Kiffa: Plateau Setting, Market and Crafts

If you’re looking for a hotel in Kiffa, start by asking what interests you about this destination. Kiffa lies on a plateau in the Assaba Mountains, and the Route de l’Espoir passes through the town. Alongside its geographical setting, the market and crafts offer further points of reference for understanding Kiffa. This helps distinguish the city from the landscapes that belong to the broader destination of Assaba.

Kiffa and the Route de l’Espoir

The plateau setting and the road’s course answer different questions about orientation: the plateau places Kiffa in the Assaba Mountains, while the Route de l’Espoir passes through Kiffa. In the broader destination of Assaba, the same route crosses the wilaya for almost 500 km. A wide variety of landscapes can be admired from the paved road. The town’s location and the route through the region complement each other, but refer to different geographical scales: Kiffa is the specific town, while Assaba is the broader context for this description of the route.

Landscapes in the broader destination of Assaba

The broader destination of Assaba offers a different range of landscapes: dune chains display shades ranging from ochre to pristine white, alongside lakes with green shores. Springs that flow year-round wind through deep gorges between palm-shaded oases. When comparing landscape features, you can contrast the dunes with the green shores and spring-fed gorges. These different scenes broaden the picture of Assaba as a destination, while Kiffa is defined by its plateau setting.

Crafts and the market in Kiffa

In the broader destination of Assaba, Kiffa is the regional capital and is known for its crafts. Kiffa beads are made from crushed glass and gum arabic. Other crafts include leather goods, embroidered veils, incense paste, cushions, mats and wooden beds. The beads, with their specific combination of materials, are one example alongside a broader selection of other products. If you’re interested in Kiffa’s local craft culture, the beads offer a specific starting point, while the other products showcase different forms of craftsmanship.

The market in Kiffa is also a point of reference for getting to know the town: goods from Mali and Morocco, among other places, are sold there. The market and crafts thus offer two different perspectives on Kiffa. The beads are defined by the materials of a craft product associated with the town; the market offers goods originating from two named countries. This distinction helps avoid equating local crafts with the market’s entire range of goods.

An edition of the Festival of Cultural Diversity

A historical example of cultural events is the second edition of the Kiffa Festival of Cultural Diversity. It lasted three days and featured poetry readings and folkloric sketches. The program thus brought together literature and folklore in a particular festival edition. As a glimpse of Kiffa’s cultural life, this festival example complements the crafts and market with an event held at a specific time.

See the broader travel overview: Kiffa.