Touggourt Voyage Tips and guide

Touggourt (Arabic: ﺗﻗﺮت or تڤرت) is an oasis city in Saharan Algeria. Touggourt is notable for its date palms.

Touggourt lies on the western side of an extensive system of oases which supports palm plantations and other agriculture in an area 50 km from north to south. Other towns around the oases are Sidi Slimane and Megarine to north, and Tamacine and Balidat Ameur to the south. The system is associated with more oases further north in El Oued Province including the towns of Djamaa and El M'Ghair. Beyond the oases, the land is arid and barren, with extensive sand dunes to the west and east of the city.

• 33.0735566.0895281 Sidi Mahdi Airport (TGR  ^IATA). Air Algeria operates flights from Algiers-Houari-Boumédiène and Bou Saâda (as of 2023). (updated Nov 2025)

Touggourt lies at the junction of the N3 and N16 roads, 161 km northeast of the provincial capital of Ouargla. It is connected by railway to Biskra and is served by the Sidi Madhi Airport.

The N3 highway connects to Megarine, Sidi Slimane, and Biskra to the north and Hassi Messaoud and Illizi to the south. The N16 connects to Taibet and El Oued to the east. Another road, the Route Messaad Tougourt, connects to Messaâd and Djelfa to the northwest. Local roads connect to nearby towns Megarine and Tamacine.

Map of Touggourt

• 33.106526.0676641 Grand Mosque of Touggourt (مسجد تقرت الكبير). The Great Mosque of Touggourt, called Djamaa El-Atik (“ancient mosque”) or Djamaâ El-Kebir, was founded by Sultan Ibrahim Ben-Djellab in 1805. Located in the old ksar, it consists of a large courtyard surrounded by arcades, as well as two small patios, a fountain, a large green dome and a square minaret. The tombs of the kings are located in the family cemetery of the kings of Touggourt in the city centre; they are whitewashed domes. (updated Nov 2025)

• The old ksar of Mestaoua forms the historical heart of the city of Touggourt, dating from before the 15th century. The alleyways are covered with palm trunks. It includes a few buildings clinging to the old mosque, and a market surrounded by a rampart opening onto the outside through three large gates: Bab es-Salem, Bab Lebled and Bab Lekdar.

Its weekly market draws customers from across the region and is bustling with large-scale traders who travel throughout the Sahara.

Traditional embroidery is among the main craft activities.