Ghadames

Ghadames, a remote oasis on the edge of the Sahara where Libya meets Algeria and Tunisia, is one of the oldest and most enchanting desert towns in the world, long known as the Pearl of the Desert and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its remarkable old town is a masterpiece of desert living, a dense maze of whitewashed mud-brick houses whose upper floors and covered, shaded passageways keep the fierce heat at bay, brightened within by vivid painted rooms. Palm gardens and springs nurture the oasis, and the traditional architecture, cleverly separating covered lanes for men and open rooftop terraces for women, reflects a distinctive way of life perfectly adapted to the Sahara.

What you actually see

• The covered lanes - the shaded whitewashed passageways.
• The painted houses - the vividly decorated traditional rooms.
• The palm gardens - the springs and date groves of the oasis.
• The rooftop terraces - the traditional open upper town.

When to go

October to April, the cooler months, are essential in this deep-Saharan oasis, where summers are intensely hot; the mild winter is the time to explore the shaded old town, gardens and springs in comfort. The covered lanes stay cool even when the desert sun blazes.

Honest expectations

Ghadames is genuinely remote, deep in the Sahara near the borders, so reaching it takes effort, and much of the old town's population moved to modern housing nearby, leaving the historic core quieter. As one of the oldest and most beautiful desert towns on earth, a UNESCO World Heritage masterpiece of shaded white lanes and palm gardens, though, Ghadames is utterly enchanting.

Nearby

The surrounding Saharan oasis and dunes lie around the town.