Taghit: An Algerian Oasis on The Edge Of The Sahara

By Tuve Floden

Taghit is Located in western Algeria, the oasis is about 60

miles south of Becher, not far from the border with Morocco.
Although today this small oasis only has 6,000 permanent
inhabitants, people have lived in the region for thousands of
years, since the Neolithic era
What to See in Taghit?
Taghit is popular with both local and international tourists,
who come to enjoy the area’s historic sites and frolic in the
natural environment.
The eleventh-century ruins of the ancient city, now partially
restored by the government, rest on the edge of the town.
Carved wooden doorways the mud-brick passageways, shops
and guesthouses opened by local entrepreneurs. One vendor
sells vivid paintings and a large variety of drums, guitars, and
Arabian ouds – all handmade.
The city’s covered alleys and ventilation shafts once served as
a primitive air-conditioning system, circulating fresh air
during the summer months, and also preserving some warmth
during the winters.

Petroglyphs
A short drive outside of town and you will find petroglyphs of
cows and antelopes in a rock-strewn hillside. Visitors can
clamber directly , ascending the boulders to get a view of the
entire basin.

Food and Accommodations in Taghit

For tourists, there are two main hotels: the Bordj Taghit and
the Hotel Taghit Saoura, a branch of the local El Djazair
chain. Both facilities boast stunning views of the dunes and
the surrounding city.
The Bordj Taghit is a rustic inn built on the ruins of a French
colonial outpost. It offers single and double rooms, all with
heat/AC and private bathrooms.
The Hotel Taghit Saoura is larger, with a more modern
aesthetic. Their outdoor pool is open during the warmer
months, and Rooms are either singles or doubles, also all with
heat/AC and private bathrooms.
There are not many restaurants in the city outside of the two
hotels. In the center of town, a small shop sells takeaway
pizza, while a rotisserie restaurant around the corner displays a
tall case of chickens cooking slowly on rotating spits.

When to Go
Summers in Taghit can be unbearably hot, with temperatures
reaching well (over 40 degrees ). Thus, the best times to visit
are the late fall and early spring, when temperatures range
from (10-27 degrees), or in the winter when highs are from (3-
20 degrees).