Similar to that of Libya, Algerian tourism is best known for its ancient ruins—principally those from the Phoenician, Roman, and Byzantine eras. Some of the most famous include Timgad near Batna, Hippo Regius at Annaba, Djemila at Sétif, Calama at Guelma, and ruins from all three empires at Tipasa.
While better known for the Roman ruins, Algeria’s greatest tourist possibilities lie in the Sahara; there simply is no other country on earth that can offer the sort of exciting and exotic adventures around the great desert. The crown jewel is the centre of Mozabite culture in the M’zab Valley. The five interconnected cities are a breathtaking architectural playground evocative of modern cubist and surrealist art. They simply must be seen in person. But the landscapes are impressive as well: the harsh, rugged Saharan Atlas mountains, the endless desert and Hoggar Mountains around the country’s desert capital of Tamanrasset, the huge dune field of the Grand Erg Oriental at El-Oued, and the ancient rock carvings of Djelfa and the Saharan National Park of Tassili N’Ajjer.
The Mediterranean beaches in Algeria are woefully underdeveloped, despite excellent potential, owing to the country’s poor security situation scaring off almost all tourists. But if you are in the country for a while, a bit of relaxation will at some point be in order, and there is no need to fly over to Tunisia. Oran (urban) on the Turquoise Coast, Annaba, and particularly Skikda and Ghazaouet all have nice beaches. The spot to go near Algiers is undoubtedly the resort town of Sidi Fredj.
Of Algeria’s major cities, you may be surprised at just how little of interest there is to see—Algeria’s more exotic locales are a much bigger draw than its modern culture (stifled by conflict and abysmal government), Islamic heritage, and colonial legacy. Algiers, the famed White City, is actually a much less touristic city than one might expect, given its central role in the country’s economic, political, and cultural life. But all visitors will pass through anyway, so the Casbah—Algiers’ historic seventeenth century center—is certainly worth a visit. There are a few nice, more laid-back large cities in the northwest, particularly the country’s second largest city of Oran and the historic city of Tlemcen. In the northeast, Constantine is the one major city that deserves a spot on your itinerary. Get on cable cars in Constantine, Algiers, Annaba, Oran and Tlemcen) for breath-taking views.
ALGERIA VISA
Requirements for Canadians to get the visa in Ottawa
a. passport valid for more than 6 months
b. visa application form, in three (3) copies, correctly completed and signed. MUST be filled out on screen, printed and then dated and hand signed. Handwritten forms are not accepted. Photos should be glued on the box reserved for photo at the upper right side of the application form.
c. three recent photographs of the same print, passport format.
d. a letter of invitation or a certificate of accommodation, with the name, the relationship and the address during the stay in Algeria. The signature of the host must be legalized by his municipality of residence,
or, failing that, a firm booking letter issued by a hotel in Algeria and the duration of the stay
e. a money order or certified check in the name of the Embassy of Algeria in Ottawa – $ 75 CAD for an entry, $ 150 CAD for multiple entries
f. a prepaid return envelope
UNDERSTAND
Algeria has a Mediterranean Sea coastline in the north and is surrounded by Morocco to the northwest, Tunisia to the northeast, Libya to the east, Niger to the southeast, Mali to the southwest, and Mauritania to the west. After the secession of South Sudan from Sudan, Algeria became the largest country in Africa. Recent Algerian history has been marred by civil wars. That said, Algeria is gradually restoring order and will prove an interesting — if difficult — destination.
GET IN
By plane. Most major European airlines such as (Lufthansa, Air Berlin, British Airways, Air France, Iberia, Alitalia, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines) fly daily to Algiers but there are also some long-haul routes such as (Beijing, Montreal, Doha)
There are good and relatively cheap direct flights from the UK e.g. BA from Gatwick. Flights as everywhere vary greatly in price according to when you go, but are typically £250 return in April or May.
From the United States the cheapest way to get into Algiers is via London (British Airways), Paris (Air France) or Frankfurt (Lufthansa).
The national airline Air Algerie flies to many destinations in Europe especially France but also to some cities in Africa and the Middle East. All destinations served by Air Algerie from Algiers : Abijan, Alicante, Bamako, Barcelona, Brussels, Basel, Beijing, Beirut, Berlin, Cairo, Casablanca, Dakar, Damascus, Dubai, Frankfurt, Geneva, Istanbul, London, Madrid, Milan, Montreal, Moscow, Niamey, Paris, Rome, Tripoli, Tunis.
By train. The Algerian train company is named SNTF, tickets can be bought at the Train stations, unfortunately the website hasn’t been updated since 2008 and online booking is not possible any more, time tables are subject to change; the best way is to ask for information at the train station itself. The network in the north is dense. You can reach Algeria by train from Tunisia, although you will have to change the train at the border post. All border points with Morocco are currently closed.
If you can try to catch the newer trains they are more comfortable and climate-controlled.
