Algeria travel guide
Algeria is Africa's largest country, stretching from a green Mediterranean coast across the Atlas mountains into the deep Sahara. Few tourists come, which means its Roman cities, Ottoman Casbah and desert rock art can be seen without crowds. It suits curious travellers comfortable with limited tourist infrastructure and a little French or Arabic.
Places worth the trip
The Casbah of Algiers
A steep maze of whitewashed houses, stairways and mosques above the port of Algiers, built largely during the Ottoman period. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and still a living neighbourhood, best explored with a local guide.
Timgad
A Roman colonial town founded around 100 AD on the edge of the Aurès mountains, laid out on a near-perfect grid. Its colonnaded streets, theatre and Trajan's Arch are among the best-preserved Roman remains in North Africa.
Djémila
A Roman town on a mountain ridge in the north-east, with temples, a basilica, forum and fine mosaics in the site museum. Its setting among green hills makes it one of the most striking ancient sites in the Mediterranean world.
Tassili n'Ajjer
A vast sandstone plateau in the south-east near Djanet, with stone forests, dunes and thousands of prehistoric rock paintings and engravings showing cattle, giraffes and people from a time when the Sahara was green.
The M'zab Valley and Ghardaïa
Five fortified hilltop towns (ksour) built by the Mozabite community from the eleventh century, with pastel houses climbing towards minarets. Visits to the old towns are usually made with a local guide, and modest dress is expected.
Constantine
The 'city of bridges' sits on a rock plateau split by the deep gorge of the Rhumel river, crossed by several dramatic bridges and walkways.
Tipaza
Phoenician, Roman and early Christian ruins spread along the sea west of Algiers, among pines and flowering shrubs. Nearby stands the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania, a large circular stone tomb.
Interesting facts about Algeria
- Algeria became the largest country in Africa by area after Sudan split in 2011.
- The Sahara covers more than four-fifths of Algeria's territory, while most of its population lives along the northern coast.
- Tamazight, the Berber language, has been an official language alongside Arabic since 2016.
- The architecture of the M'zab Valley is often cited as an influence on the modernist architect Le Corbusier.
- The writer Albert Camus was born and grew up in Algeria, and much of his work is set there.
Best time to visit Algeria
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are best for the north, with warm days and green countryside in spring. The coast is hot and humid in summer. The Sahara is best visited from October to April, when days are warm and nights cool to cold; desert summers are extremely hot. Ramadan changes opening hours and the rhythm of daily life, so check its dates before you travel.
Getting around
Distances are enormous, so domestic flights are the practical way to reach the south, including Djanet, Tamanrasset and Ghardaïa. In the north, trains and long-distance buses link Algiers with Oran, Constantine and other cities, and shared taxis run between towns. Algiers has a metro, a tramway and cable cars up its hills. Desert trips are normally arranged through a local agency with drivers who know the terrain.
Practical details
- Capital
- Algiers
- Currency
- Algerian dinar (DZD)
- Languages
- Arabic, Tamazight
- Plug types
- C, F
- Voltage
- 230 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 17 police, 14 ambulance and fire
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Not obligatory, but rounding up in cafés and leaving a small tip in restaurants and for guides and drivers is appreciated.
Staying online in Algeria
Mobile coverage is good in Algiers, Oran, Constantine and the other northern cities, and along main roads. In the Sahara it is limited to towns and oases and is often absent between them, so plan for long stretches offline. Wi-Fi is available in most hotels and many cafés in the north, but speeds vary. Internet access has at times been restricted nationally during school exams. Download offline maps before you go, install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
Algeria eSIM plans
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Useful apps
- Yassir: An Algerian ride-hailing app for taxis in Algiers and other large cities, so you can agree fares in advance.
- Google Maps: Directions in the cities; download offline maps before any trip into the south.
- Google Translate: Arabic and French translation, with camera mode for signs and menus.
- XE Currency: Track dinar exchange rates, as most payments are made in cash.
Algeria travel FAQs
Algerian Arabic (Darja) and Tamazight are the everyday languages, and French is widely spoken in cities, business and hotels. English is less common, so a few French or Arabic phrases and a translation app help a lot.
Yes, modern smartphones work on Algerian networks, and coverage is good in the north. A travel eSIM gives you data on arrival without a local registration process, though expect little or no signal in the deep desert.
Yes. Foreign cards are accepted in some large hotels but rarely elsewhere, and ATMs that take foreign cards are limited. Bring enough cash in euros or another major currency to exchange at official outlets.
Desert trips are usually organised through licensed local agencies that provide drivers and guides. Rules for southern areas can change, so check your government's travel advice and arrange trips through an established operator.