Travel guide Algeria
Algeria : The best time to go
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Algeria : Practical information for travel
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Edition 2024/2025
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Algeria : What to see, what to do ?
Algeria : Where to go?
The most beautiful tourist sites
Algeria : Other destinations
Algeria : Petit Futé's best addresses
Discover the most beautiful addresses selected by the authors of Petit Futé.
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Algeria : Featured articles
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Timgad: North Africa's hidden Pompeii
Updated on 08/09/2024 Ideas for holidays & weekend
Nestled in the Aurès mountains, Timgad is much more than just an archaeological site. It's a journey back in time, far from the crowds and ...
Algeria : How do I travel?
How to go alone
Algeria is a country where one can travel alone without problems as long as the security conditions are good. However, it is advisable not to venture alone into the mountains and to avoid the border areas with Tunisia and Libya where there are still pockets of terrorism. If in doubt, always seek advice from local people or the military. To leave for the Sahara, it is recommended to go through a receptive agency because a trip to the desert cannot be improvised.
How to go on a tour
Since Algeria is still not a very touristy destination, you will probably have to turn to tour operators and receptive agencies based in Algeria. It is recommended to use those whose reputation is firmly established or who are recommended in a tourist guide because many still lack professionalism. But with a good agency, it is possible to make a multitude of thematic trips, safely, including in the Sahara.
How to get around
Algeria is well served by domestic flights throughout its territory. The bus network is also well developed between the major cities with rather comfortable vehicles. Algerian trains are punctual, comfortable and safe but do not allow you to go everywhere. With roads in good condition and cheap gasoline, the car is preferred but it is better to hire a driver because driving can be sporty in Algeria. Shared cabs between major cities are also a good solution.
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Algeria : Travel
Ideas for holidays and week-end breaks Algeria
Si on ne dispose que d’une semaine pour un séjour en Algérie sans thématique particulière, il est intéressant d’avoir une idée de la diversité des paysages et des sites qui composent le pays. Après avoir visité Alger et sa mythique Casbah, on peut ainsi envisager un circuit à la découverte du site romain de Timgad et des premières oasis de Biskra et de Touggourt, de la vallée du M’Zab avant de rentrer vers Alger en passant par les oasis de Laghouat et de Bou Saada.
Un séjour de trois semaines permet d’envisager un beau séjour dans le sud et une excursion en Kabylie et dans les Aurès, à la découverte des terres rebelles. L’idéal est de combiner un séjour dans le nord à la découverte de la côte et de plusieurs de ses villes, un site antique, une excursion dans les Aurès avec un circuit dans le sud. Pour combiner le nord et le sud, il faut envisager un vol direction Djanet.
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Algeria : Discover
Long neglected by tourists, Algeria is attracting more and more travelers. And for good reason: this country is both culturally rich and blessed with magnificent landscapes, more varied than you might think. With some 2.3 million km2, Algeria is the largest country in Africa. Eighty-five percent of this vastness is covered by the Sahara Desert, which in itself is an excellent reason to visit the country, both for its spectacular scenery and for the rock art it shelters. Roman remains, Berber culture, different architectural styles, craftsmanship, music and gastronomy are just some of the reasons to make your trip unforgettable. Each region has its own specificities and deserves an in-depth visit to discover all the treasures it conceals; it will undoubtedly take several trips to get a true overview of Algeria's beauty.
Algeria : The 12 keywords
Beautiful star
If there is a country where you can experience sleeping under the stars - in a thousand star room as we will tell you! -it is Algeria. There is nothing better than to fall asleep under the canopy of the Milky Way, lulled by the muffled sounds of the camp or the village. Take advantage of the hotel terraces, especially to admire the view.
Casbah
The oldest city center, in most cases a citadel(casbah in Turkish) of Ottoman origin. Algiers' citadel has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. However, it had almost disappeared, so badly had it been damaged by disrepair. Fortunately, the city began its renovation in 2005.
Camel
Here, everyone talks about camels, even though they only have one hump! The camel is the emblematic animal of survival in the Sahara and of the trade of the great nomadic Arab, Moorish and Tuareg caravans, used for transporting goods and for the camel milk that provides the essential protein in the nomads' diet.
Sunsets
Magical, especially when accompanied by the call to the fourth prayer (maghrib), when the first star appears in the purple sky. It's a moment to appreciate, a moment of great tranquility, even in the center of a big city. You can't get enough of it, and keep relaxing until you discover the starry sky.
Couscous
According to a 2015 survey, couscous is one of France's top ten favorite dishes, ahead of sauerkraut! Prepared sensibly, it's a very healthy dish, with or without meat, that takes on all tastes from salty to sweet, and can be very spicy... There are dozens of types, one for each family we might even say.
Soccer
The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil largely restored the reputation of the Algerian national team, which reached the Round of 16 for the first time in its history. More recently, Algeria also achieved a historic feat by winning the Africa Cup of Nations in July 2019 against Senegal.
Henna
Henna is used to create traditional, non-permanent tattoos on the hands and feet. Henna is obtained by powdering the dried leaves of the henna shrub(Lawsonia inermes). This true miracle product fades after a month on the skin and lasts longer on the hair.
Hospitality
"O, you who cross my threshold, you are the master and I become your servant", teaches an old saying. Boundless and unselfish, Algerian hospitality begins with the invitation to drink tea. Algerians open their doors with disconcerting speed, and the trick is to prove yourself worthy and not to take advantage.
Kabyles
The Kabyles assert their "imazighenité" while being very proud to be Algerian, even if they sometimes tend to call themselves Kabyles before being Algerian. With the new Algerian Constitution (2016), the Tamazight language becomes an official language, which delights the Kabyle community. A Kabyle flag also exists.
Nomads
There are few full-time nomads left. The Chaambas have become sedentary, as have the Tuaregs, but it's perhaps nostalgia for a life organized around the camel caravan, herds of goats and the kheima, which was dismantled when the grass ran out, that drives some to work with tourists.
Souk
The market is in the Muslim tradition the center of the city with the mosque. In Algeria, the souk is above all a market that often has little to do with what tourists know in Morocco or Tunisia. No scam here! Souks in Algeria are real markets for locals where you can find everything.
Youyou
Seemingly coming from the mists of time, the youyous of veiled women awaken the imagination of the Western traveller. These vocal stridulations, which signal festivities (for family celebrations, weddings, births, religious festivals, celebrations...) also accompany Berber and Arab folk songs today.
You are from here, if...
Are you a fan of mint tea? When you're invited to share a meal or just tea with the family, take your shoes off as you enter the main room or before stepping onto the carpet. At the start of the meal, you can call out Bismillah ("in the name of God").
Avoid drinking, eating and smoking in public during the day during Ramadan.
You're careful about what you wear, not too casual (short skirts, cleavage...) in town and especially in the country. It could be badly perceived.
Before entering a holy place or prayer hall, check that you are authorized to do so. Take off your shoes as soon as necessary, and go properly dressed.
Above all, be chill! Like many Mediterranean countries, Algeria lives at a slower pace than France. There's no need to claim any right to fast service - it's not part of the country's customs. Leave the stress behind when you get off the plane, but keep your appointments on time!
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