-a Guest Post by Rima Belfedhal
Hello, adventurous travelers! It looks to me as though Algeria’s natural and cultural diversity makes it a special destination for tourists who seek unique and exotic adventures.
All of Rima’s info, and all the gorgeous photos to follow have whet my appetite to visit her country of Algeria! Check it out!
Algeria is in North Africa, between Morocco to the west, and Tunisia and Libya to the east; Mauritania, Mali, and Niger form it’s southern border.
I have enjoyed exploring the North African nations of Morocco and Egypt, as well as some of the sub-Saharan parts of Africa; soon, I hope, it’ll be on to Algeria!
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
The major cities of Algiers, Constantine, and Oran, and the Mediterranean beaches are in the north of Algeria
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.
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
This is the Constantine Bridge, pretty all lit up!
There are major airports in the northern cities of Algeria: Algiers, Constantine, and Oran.
Constantine is the home of the El Amir Abdelkader Mosque, which was built in 1994.
Algiers, Oran, and Annaba are also in the North of Algeria…
El Kebir Mosque, Algiers 
Algiers 
Oran 
St Augustin Basilica, Annaba 
Facade of St Augustin Basilica, Annaba
…as is Dellys, Boumerdes
Algeria’s Roman Ruins, near Batna
Lake Agulmim in Djurdjura, and Lake Tonga
Heading south, toward the middle of Algeria, is the Lake District
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!
M’zab Valley 
Ghardaia, M’zab Valley
Heading to the Southeast of Algeria
The Sahara, and the Tassili-n’Ajjar UNESCO Area are in the Southeast part 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.
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
Pre-historic cave drawings 
Can you imaging the star-gazing possibilities?
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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Wow Algeria looks amazing! The photos are absolutely gorgeous and certainly peaked my interest.
Wow! I didn’t know how diverse Algeria is. Thanks for this post!
Wow it’s beautiful and definitely a place worth visiting!
Wow! So many exotic sites to see in Algeria! Great pictures! I would love to go someday!
Wow! What an amazing trip!
I have never been to Algeria, but you make it sounds so interesting! I’d love to visit some day!
Algeria looks like a beautiful place to visit, both north and south.
I have never been to Algeria, but this made it sound so interesting! I would love to visit some day!
Africa is an amazing country. I visited Tangier many years ago but there is so much more to see. Beautiful photos.
I teach geography and we go over Algeria every year. What awesome history, and these pics make me want to go so bad!!
WOW! The pictures are amazing. The beaches look gorgeous, it would be a neat experience to camp on one of them.
If I ever visit, I will absolutely have to check out Dellys, Boumerdes!! The architecture + vibrant colors are stunning!
I didn’t know much about the area until reading this. thanks for sharing so much about Algeria.
Wow, just from the pictures, I would love to visit Algeria!
I’d never have thought to visit Algeria. But those beaches, ruins and mountains are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing all that beauty with us!
Great photography! WOW! Nice job!
I would visit Algeria in a heartbeat! What amazing pictures!
Wow, Suz – just WOW!!
What a beautiful area! So diverse and gorgeous.
Such a gorgeous country! Africa is on my travel list.
Africa is near the top of my bucket list! Sooo many lovely spots to choose from! Your photos are incredible! Can’t wait to travel again!
Thank you Suz and Rima. Algeria is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries in the world. Phenicians, Berbers, Romans, Christians, Arabics, Andalousians, Turkish, Europeans… Algiers was visited by Roosevelt, Elisabeth II, Carl Marx….you can find: sun, snow, rivers…women are beautiful, men charismatic…food is yummy….
Looks fascinating!
Breathtaking photos! Wow! Looks like an amazing place to visit!
Beautiful photos!
I never wanted to go to Algeria until now! Look at those ruins!
Holy moly I want to go visit so badly now! It is breathtaking. I never knew Algeria was so diverse.
Gorgeous!! My brother in law’s family is from Algeria and his mother’s traditional cooking is so good. My sister is hoping to go next year with him.
These pictures are gorgeous. I would have never thought of Algeria as a destination but looking at these pictures….I totally would visit!
What a beautiful place. Another one to add to my bucket list. Thank You!
Thank you for sharing! We’ve never been out of the country.
I visited Morocco briefly while living in Spain, but it always seemed incredibly far to get to Algiers. Now I can see why I would want to.
Definitely a place I want to explore!! Thanks for sharing!
Your photos are stunning!