Visa
The visa for Algeria now is surprisingly easy if you join a tour. A new visa on arrival is available for anyone visiting the southern parts of the country on a tour. For full details on the Algerian visa and how to get it check out our Algerian visa guide .
Getting in and out
Algeria has many direct flights to destinations across Africa, the Middle East and of course Europe. The busiest and easiest airport to fly directly into is Algiers International named after former President Houari Boumédiène.
Cheap flights are available to Algiers from a few cities in Europe, namely Paris, Marseille and London. This is due to the large Algerian diaspora living in France and the UK.
For Land borders the only one that is reasonable for foreigners to attempt is that with Tunisia, however this will involve police escorts while traveling by land to other destinations in Algeria after you have crossed.
Land borders are closed with both Libya and Morocco. The borders to the south are not recommended for foreigners because of the unstable nature of those countries.
See and do
Algeria is a huge country with endless sites to see. These are some of our highlights that we think people should see on a visit to this epic country.
Timgad
These are the largest Roman ruins in the country located about a 2 hour drive from Constantine. This is a huge site and a true highlight to any visit in Algeria. This is one of the bigger sites of Roman ruins in the world rivalling that of any other sites on the Mediterranean except there will probably be no people at this one.
Tipaza
The Roman ruins at Tipaza are something special with its amazing location right on the coast. This site has some amazing mosaics that are still in their original setting. The scenery here of the crystal clear water and the pine trees with the ruins is super special.
Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania
Located not far from Tipaza is the Royal mausoleum. This is said to be the resting place of Cleopatra Selene II otherwise known as the daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. This huge pyramid-shaped building is truly unique for Roman ruins.
Ahaggar National Park
This national park located just next to Tamanrasset is an amazing place to see some epic Sahara scenery. Ahaggar boasts large mountains with sheer rock faces that make the journey to the heart of the Sahara absolutely worth it.
Djanet
Located in the south of Algeria this oasis town also boasts some stunning scenery and is very off the beaten track. The desert around Djanet showcases some amazing rock formations which have been worn down by thousands of years of erosion. Djanet is located in next to the Tassili n’Ajjer National Park, which is the largest national park in all of Africa with an area of 72,000 square kilometres.
Constantine
The city of Constantine located in northern Algeria is a true wonder in itself. With seven bridges spanning different time periods crossing the gorge that splits the city, this city offers some amazing views.
Atlas mountains
When people think of Africa or North Africa they probably don’t realise that there are big mountains here that regularly get snow! Algeria’s Atlas Mountains are a great place to see a different side of this region. If you’re here in winter then why not try skiing?
Algiers old town
Algiers has been controlled by, Romans, Ottomans, French and many others, all of which are evident in the architecture, style and stories of everyone living in the Kasbah in the old town of Algiers
Why visit
The largest country in Africa is also one of the least visited by tourists which is largely due to the previous visa restrictions but now that that is a thing of the past there’s many reasons to visit Algeria.
Algeria has such a huge variety of places to see partly owing to both its size and geographic position. So many civilisations have been through this country and all of them have left their mark. If you’re into ancient history then this country is absolute treasure trove with sites such as Timgad and Tipasa easily giving anything in Europe a run for its money.
If you’re seeking beautiful landscapes then you have the vast expanse of the Sahara with some of the best desert scenes you can imagine in places such as Djanet, Tamanrasset and Ghardaia. On top of this you have the whole mediterranean coast in the north with amazing beaches for those looking for something more relaxing.
Realistically Algeria has something for everyone and there are not many reasons not to visit in our opinion.
Rules
There aren’t too many rules in Algeria that you’ll find different to other places in North Africa or the Middle East. Photography of any military or security related personnel is off limits. There is no specific dress code, however it is advised to be on the more conservative side. Women don’t need headscarfs, but its advisable to wear long pants over shorts.
In certain areas in the south, you will need to be with a guide, however this is easily organised beforehand and you will usually always be met at the airport you fly into when heading into the deep Sahara.
