By: Hana Saada
ALGIERS– The province of El Oued – known “the city of a thousand domes” is certainly the most picturesque town in a region more renowned as being an endless sea of sand. The province lies in the heart of the great Saharan sand sea known as the Grand Erg Oriental (that is a large erg or “field of sand dunes” in the Sahara Desert. Situated for the most part in Saharan lowlands of northeast Algeria, the Grand Erg Oriental covers an area some 600 km wide by 200 km north to south. The erg’s northeastern edge spills over into neighbouring Tunisia). El Oued Province is bordered to the northeast by Tébessa Province, to the north by Khenchela Province, to the northwest by Biskra Province, to the south and southwest by Ouargla Province, to the southeast by Tunisia’s Tataouine Governorate, and to the east by Tunisia’s Tozeur and Kebili Governorates.
How to reach El Oued:
The province of El Oued is about an hour south of Algiers by plane, El Oued is one of the most bustling and colourful towns to be found in the Algerian Sahara.
The province’s attractive sites
The province fascinates. The richness of its craftsmanship and its customs make it an attractive region. Its heritage which includes natural sites, chott, lakes and sebkhate, without forgetting its traditional villages, its century-old mosques and its local gastronomy makes it a privileged tourist destination.
The Friday camel market – not for the faint-hearted – is one of North Africa’s most extra-ordinary sights, an exotic, visceral mix of beast and man. The dunes surrounding El Oued are home to verdant date oases (the ideal place for a picnic), enormous sand roses and – believe-it-or-not – plantations of potatoes!
The Palace at El Oued presents five-star luxury in the middle of the Sahara desert. Surrounded by palm groves and sand dunes, the palace is an oasis of tranquility and colour, with grounds so rich and fertile that there is even an English-style garden!
The most notable oases are the Oued Souf region, upon which the capital El Oued and neighbouring towns are built, as well as oases located near the towns of El M’Ghair and Djamaa, both of which support extensive palm plantations. Chott Melrhir, a large endorheic salt lake, lies in the north-central part of the province, while Chott Felrhir is a smaller salt lake to its southwest, near El M’Ghair. These salt lakes, and the surrounding areas, lie as much as 30 metres (98 ft) below sea level; nearby towns and villages including Hamraia, Méguibra, Dendouga and Aïn Cheikh are also below sea level.
El-Oued’s market and Sidi Salem Mosque are your best bets. El Oued also has a small, but interesting museum where you’ll be welcomed with open arms. Excursions in and around El Oued, in addition to other villages of the Souf region are easily coordinated.
Of the many interesting locations nearby, Rubbah is one of the best: located 12 kilometers from El Oued to the south. Nakhla lies equidistant to the south of El Oued, and 12 kilometers from Rubbah (you have to drive back to the village of Amiche, and then head off south again along the eastern road). Guemar, 20 kilometers north of El Oued, is a beautiful little village, and has an interesting market. Buses will bring you to all larger cities, and taxis to some towns, as well as to the Tunisian border and inside the Souf area.
Climate of El Oued
El Oued Province experiences a hot desert climate. Winters are mild, with average temperatures around 11 °C (52 °F) in January, making this period the best time to visit this province. Summers, however, are hot with average temperatures around 32 °C (90 °F), average maxima around 40 °C (104 °F) and the hottest days approaching 50 °C (122 °F).
Administrative divisions
The province is made up of 12 districts, which are divided into 30 communes or municipalities.
