Five ideas for guided tours in Algeria

• Algiers

  Algeria’s capital is a city full of charm, which smells good the sea air of the Mediterranean ports. In the alleys of its kasbah, which spreads out along the hill, you will discover, enchanted, beautiful white houses through its numerous small alleys, which made the reputation of the city. At the seaside, the Martyrs square is lined with old buildings in Haussmann style, where Algerians come to walk and take a break on the shaded terraces. Go and visit its beautiful monuments such as Notre-Dame d’Afrique, one of the last basilicas of the African continent, the Ketchaoua Mosque, often remodeled (its construction dates back to 1436), or one of its palaces, truly joyful, such as the Dar Aziza house or the Palais des Raïs complex. To admire the whole panorama of the bay of Algiers, you will be able to climb on the Saint-Raphael balcony in El-Biar.

• Kabylia

  Kabylia is a region in the north of Algeria, located at the foot of a mountain range that runs along the sea. Its population is mainly composed by the Berber people. It is usually divided into two large areas.
  – The great Kabylie: around Tizi Ouzou, you will go on beautiful outings to reach the crests of the Djurdjura, where the mountains sometimes exceed 2 000 meters. You will pass by lakes and forests, and discover small villages that still practice an authentic craft. However, be careful: ask for information before going through this part of Kabylia, or have an Algerian tourist guide accompany you for maximum safety.
  – Little Kabylia: visit the beautiful city of Bejaia, on the Mediterranean coast. You will quickly reach the Place du 1er Novembre (ex Place Geydon), from where you will enjoy a view on the sea front, and where everyone likes to come and have a drink. From there, you will reach the fort Moussa, then the kasbah. From Bejala, there is no shortage of hikes. The National Park of Gouraya, with the diversity of its landscapes, attracts each year more than one million visitors, who come to recharge their batteries in the middle of an incomparable diversity of flora and fauna. One can observe macaques, lynx and jackals. Less known, the Park of Taza will also seduce the greatest number with the fairy beaches of Jijel.

• Tlemcen

  The capital of Arab-Andalusian music has known how to mix, through its history, all kinds of cultures. Located near the Moroccan border, the pearl of the Maghreb has a multitude of possible visits. The citadel of El Mechouar Palace is of great renown. The building, which dates from the 13th century, is a jewel of the Zianides constructions, Berber dynasty which reigned on the region during this time. To appreciate all the beauty of the city, go to the plateau of Lalla Setti, which dominates the city of Tlemcen. Here, at the top of a hill 800 meters high, which can be reached by cable car or bus, a beautiful space has been created, with gardens for children and a small forest, called “the forest of the little partridge”. On the way down, visit the ruins of Mansourah, which was a real city built by the Sultan of Fez at the end of the 13th century, who came to take over the city. There are still some ramparts, and a famous minaret. A little outside the city is a natural site of beauty: the waterfalls of El Ourit, and just next door, the caves of Ain Beni Add, which contain stalactites and stalagmites that are 65 000 years old.

• Anaba

  Anaba, the fourth largest city in Algeria, formerly known as Hippo Regius, is located in the northeast of Algeria, 100 kilometers from the Tunisian border. Its ancient origins date back to 1300 B.C. It is a city with many tourist attractions, such as its lively streets and squares, its beautiful plains that surround it, or the wonderful beaches that run along the coast, such as Sidi Salem, Vedro or Ain Achir. Mount Edoughune can be reached by a beautiful hike, and at the top, it is an ideal view of the whole city that is offered to you. One of the monuments to visit is the Basilica of Saint Augustine, built at the end of the nineteenth century in honor of Bishop Augustine, who lived in the region from 396 to 430 AD.

• Tamanrasset

  If you want a taste of adventure, go to the city of Tamanrasset, in the South of Algeria, in the mountainous chain of Hoggar, at the gates of the Sahara. From this part of the desert and its immensity, you will discover an exceptional region made of immense dunes, rocks sculpted by time, rocky roads that 4x4s cross to reach magical and green oases. The possibilities of discovery and wonder are immense. Let’s mention for example the Atakor, the highest volcanic massif of the Hoggar, which offers surrealist visions with its rocks with multiple colors and forms. At the bottom of a canyon, one can see many rock engravings, and one walks there as in a true open-air museum.