Dress code
There isn’t a specific dress code in Algeria such as Iran or Afghanistan. Nevertheless, Algeria is a conservative Muslim country and so dressing modest is advised. For women a headscarf is not needed unless visiting a religious place. For everyone, a shirt and jeans will be fine. In warmer months, you can also wear shorts, however locals probably won’t be wearing them so people may stare at you.
If you are travelling in the colder months it is definitely advisable to bring some warm clothes, especially when heading into the Sahara or the ruins at Timgad as the climate in these areas can be very cold, particularly at night.
Topics of discussion
When in Algeria feel free to ask your guides questions about anything. However, when in public it is advisable to not openly discuss, politics, religion or homosexuality. These are touchy subjects in Algeria and if you speak about them out loud it might arouse suspicions from locals.
Religion
The main religion of Algeria is Islam, with roughly 99% of the population following the state religion. The overwhelming majority are Sunni Muslims with small pockets of Ibadi Islam existing in the Sahara in places such as Ghardaia.
There are also small communities of religious minorities such as Christians and Jews, however these numbers are very small, with Christians only numbering between 70-200 thousand and jews with less than 200 in total.
Islam is central to the people of Algeria and has had a huge influence on the independence movement of the country against the French. When the French colonised the country they undermined Islamic practices and so it became a central theme to claiming back Algerian identity while fighting back against the French.
Overall Algerians, especially those in Algiers and young people are more relaxed towards religion. This means it is ok for men and women to interact with each other and a dress code for either men or women is not strictly enforced by law or society.
If you go south though, people are much more conservative and adhere to much stricter Islamic practices. Shops will close at prayer times and stricter dress codes are advised. This is especially true in places such as Ghardaia.
Politics
Algeria has recently gone through a big political change which was portrayed by many Western media outlets as a revolution. Protests in the streets of Algiers saw long time President Bouteflika step aside and give some new younger life to Algerian politics.
After Bouteflika stepped down the constitution was been changed and now presidents can only serve a 5 year term renewable only once.
The current President of Algeria is Abdelmadjid Tebboune and has been serving since 2019.
Ethnicity
The ethnic make-up of Algeria is difficult to accurately determine as there is a lot of overlap between Arab and Berber cultures after hundreds of years or mixing. Current estimates put the people of Algeria as 99% as Arabs or Berbers, with roughly 75-85% being Arab and 15-25% as Berber. Read more about the Berbers here.
The Arab population is located mostly in the Northern populated part of the country. The southern region including the Sahara is where you will find the Berbers. Berber peoples do of course also have large populations in the north, especially in some of the mountainous areas.
There is also a minority population of Europeans which make up less than 1% of Algeria’s population.
Photography
There are very few restrictions on photography in Algeria. The general rules apply which are no photos of the military or checkpoints. Also, photos of some government buildings are off-limits, however, these are usually well-sign-posted and are also not too different from most countries.
Hotels
There is a wide range of places to stay in Algiers with options from cheaper guesthouses and Airbnbs to large luxury hotels. Algiers has many 3-star options that are reasonably priced as well. Further in the Sahara accommodations are more basic but are still pretty good with hot running water and electricity available.
Nightlife
Algiers comes alive at night time with many restaurants and cafes open till late. For those of you who drink you can even find a couple French-style brasseries that serve local draft beer!
There are some nightclub type bar establishments as well but most of these are found inside large hotel chains such as the Sheraton.
Shopping
Throughout the country you can find all kinds of markets in the streets. In Algiers you can find all kinds of cheap products in the local markets as well as many cool shops with souvenirs and antiques throughout the Kasbah old town area. Further into the Sahara each town will have a main market square which is an awesome place to check out local produce and tourist souvenirs such as magnets, scarfs and other textiles.
When is the best time to visit?
In summer, temperatures in Algeria can reach into the 40s and 50s, with the average temperature along the coast still being over 30 degrees celsius. In Spring and Autumn is starts to become a lot more bareable.
Lots of the famous sights of Algeria are located in the desert with very little cloud cover so it's best to visit the country in the cooler months such as November through to March.
What to eat
Algeria has many influences on its food from the Arab world, the Mediterranean, French colonisation and African influences which makes it have (in our opinion) some of the best food on the African continent. To see what foods you must have check out our food and drink section .