By car. The realistic and most secure way to reach Algeria by car is across the Tunisian border. The Mauritanian and Malian borders present some security problems, and the Moroccan border is closed. There are no problems if you want to get into Algeria from the Tunisian border posts in the north.
By boat. The prices are usually more expensive than flying so if you can and have no car take a plane. Most connections are offered by Algerie Ferries.
From/to Spain: Alicante to Algiers and Oran, Almeria to Gazhaouet, Barcelona to Algiers and Oran
From/to France: Marseille to almost every Algerian harbour (Annaba, Skikda, Bejaia, Jijel, Algiers, Oran)
GET AROUND
Algeria is a huge country and travelling between major cities can take a lot of time and nerves as well, while the distances in the more populated north are not so big and a trip from the east to the west can be done in a 12 hours on highway. Travelling to cities in the Sahara is more difficult since the south is barely connected with good roads, train and bus connections.
By plane. From Algiers you can reach almost every major Algerian city by plane, and it is highly recommended to take a flight when travelling longer routes and to Saharan cities. Houari Boumediene, in Algiers, is the biggest airport in the country; there are other airports in major cities like Oran, Constantine & Annaba. The other airports are basic .
Air Algéria is the national carrier with many flights to almost all Algerian cities with an airport. The prices vary regarding of the length of the flown route; airfares to smaller and Sahara cities tend to be pricier than between bigger cities (such as Oran to Algiers). The airline uses Houari Boumediene Airport as its hub, and almost all flights start or land there. There are seven daily flights to Oran from Algiers and five daily flights to Annaba and Constantine. Other destinations served from Algiers daily or several days weekly are Adrar, El Oued, Tebessa, Batna, Biskra, Sétif, In Ames, Tindouf, Timmoun, Tlemcen, Tamanrasset, Tiaret, Tebessa, El Goela, Ouaragla, Hassi Mesaoud, Bejaia, Ghrardaia, Tlemcen, Illizi, Djanet, Touggourt, and Béchar.
By car. The road network is well developed in the north, the Algerian government has made much improvements in the last years regarding road building, new highways were built to replace the already marod roads. The most important highway is the 1200 km long N1 (Route est-ouest) from Annaba to Oran, almost all bigger cities in the north are connected to this highway including Algiers.
A car is not absolutely necessary because of the well running public transportation system, but could be sometimes useful to reach more remote areas. Keep in mind that driving habits are completely different compared to western norms and that rules and prohibitive signs are more seen as guidelines, even by the police! It would be a wise decision letting a local Algerian do the driving for you in the first days to get an impression of the driving style, if this is not possible it’s recommended to stay on the highways.
Do not try to reach Saharan areas with another car than a 4×4, occasional dunes on the roads and extreme temperature changes will offer a challenge for the driver and the car.
Fuel is extremely cheap and will not cost more than 31 DA per liter.
By train. The Algerian Railways are operated by SNTF, currently the trains and lines are being modernised. Ten comfortable high speed trains named Autorail were bought, currently two of them are in operation. Tickets can not be bought online, only at the train stations, prices are quite moderate but more expensive than buses or taxis but in return you will have more comfort and enjoy wonderful landscapes. Main Routes :
Algiers to Oran , the train takes 4 hours and departs each day at 15:00 from Algiers Central Station and arrives in Oran at 19:30, 2nd Class: 1.000 DA, 1st Class: 1.500 DA.
Algiers to Annaba, on this route there’s a only a slow and less comfortable night train, departing each day at 20:45 and taking all the night for the way to Annaba. As an alternative you can catch the day train to Constantine and take from there a cheap taxi to Annaba.
Algiers to Constantine departing each day at 06:45 and arriving in Constantine at 13:30, make sure that you get a window seat because the train will take you through the scenic Kabilyan mountains and wonderful landscapes, 2nd Class: 1.200 DA, 1st Class : 1.800 DA.
Language. The official languages are Arabic and Tamazight (Berber language). The dialects of Arabic spoken in the North African “Maghreb” Region are closely related to each other, but not to the Middle-Eastern ones. They are called Darja (or Darija) and have been influenced by French and Berber vocabulary to various degrees.
Standard Arabic is taught in schools from the very first year, and the vast majority of the population understands it. It is also the language used in newspapers and radio broadcasts. However, like in every Arab country, the locals feel uncomfortable speaking a literary, formal language, and will inevitably slip words from their dialect in it.
French, the colonial language, is still widely spoken, and almost every local that you meet will be bilingual in Arabic and French. It is the language of business and technology. Old and rural folk in addition to low-income individuals may have a heavily-accented, poorly worded French.
Tamazight or Berber is also spoken by many people in Algeria, mainly in rural areas. Berber people are proud of their ancestry and you will rarely hear Arabic spoken inside their communities. The largest Berber groups are the Kabyles and Chaouis in the east, the Mzab in the interior, and the nomadic Tuaregs in the deep south.
Many young people now have at least basic knowledge of English, some (mostly the highly educated) reaching total fluency. The linguistics branch in High Schools enabled Algerians to learn Spanish and German, thus a minority of the population have some understanding of them.
