Algeria Classic Loop

This morning, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel for your 3.5-hour comfortable ride to Djemila, to see some of the largest and best-preserved Roman ruins in Algeria. 

Upon arrival, we’ll first visit the Archaeological Museum of Djmila, which houses a large collection of artifacts unearthed from the ruins. We won’t miss the beautifully-preserved large Roman mosaics, composed of countless small stones. With their vibrant colors and clear details, some show the scenes of people hunting lions, and some depict stories from ancient Roman mythology.

Next, let’s step into the Roman Ruins of Djemila, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to the 2nd century AD. Under the striking 12.5-meter-high (41 ft.) Arch of Caracalla, you can clearly see the intricate carvings above the towering Corinthian columns. Following the stone-paved main road, you can surprisingly see a market from 2,000 years ago, where there are well-organized stalls with stone benches and stone slabs, showcasing the prosperity at that time. Besides, at ancient theater, you can explore the semicircular seating area, which takes advantage of the slope while enhancing auditory experience.

After enjoying the attractive mountain scenery and admiring the ruins, we’ll continue to the clifftop Constantine by a 2-hour drive. Upon arrival, your driver and guide will assist you with hotel check-in.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Novotel Constantine (4 stars) or similar

Today, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel and escort you to savor Constantine’s ancient charm. You can find bridges span Rhumel River and roads carved into the cliffside in the city, making it as majestic as Constantine the Great (reigned from 306 to 337 AD), the Roman emperor who named it.

Let’s first go to the Cirta Museum to admire artifacts from the Roman era. At that time, Constantine was called “Cirta”. You guide will show you the highlights, including pottery figurines dating back over 2,000 years, and stelae inscribed with ancient texts and totems. The museum’s finest collection is the Roman bronze sculpture “Victory of Constantine”, which has a replica atop the triumphal arch of the Monument aux Morts across the gorge.

Then, let’s head to Constantine old town and visit Ahmed Bey Palace. It was the residence and office of Constantine’s last governor before the French occupation. It houses over 100 guest rooms, and elegant gardens and courtyards filled with orange and palm trees. Walking among the rooms and corridors, you can see the Moorish-style polychrome tiles and murals, and indulge in the nostalgic atmosphere.

Next, visit the Great Mosque, the second largest mosque in Algeria. It is a typical Islamic architecture, with two thin and tall minarets standing on either side of the huge dome. Its beige exterior and intricate geometric designs show a blend of beauty and dignity.
► Friendly reminder: Please dress appropriately, covering your knees and shoulders, to show your respect for local culture and beliefs. Women need to wear a headscarf before entering. Scarves and wraps are provided for free at the entrance, and your guide is glad to assist you.

Afterward, you can enjoy some free time for a city walk, exploring traditional castle, local markets, and the famous Sidi M’Cid Bridge and Sidi Rached Bridge. Compared to other Islamic countries, Algeria has a relaxed and inclusive social atmosphere, and Muslim women are more open-minded. Local women may wear colorful clothes, and are friendly and not shy about being photographed. 

Later, your driver and guide will accompany you to Constantine Airport for the following one-hour flight back to Algiers. Upon arrival, your local guide and driver will escort you to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel El Aurassi, Algiers (4 stars) or similar

Today, let’s embark on the Sahara Desert adventure! In the morning, your driver will escort you to Algiers Airport for a 2-hour flight to Timimoun, a small desert oasis in southern Algeria. Upon arrival, your local guide and driver will meet you and accompany you to your hotel, and we’ll enjoy lunch at a local popular restaurant.

In the afternoon, let’s start our Timimoun exploration. You can stroll around the ancient town to admire the distinctive architecture built with red mud bricks, and browsing the souvenir shops and local market. 

We will then move forward to Palmeraie, where you can see the “Foggara”, a type of ancient underground irrigation system invented by the Berber people. Some of the foggaras have been used for over a thousand years, and there are still more than 930 foggara systems in operation throughout Algeria. It works by gravity that significantly saves manpower, and reduces evaporative losses than open canals, which maximizes the use of the precious water resources in the desert. 

After the visit, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel. 

