We spent 10 full days in Algeria in December 2024, visiting Algiers, Djanet (Tadrart Rouge 4×4 desert tour), Constantine, and Djemila. Unfortunately, we missed Timgad due to a flight delay. Other places I would have loved to visit but couldn’t due to time constraints include Ghardaia, Timimoun and Tipaza.
Safety
Safety in all these locations seemed very good. People were incredibly friendly and far less pushy than in some more touristy North African countries. Locals frequently approached us just to say, “Welcome to Algeria.” While I would generally avoid wandering the cities at night, this is more a general precaution for the region rather than Algeria-specific. We did not hear of any safety issues affecting travelers during our visit.
Money
Like many African countries, Algeria operates with both an official exchange rate (~140 DZD for 1 EUR) and a black market rate (200–240 DZD for 1 EUR). Better rate with Euro rather than USD. You can find the current black market rate at devisesquare.com. It’s even possible to exchange money on the black market at the exit of Algiers Airport, albeit at an average rate. People at Port Said Square seem to offer the best rates.
Chain hotels can exchange at official rate, while smaller hotels may refer you to a black market guy. Be cautious of torn notes, as some vendors won’t accept them. I didn’t attempt card payments often, but foreign cards worked at international chain hotels and some local hotels. Don’t expect cards to work in local shops or restaurants.
Visa
Rather than sending passports to the embassy for a visa, I reached out to Pióra Klinger, who arranged a Visa on Arrival (VOA, Visa de régularisation) for us. It’s a bit of a misnomer, as it needs prior authorization, so not a proper VOA. A foreigner cannot apply for VOA directly, a guided tour from Djanet is needed for this and the company has to apply on your behalf. But not the whole trip has to be guided, only the Djanet part. 3 weeks after sending the application we received the boarding authorization. At the border the visa was stamped directly into the passport (takes up a whole page). Cost was 90 EUR – could be paid in euro cash. The procedure at the airport took 45 min.
Proper visa at the embassy is an option, especially if you live in a city with an Algerian embassy and have time. However, success rates vary – I have heard of stories of 5 weeks wait time and no visa, very quick visa, denials, etc. Visa for the north only should be pretty easy and quick in most cases. But if you want Djanet, it will take more time as the embassy needs to consult with the capital, so maybe 3-5 weeks. Slight advantage of a proper visa is that staff at foreign airports, Algerian checkpoints and institutions are more aware of the proper visa compared to the VOA. But having VOA did not cause us significant issues.
Guides
Visiting the desert from Djanet requires an obligatory guide – you will be stopped by police on arrival to direct you to the guide. The main choice is Arab or Tuareg agencies, Arab agencies being cheaper, while Tuaregs being the real locals (while both types of agencies employ Tuaregs). Then group tour VS private tour, which is more expensive.
I communicated with several guides and agencies with good reviews:
• Mohammed Ahmed Hamid (works with Mzungu Expeditions for better or worse)
• tadjemout-travel.com
• tinariwen-tours.com
• fancyalgeria.com
However, the final choice was hiring Tuareg guide Tito via Pióra Klinger. Communication with her was great, answered all my questions very quickly. A positive point was leaving the money with the local Tuareg community, not some agency from Algiers. The pace of the trip was relaxed, good for people who want to enjoy the atmosphere of the desert compared to covering more with a lot of driving, but it is more expensive than the Arab organized tours.
There is a certain amount of customization in the tour, let’s say how much you want to hike or how much you are interested in the rock art. Every camping and lunch location was really remote with no other people (that seems to be a preference of Tito). The food was great, camping equipment was good, cars were good. A lot of detailed explanation about the rock art, local and Algerian history, Tuareg culture and nature from both Piora and Tito. Note that Tito does not speak English much, just French, Arabic and Tamasheq, so Piora works as the translator if you need English.
