Beni Isguen Sights

  1. Borj Cheikh el-Hadj

    The highlight is the Turkish tower, Borj Cheikh el-Hadj, which you can climb up for stunning views over the town and beyond.

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  2. Marketplace

    Your guide will probably leave you at the Marketplace, which has a few shops nearby selling the colourful local rugs. The best time for a visit is in the late afternoon, when the market square comes alive with the daily auction - the Marché à la Criée. The square is lined with stone benches where tourists and locals alike can sit to observe the action. Those taking part yell out the price of their item until someone buys it, or the price is bought down. It is interesting to watch: as there are no cafés in the town, it becomes the social event of the day.

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  3. Museum

    At the entrance to the town is the Museum which the guide will probably show you at the end of your tour. It is constructed in the style of a typical Mozabite home complete with examples of a kitchen, traditional refrigeration system, and marriage bedroom as well as some interesting carpet weaving paraphernalia.

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  4. Palmeraie

    The Palmeraie at Beni Isguen is probably the best in the M'Zab. It stretches for a couple of kilometres behind the town. The gardens here are green havens, veritable gardens of Eden. They are difficult to see properly, however, as they are mostly behind high walls. Once behind the wall, the contrast is vivid - you'll find every kind of fruit here, from grapes and figs to bananas and dates.

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