The red walls
Rock on both sides of the valley.
Dan Sloan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Dan Sloan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Dan Sloan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Dali Ali Mahmoud — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dali Ali Mahmoud — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Yelles — CC BY-SA 3.0
El Kantara Gorge is a huge cleft in the Aurès Mountains that opens the way from the high plains to the desert. Red rock walls stand on both sides of a narrow valley, with a dense palm oasis right after them. Some visitors call it the Mouth of the Sahara, and it is one of the finest sights on the road south. El Kantara means the bridge in Arabic, and in Roman times the town was called Calceus Herculis. The area has been classified and protected since 1923 for its exceptional nature and Roman remains. The Dachra Dhahraouia quarter dates from 1048, according to sources. Its palms rely on the Ain Skhoun spring and the Oued El Haï. El Kantara became the seat of a province in 2025. The national road and railway run through the gorge on stone bridges and arches over the water, and you see an old bridge among rocks and palms. The river runs over gravel, blue beneath orange rock in good light. The town has earth houses and an old dachra, with palms spreading to the south. The gorge is 42.8 km in a straight line north of Biskra and 55.8 km south-west of Batna. It lies on the road between them, so stopping is easy. The road is busy, so stop only where it is safe. Light is best in the morning and late in the day, and autumn and spring suit better than summer. Ask before photographing people, and respect privacy in the dachra.
Rock on both sides of the valley.
Arches over the water.
Green right after the gorge.
El Kantara town, southern Aurès, Batna–Biskra road
The Batna–Biskra line passes the town, so check the schedule.
An hour for the gorge, and more to see the dachra and oasis.