► Essential Gear for Your Upcoming Desert Journey
1. A large-capacity water bottle which can keep you hydrated in the scorching desert.
2. Sun protection and sand protection items: a wide-brimmed sun hat with a drawcord, sunglasses, sunscreen, and multi-functional headwear.
3. Mid-height hiking boots that are suitable for walking and climbing in sand dunes. Alternatively, you can wear comfortable and durable sandals with long socks to protect against wind and sand.
4. Long sleeves, trousers, and a coat. Dress in layers so that you can adjust to the extreme temperature changes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Gourara, Timimoun (4 stars) or similar

This morning, your guide and driver will wait for you at your hotel to start today’s in-depth exploration of Timimoun. First, we’ll head to the tranquil red ochre Ighzer Cave, once the grain storage for local people. “Ighzer” means riverbed in the local language. Although the river has long dried up, you can take a glimpse of people’s desert life from the ruins of the village below. Your guide will show you how early inhabitants cleverly reduced indoor daylight in building their houses. 

Next, let’s go to Tindjillet Village and Ouled Said Village to see the ancient foggaras, explore the old houses, and interact with the friendly locals. Around noon, as the temperature gradually rises, we’ll return to Timimoun to escape from the heat and have lunch. For the afternoon, you can rest at your hotel. When it cools down in the evening, you may explore the town and the local markets on your own.

► Dinner Recommendation (at your own expense)
You may walk 8 minutes east from your hotel to Zribet Atmane for dinner. Sample homemade traditional dishes and enjoy a cup of Algerian mint tea. Similar to the Chinese and the British, Algerians consider tea an essential part of daily routine and entertaining guests. They boil green tea, mint leaves, and sugar together, and drink at least two or three cups a day. In the hot, dry desert, the refreshing mint tea can not only replenish energy but also cool you down.
Average Cost per Person: USD 10-15
Address: 766G+HQ2, Timimoun

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Gourara, Timimoun (4 stars) or similar

Today, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel for your 4-hour private ride to Beni Abbes, the “White Oasis” like a dazzling pearl set amidst rolling golden sand dunes. Along the way, you can admire the date palm groves and endless sand dunes. Due to the long ride and bumpy road condition, we recommend you bring motion sickness medication if needed.

Upon arrival, we’ll first visit Beni Abbes Ksar. Surrounded by vast date palm groves, it is a maze-like fortified village built in the 17th century AD. It is estimated that there are over 250,000 date palm trees! They not only produce nutritious fruit, but also provide shady retreats for the town. That’s why the date palm tree is the “trees of life” for the locals. Then, let’s delve into the town’s history at Beni Abbes Museum. Here you can see specimens of various plants, insects and animals native to the Sahara Desert, such as the adorable fennec fox, Algeria’s national animal, which has huge ears and a small face.

After that, we’ll continue to drive deep into the desert for 2 hours to Taghit and stay overnight there. Your guide and driver will assist with check-in at your hotel.

★ The “Blue People” of the Sahara: The Tuareg

When exploring desert oases like Timimoun, Beni Abbes, or Taghit, you might encounter people wearing indigo robes. They are probably the famous “Blue People”, the Tuareg, with freedom and untamed spirit flowing in their veins. They are descendants of the Berbers, a nomadic group of the Sahara. Volkswagen even has a SUV named after the Tuareg. Different from Islamic culture, Tuareg men wear thick veils to conceal their face and leave only their eyes. It is said they wear it even while sleeping. It is a living proof of Tuareg’s matrilineal society, where women hold a higher status within the community.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Saoura Hotel, Taghit (4 stars) or similar

Today, after a warm greeting from your guide and driver, we’ll spend a whole day exploring the mysterious Taghit. There are boundless sand dunes to the west and towering rock formations to the east, making it one of the most special desert oases in Algeria with a long and narrow freshwater lake. Interestingly, almost everyone in Taghit can swim, which is a skill quite rare in the desert.

We’ll first visit the 11th-century Ksar of Taghit, strolling through its winding alleys and low-rise houses. Then, we will drive out of the town to the desert, and admire the glorious scenery of the desolate land. You can see the vast golden dunes that together form the Grand Erg Oriental, stretching from Algeria into neighboring Tunisia. Some sections of it even reach a height of over 190 meters (623 ft.)! Marvel at the ever-changing beauty, seeing each grain of sand moving with the wind and enjoying the fascinating light and shade. 

Afterward, following your guide, you’ll witness one of the most breathtaking wonders of the desert, the prehistoric petroglyphs. From them, you can get a completely different scene of the Sahara through the seemingly simple or abstract lines. At that time, the land was covered with verdant grasslands, with large mammals like elephants, antelopes, and giraffes living among, and ancient humans inhabiting in peace. After tens of thousands of years of sedimentation, these precious works of art have become a witness to the history of humanity and nature. Afterward, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Saoura Hotel, Taghit (5 stars) or similar

Today, let’s say goodbye to the Sahara and depart for Oran, Algeria’s second-largest city known as the “Golden Coast” of Algeria. Your driver will escort you to Bechar Airport in 1.5 hours, from which you’ll take a 2-hour flight to Oran. Upon landing, your local guide and driver will meet you and accompany you to your hotel. After check-in and a short break, we’ll start the city sightseeing.