In Constantine, we used the Fancy Yellow agency for a trip to Djemila (€60 per person). A combined trip to Djemila and Timgad would have been €100 per person. Both the agency and the Roman ruins are highly recommended. No special permit is required in Djemila anymore.
In Algiers, hiring a guide with a driver could be helpful if you’re short on time and want to maximize sightseeing. The city’s sights are spread out, and taxis can be inconvenient.
Flights
Book your flights to Djanet well in advance, as there are few flights available, especially during peak season (December). If there is one thing Air Algérie is consistent at, it’s being late. All our flights were delayed by at least one hour, with one delayed by six hours. So, try to minimize the number of flights, allocate plenty of time after the flights and avoid transfer flights at all costs. Domestic tickets cannot be bought with foreign cards, so I used kiwi.com, some people use booking.com, both work fine. Some agencies can buy the tickets for you as a part of the tour.
Taxis
Getting a taxi in Algeria is manageable but not always straightforward. The easiest way is to ask your hotel or restaurant to call one for you. Hailing a taxi on the street is possible in busy areas, though some drivers may refuse longer trips, like to the airport. Agree on the price in advance, as meters are ignored.
Uber-like apps such as Yassir, Heetch, and Indrive are available but not entirely reliable. Drivers call to confirm rides, which can be a challenge if you don’t speak French or Arabic. Once, mid-ride, the driver urged me to switch to the front seat so the cops wouldn’t stop him, as these apps are apparently not fully legal. Algiers airport to Casbah ranged from 500 to 2000 DZD depending on the method to hail the taxi.
SIM Cards
I bought a Djezzy SIM (40 GB, calls, 2 weeks) at the airport for like 8 EUR. Took 15 min to do this as the passport has to be registered. Ooredoo is apparently slightly better, but not a huge difference. Note that mobile shops are closed if you land late (maybe 9pm or so). Somewhat spotty speeds but did the job in the cities (of course no reception in the desert). E-SIMS do exist for Algeria as well, but slightly more expensive – did not try this option.
Suggested Itinerary
• 2-3 nights in Algiers: Casbah, the palaces and museums, maybe the Great Mosque, Notre Dame, Sacre Cuore, Martyrs monument, general exploration. Maybe more nights if you are doing Tipaza or Cherchell daytrips. Impressive, while a bit touristy places to eat are Dar es Soltane and Dar El Mahroussa (need a booking), a lovely local sweets spot is Kalb El Louz Hadj Hamid.
• 1-2 nights in Constantine: a full day to visit Timgad and/or Djemila Roman ruins and half a day to see the amazing canyon in the middle of Constantine and the bridges. A classic place to eat is Igherssan restaurant. All this is possible as a long self-drive trip with a rental car from Algiers if you have loads of time and don’t mind the dodgy traffic. As well Constantine has international air connections if you want to skip Algiers altogether.
• 3-6 nights in Tadrart Rouge desert tour from Djanet: duration really depends how much you like deserts and camping. 5 nights for us was ideal, but preferences vary. More adventurous options than the usual 4×4 tour is a camel caravan trek in Tadrart or a donkey trek through the Tassili Plateau (5+ days).
• Ghardaia and Timomoun would warrant at least 1 night each if you can afford the time for flights/long drives and have a deep interest in the region.
• During warmer months seaside locations like Cap Carbon and Plage Sahal would be good for water activities
Miscellaneous
• Bring a pen! There are plenty of forms to fill out at airports, even for domestic flights, and pens aren’t provided.
• Drones are prohibited. If found, they will be confiscated and held at the airport until your departure. Permits are possible but likely very complicated.
• Some people had large camera gear confiscated on arrival. The exact lens that was confiscated was Canon 200-800. However, there was another person who traveled with a 70-200 and had no issues. In my case I had two medium-size lenses (85 and 17-28) and was never bothered. I avoided taking pictures with my camera in cities though. In general, all professional camera gear suggesting that you are a journalist could raise suspicion. I could not find exact laws and anyhow the confiscation would be decided by the staff at the border.