Some common phrases in Algerian Arabic :
Wesh – Depending on context, can mean “Hi” or “What”
Wesh bik – What’s wrong/what’s the matter with you
Weshrak/Kifesh rak — How are you?
ça va/hamdullah (lit.Praise God) — Good
Shukran/Saha — Thank you
wasmi/wasemni …. — My Name is ….
Salam alaikum — Hello (Reply is walaikum assalam)
Besslama/Aaslama/Hiya (slang)/Bye — Good Bye
Sbah al khir/ Akhir! — Good Morning (Reply is Sabah al noor)
M’seh l’khir — Good afternoon / evening (Reply is Masah al noor)
S’il te plaît (french)/yarham babak – Please
Smah li – Excuse me
MONEY
Algeria uses the Algerian dinar (DZD). USD1 = DZD119.05
There are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 dinar coins. Banknotes circulate in denominations of DZD100, DZD200, DZD500, DZD1000 and DZD2000.
Money can be exchanged at Banks or Post offices. Make sure that the exchanged bills are in a good condition, people tend to be picky with accepting ripped and older bills. Be careful with other currencies than euro or US dollars it could be hard to find a bank that exchange less common currencies.
ATMs are widely available and can be found in every post office or larger bank you can withdraw Algerian dinar with any major credit card and maestro cards. If a pin with 6 numbers is necessary just enter two zeros before your pin.
Living in Algeria is very cheap compared to western conditions. For example, DZD300 will get you a full meal or bus ride from Algiers to Oran (400km). Renting a mid-sized apartment will cost normally DZD60,000 (6 months in the advance) a month.
CUISINE
Algerian food is delicious, varies from region to region, and is in general a mixture of Berber, French, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, and Arab cuisines.
Couscous (steamed semolina with sauce containing meat and carrots, courgette, turnips, or chick peas)
Algerian Tajines (stew)
variety of algerian pasta (chekh-choukha in the east,Trida,Chawwat…)
M’hajeb
Chwa (algerian BBQ)
variety of soups ( Chorba frik in the east, Hrira in the west)
variety of breads (French baguettes, Kesra, Matloua’,khobz-eddar ..)
Bouzellouf (cooked lambs head)
Dowara (stew of stomach and intestines with courgette and chick peas)
Rechta (hand made steamed vermicelli) served with chicken, zucchini and turnips )
Chakchouka (normally, it has green peppers, onions and tomatoes; egg may be added)
Mechoui (charcoal grilled lamb)
Algerian pizza
Mediterranean juices (grenadine, orange); very sweet green tea, and strong coffee.
Qalb El Louz (dessert containing almonds)
Baklava (almond cakes drenched in honey)
Ktayef (a kind of baked vermicelli, filled with almonds and drenched in sugar, syrup, and honey)
ACCOMMODATION The price of a beautiful deluxe room for a couple costs between € 150 and € 250 per day, as there are rooms from € 10 to € 45 for low budget tourists.
STAY SAFE
Despite many western advisory warnings against visiting Algeria, the security situation is getting better. Terrorism in 2005 was focused only in isolated areas such as heavily wooded mountains in less developed regions of the center and attacks near the Libyan or Malian border caused by war in those two countries. Security forces are doing their best to protect visitors to these areas, but tourists must take caution when visiting these places. They have to give their itinerary and plans to the local police before taking the road.
Do not travel after nightfall; travel by plane if you can rather than car; avoid minor roads; ask the police if you are unsure about your surroundings and nothing unusual should happen to you. Also, you should trust only official travel advisories when it comes to personal safety when you travel to a foreign country.
As with most Muslim countries, prostitution is illegal and punishments are severe, so it’s best to avoid it while staying here.
Stay healthy. Huge improvements have been made in this sector with the construction of dozens of brand new hospitals throughout the country.
Algerian doctors are highly qualified and offer a good service and pharmacies are well supplied.
Mosquitoes are also a problem in Algeria, but they are just a nuisance, as malaria is not common. In urban areas, city-wide sprayings against mosquitoes are periodically carried on.
Tap water is considered not drinkable although its quality is better than before. Once boiled, there is no problem in consuming it. Algeria enjoys a large variety of excellent mineral bottled water.
RESPECT
As in all of North Africa, the dominant religion in Algeria is Islam, and appropriate religious prohibitions and attitudes should be in order. If visiting a mosque, for example, be sure to be dressed conservatively and remove your shoes before entering it.
Also, given the ongoing political strife, talking politics is not advisable. Even the mention of certain topics can draw unwanted attention and, at very least, make your visit far more unpleasant.
Emergency phone numbers
Police: 17 or 1548
Civil protection (medical emergency and fire department): 14
National Gendarmerie (especially outside cities): 1055
Support for children : 3033 . Numbers of administrations, hospitals and different agencies can be found on the yellow pages (pages jaunes) in airports and some hotels and on the internet. As its developed in Algeria (but mostly in french), you can check this website: http://www.pagesjaunes-dz.com