Let’s first take a stroll along Oran Corniche. Although both Oran and Algiers are facing the Mediterranean Sea, they show quite different styles. Compared to the historic capital, Oran has a more fashionable city vibe. As the birthplace of the popular folk music, Rai, the city is praised as the “Rhythm Capital of North Africa”. Lined with modern cafes and restaurants, the Corniche offers views of the busy cargo ships in the vast azure sea, and look up, you can find the holy statue of the Chapel of Santa Cruz on the hill.

Then, we will head to the city center to visit the landmarks and experience the French influences. Place Premier Novembre, built in 1886 AD, is the city hub where major roads meet. Strolling through the square, you can admire the graceful architecture surrounding it, especially the City Hall with its two stone lions at its entrance. It’s said the name “Oran” derives from the Berber word for lion. Last, we’ll visit the Sacred Heart Cathedral of Oran, the first Catholic church built by France in Algeria. It is a testament of France’s ambition to achieve spiritual dominance in a Muslim country. However, after Algeria’s independence, the cathedral was transformed into a public library. But the architecture, blending Roman decorative arts and Byzantine vaults, was well-kept and still plays a role in the city’s cultural life. After that, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Plaza Hotel Oran (4 stars) or similar

After breakfast, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel, and accompany you to further explore Oran city. We’ll start from Santa Cruz Fort, atop Murdjajo Mountain, from which you can enjoy panoramic views of the coastline. The fort was built by the Spanish in 1604 AD to defend against the expanding Ottoman Empire (1290-1922 AD). So, you can find there are many holes for shooting. Adjacent to the fort is the Chapel of Santa Cruz, Oran’s most prominent landmark with a towering statue of the Virgin Mary. Like Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, she divinely opens her arms and overlooks the port and city. You can capture some breathtaking moments of the church and fort with a telephoto lens.

Then, we’ll return to the downtown and visit Chateau Neuf, an 18th-century defensive castle constructed by the Spanish, and Bey’s Palace, a well-preserved Ottoman palace within it. 

After that, your driver will escort you to Oran Airport for your one-hour flight back to Algiers. Upon arrival, enjoy a comfortable airport pick-up and escort by local guide and driver to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel El Aurassi, Algiers (4 stars) or similar

In the morning, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel for your private one-hour ride to Tipasa, a World Heritage Site with the best-preserved Roman ruins in North Africa. Situated on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean, it blends the beauty of the red earth, olive trees and blue sea, and the decaying Roman architecture. While enjoying the journey through history and time, your guide will share you stories about the famous French writer Albert Camus (1913-1960), whose inspiration and philosophical enlightenment was gained from here. Afterward, on our way back to Algiers, we’ll stop at the 2000-year-old Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania, where Queen Cleopatra’s only daughter was buried. 

In the afternoon, we’ll delve into Algiers’ history. First, visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame d’Afrique atop a cliff. Built during the French colonial period in the 19th century, this basilica is facing France’s Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseille across the Mediterranean Sea. Inside, you can see a bronze statue of the Virgin Mary, silently gazing down upon the worshippers. The inscription behind her, “pray for the Muslims and for us,” indicates the basilica is not only a holy site for Christians but also a place of respect and love for Muslims.

Then, let’s go to the nearby Kasbah Ancient Town, a telling witness of Algiers’ history of the past centuries. Built on a hillside, the town has an intricate network of steps and alleyways resembling a maze. It served as a refuge during the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962), so you can find graffiti depicting national heroes and battle scenes on the walls.

Our next stop is the 92-meter-high (300 ft.) Martyrs Memorial, and the National Museum of Moudjahid nearby, from which you can get a clearer understanding of the somber history of the independence war. After that, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel El Aurassi, Algiers (4 stars) or similar

Today is the end of your tour. Your guide and driver will accompany you to the airport, handle your luggage and see you off at the check-in desk of your departure flight. Have a nice journey!

► Tip: It is generally time-consuming to go through security check and customs and immigration at Algiers Airport, and the flight may not depart on time. Therefore, we suggest that you arrive at the airport at least 3 hours in advance.

If you’d like to extend your tour to the neighboring Morocco or Tunisia to explore Mediterranean civilization and experience Arabian culture, please contact our travel consultants. We’d be happy to make a customized itinerary for you.

Meals: Breakfast