Algeria – Fascinating Travel, Adventure and 11 Sights to see

-a Guest Post by Rima Belfedhal

Algeria is Physically and Culturally Diverse

This guest post is by Rima, an Algerian woman, who says, “My country, Algeria, is one of the most naturally diverse countries of the African continent.” I can see what she means! Algeria has UNESCO sites, beaches along the Mediterranean coastline, beautiful landscapes, the Sahara Desert, prehistoric cave drawings, volcanoes, casbahs, a lake district, and several Mountain Ranges. There are ancient Roman ruins as well as Hispano-Moorish & Ottoman architecture.

Algeria is a large country, with 48 administrative divisions. Let’s break it down a bit:

Algeria’s northern coast is along the Mediterranean Sea

Beaches in Algeria

There are plenty of beaches to enjoy along the Mediterranean in Algeria, from its border with Morocco in the west, to Tunisia in the east.

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I love beaches; pretty sure I’ll check these out one day – I can compare them to the Beaches of Egypt – maybe explore both in one trip!

Constantine is in the north of Algeria

Constantine is the home of the El Amir Abdelkader Mosque, which was built in 1994.

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Algiers, Oran, and Annaba are also in the North of Algeria…

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…as is Dellys, Boumerdes

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Algeria’s Roman Ruins, near Batna

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Lake Agulmim in Djurdjura, and Lake Tonga

Heading south, toward the middle of Algeria, is the Lake District

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Into the Mountains of Algeria

The Atlas and Aures Ranges are in the north, while the Ahaggar and the Tassili n’Ajjar are in the south of Algeria. Looks like great hiking, rock climbing, and photo ops!

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Heading to the Southeast of Algeria

The Sahara Desert in Algeria

Have you ever been in the Sahara Desert? I was lucky enough to stay in a tented camp in the Sahara in Morocco, and was surprised that the sand was so dark. I’m most familiar with White Sands, in New Mexico; that gypsum sand is pure white, as are most beaches I’ve seen. The Saharan sand is dark beige, almost orange – brown.

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Being in the Sahara is an amazing experience; from the sunrises and sunsets, to the fossils and incredible landscapes, it is not to be missed!

[There are so many considerations when traveling to a desert area – you may want to think about how hot it can be in the desert in summer. Algeria.com is a great site to visit for more information about travel planning.]

The Tassili-n’Ajjar UNESCO Site, SE Algeria

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Final Thoughts from Rima:

For solo travelers and backpackers: accommodations in Algeria are not adopted for this category of tourists unless they are accompanied by a local guide who knows the area and speaks the local languages (Arabic and French); otherwise, communicating and commuting is not easy for solo travelers.
Many tourism agencies and local guides on Couchsurfing® are available to make your trip an amazing adventure, customized to your own needs and taste.

Since Algeria is so diverse – the northern area, with the coastline and the cities, and the south of Algeria, consisting of the Algerian Sahara – you must decide upon the attractions you would like to enjoy in Algeria before choosing which side of the country you would like to discover… or visit both the Sahara and Northern coast for the most adventurous tourists!

Welcome to Algeria,
Rima Belfedhal

PS from Suz: I knew nothing about Algeria before getting so much information from Rima. I saw the border, when I was in the Moroccan Sahara, that’s it. Do you think you’d like to visit Algeria one day? What are your perceptions?

Video of the Tassili-n’Ajjar Landscape:

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