The old town of Ghardaia is the largest of the five M'zab ksour and the most accessible for visitors. Built by Ibadi Mozabites over a thousand years ago, it rises in concentric tiers of pale yellow and ochre houses around a central mosque and minaret at the hilltop. The streets are narrow enough to create shade even at midday — a deliberate design for desert conditions.
The old marketplace, the Souk El Ghzel, is one of the most atmospheric in Algeria: a roofed market in the lower town where cloth, spices, silver jewellery, and Saharan crafts are sold under vaulted arches. Visiting the upper town and mosque requires a guide; the lower commercial district can be explored more freely but still warrants a local introduction.