The date palmeries surrounding Touggourt form an oasis ribbon several kilometres wide and over twenty kilometres long, following the line of the underground water. Walking the tracks between the gardens is a cool relief from the desert heat, and you can buy fresh dates in season directly from the farmers.
The traditional irrigation system, with its hand-dug seguia channels, is still in use in places, though most of the palmery now relies on motorised pumps. October and November, when the dates are harvested, are the best months to visit.