About Djanet
Djanet is a small yet vibrant community of over 15,000 people. The area has been occupied by people since Neolithic times when the Sahara was a grassland and full of all kinds of animals (including giraffes and elephants). Djanet was founded in the Middle Ages by the Tuareg People who have remained there.
It has numerous restaurants and small grocery shops as well as open-air fruit and vegetable stands. There are local banks, postal offices and small shops specializing in everything from mobile phones and electronics to housewares.
A highlight of visiting Djanet is a trip to the local souk or marketplace where you can find dozens of little shops selling all kinds of items like African fabrics and Tuareg clothing and shoes (for men and women). There are shops specializing in traditional Tuareg jewelry and shops with handmade souvenirs (statues, paintings, local postcards, etc) which will delight you and help keep the memories of your trip to the Algerian Sahara alive for years to come!
Sebeiba Festival
A FEAST FOR THE SENSES
One of the highlights of the year in the Algerian Sahara is the annual Sebeiba Festival held every Summer in Djanet. This festival is part of the celebrations surrounding the Ashura Festival (at the start of the Islamic New Year). Oral tradition traces the Sebeiba Festival back to the time of Moses when the Pharaoh drowned in the sea and good triumphed over evil. More recently, the Festival represents the peaceful resolution of a dispute between the two villages which finally merged together as the town of Djanet today.
Sebeiba is a feast for the eyes and ears. There is singing and ritual drumming by the women while the men perform ancient traditional dances in very colorful and ornate costumes. The festival lasts for several days and one of the two groups of dancers will emerge as the winner of the competition.
Sebeiba was listed in 2014 as a part of the UNESCO "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" list. It draws thousands of people from all over the world every year.
Tuareg Culture of Djanet
While there are a variety of local restaurants in Djanet which serve everything from BBQ to pizza, many local families still eat traditional food tied to their Tuareg heritage. One favorite dish is Molokhia, a goat based stew made with ground molokhia leaves, a traditional spinach plant grown throughout North Africa and the Middle East. It can be served with bread, couscous or manioc.
Taguella is a flatbread made of flour which is cooked in the hot sand of the Sahara Desert. Once it is baked, taguella is often broken into pieces and served in a bowl with Molokhia or some other type of stew.
Tuareg tea is served throughout the day and is quite a sight to see being prepared. Like the coffee ceremony in Ethiopia, tea preparation in the Sahara is a ritual and is prepared meticulously to produce the best glass of tea possible. The foam cap on top of the glass of tea keeps the blowing sand in the desert from damaging the tea in the glass!
In the language of the Tuareg People, Tamasheq, the word "Aboogi" means home. And you are always at your home in the Saharan desert with Aboogi Tours. CONTACT US TODAY to start planning YOUR once in a lifetime journey to the Sahara. We welcome you at Aboogi Tours.