Criers' souk
Auction before sunset.
Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0
The most conservative and authentic of the M'zab ksour, a fortified town with complete walls and watchtowers on a hill, called the holy city by local people, which has kept its traditional character and precise social order for centuries. Beni Isguen's narrow, winding lanes climb between tightly packed houses with coloured walls and wooden doors to the mosque at the top of the hill and a watchtower overlooking the valley and the surrounding palm groves. Its best-known sight is the souk of the criers, a traditional public auction held in a triangular square before sunset, where auctioneers call out carpets, furniture, jewellery and second-hand goods as men gather around them in a scene unchanged for a long time. The ksar may only be entered with an official local guide hired at the gate for a fee; modest dress is required, and smoking and photographing residents are not allowed. The town may close to visitors at certain times, so ask the guides at the gate.
Auction before sunset.
A fortified town.
Valley view.
Bounoura, M'zab valley, about 3 km southeast of Ghardaia
No, entry is only with an official local guide hired at the gate.