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sachara Says: We visited Bel Bachir near El Golea. It was amazing to see this church in the middle of nowhere. This church is the place where Charles de Foucauld, responsible for the hermitage in the Hoggar mountains in the south, is buried.
sachara Says: El Golea is dominated by the old ksar El Menia, built in the 10th century by the Berbers. The ksar is in a bad state. It's nice to climb the ksar. From here you have beautifull views to the north and the south. Because of the high temperatures the best time to climb is early...
teastop: Tea, tea and more tea
sachara Says: In Algeria we drunk a lot of tea, the whole day at any time and at any spot.In Bel Bechar we were invited in this tent to drink a glass of tea. The sun was allready burning, so we apreciate it very much to sit in the shade, drinking our tea together.At 13 May 2006 I got the...
JLBG Says: When you drive from the M’zab to El Goléa, from time to time, you will see children coming out of nowhere and begging for some water, or for any kind of gift. On this occasion, that was obviously a family with a girl (the oldest) and her three younger brothers. We gave them...
sachara Says: In El Golea we encountered near El Golea a youth centre. The girls, dressed in colourfull dresses beckoned us to come. They were anxious to speak with us in French. They told and and showed us what they were doing.
sachara Says: This girl was also dressed very beautifull. She liked to tell us about their local customs. She did speak some french, so we could have had a nice small conversation.We really enjoyed to meet these girls.And they were very excited to talk with us.
sachara Says: The Algerian girls, we met in the youth centre near El Golea, liked to show us their local customs. So they showed us a tea ceremony and grinding cereals. We admired their very colourful dresses.
JLBG Says: Charles de Foucault (1858-1916), a debauched soldier that became a dedicated missionary and a hermit in the second part of his life, lived in Tamanrasset from 1905 until his deadly shooting in 1916. He was the first to study the Tuareg civilization and language. He wrote the...
JLBG Says: Moula Moula is the Tuareg name for a desert sparrow, Oenanthe deserti. This bird is the mascot of the Tuareg people and is supposed to bring luck. In French, it is either the “oiseau des caravanes” or the “traquet du désert”. In English, it is the Desert WheatearIt is very...
JLBG Says: The ksar is half ruined but nevertheless it has underground rooms. I have not read anything about it, but I would not be surprised if the part shown here had been used as a mosque. Some say the ksar was built by the Guaramantes, 2,000 years ago, others that it was built more...
North to El Goléa, “buttes témoin”
JLBG Says: Along the road, north to El Goléa stand many “buttes témoin” that can be found in many other parts of the Sahara. In Northern America, they are called “mesa”. In the Sahara the nomads name them “gour”. They are parts of sedimentary layers that have been protected from the...
JLBG Says: This is an old eroded “gour”. While usually, the typical “gour” is flat on top, in that case, erosion had gone further and the summit has given a pile of eroded rocks that make the outline of a sleeping camel! At least, this is what I found but I suppose that each will view...
El Goléa, walled gardens outside the oasis
JLBG Says: On the edges of the oasis, several walled gardens with a few palm trees are gathered together. There does not seem to be any actual house but only very small buildings (for tools ??). I am not sure that these enclosures are gardens. They might as well be enclosures for...
JLBG Says: From the ksar, the view is stunning and worth the climb.The first photo shows a general view of the oasis with the mosque in the foreground.The second photo is a close up on the mosque. If you enlarge it, you will see the cemetery with unusual graves. A narrow strip of adobe...
JLBG Says: The ksar (the fort) stands on a rocky hill at the northern edge of the city. Only on our third visit did we climb the rocky path to visit it. It was early in the morning but however, though in April, it was already hot!
Everyday life along the avenue
JLBG Says: On the first photo, a young girl carries on her head a basket full of grass for the poultry.On both sides of the main avenue, houses built with adobe with occasional children playing in front of the door and that are fast to hide themselves in the house if they understand...
Northern entrance into El Goléa
JLBG Says: The arrival into El Goléa when you drive from the north, is by a wide surfaced avenue lined with palm trees and busy with carts, cars, bicycles, motorbikes and pedestrians. El Goléa is the last main city before Tamanrasset and this is where you should buy your food supplies.
Plan a El Golea vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and El Golea locals
The Algerian girls, we met in the youth centre near El Golea, liked to show us their local customs. So they showed us a tea ceremony and grinding cereals. We...
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El Goléa, the 300,000 palm trees oasis
El-Goléa, a city of 28,000 inhabitants (2005), is 270 km south to Ghardaïa, the capital of the Wilaya. It appears on road signs either as El-Goléa or as El-Minieh. Both names mean “the fortress”.
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El Golea is one of the biggest oases of the south. There are nearly 200.000 palm trees. El Golea is dominated by the old skar El Menia. Charles de Foucauld (known of the heritage in the Hoggar) is...
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