumérat - Moufdi Zakaria Airport GHA
It is about 16 km in a straight line from Ghardaïa (M'Zab Valley).
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Algeria page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan8.6 °C11 mm
- Feb10.3 °C4 mm
- Mar14.9 °C11 mm
- Apr19.5 °C7 mm
- May24.4 °C7 mm
- Jun29.7 °C4 mm
- Jul33.6 °C2 mm
- Aug32.6 °C4 mm
- Sep27.6 °C13 mm
- Oct21.8 °C10 mm
- Nov14.1 °C8 mm
- Dec9.6 °C9 mm
Driest months: Feb, Jun, Jul, Aug. Wettest months: Jan, Mar, Sep.
Costs
Prices here are about 33% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
Reported numbers: police 17, ambulance and fire 14 - confirm with your hotel or guide.
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Algeria
Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in Algeria since 2002. Its work covers migration management and crisis response, and its contact page also lists a migrant assistance hotline.
Who qualifies: Migrants in Algeria and partners working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +213 661464622
Email: [email protected]
Address: 16 Chemin des Cretes, Hydra, Algiers
local government
Police emergency number 17
Helps with: Reaches the police in Algeria. UK government travel advice lists 17 or 1548 for the police; this entry gives 17.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 17
local government
Ambulance emergency number 1021
Helps with: Reaches the ambulance service in Algeria. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 1021
local government
Fire emergency number 14
Helps with: Reaches the fire service in Algeria. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 14
ngo
Algerian Red Crescent
Helps with: The ICRC says its cooperation with the society covers first aid, disaster management and restoring family links. No contact details are given, so use the society's website.
Who qualifies: The page does not say who can use it. The ICRC calls it the leading humanitarian organization in Algeria, present in all provinces.