The largest country in Africa and almost no tourists: Roman cities, the white capital and the most beautiful Sahara – Algeria is one for the curious.
Photo: Sid Ahmed Saoud (Unsplash)
Full disclosure: I haven't been to Algeria, and it's not a country for a first holiday in Africa either. But two friends have been there and came back with photos I won't forget: the Kasbah of Algiers above the sea, the Roman city of Djémila without another visitor in sight, the rock towers of the Hoggar near Tamanrasset.
Algeria is difficult for independent travellers – the visa requires an invitation, and many regions can only be visited with an escort. That's why an organised tour is worth it: the operators take care of the visa, guide and permits, and in two weeks you see Algiers, Tipasa, Constantine and the Sahara.
The Sahara is the reason to go: Tassili n'Ajjer with the rock paintings near Djanet, the dunes and mountains of the Hoggar – landscapes you simply won't find in Morocco or Tunisia. Anyone who loves the desert will tell you: Algeria is the top league.
Organised only: hotels in Algiers and Constantine, camps in the Sahara. For first-timers: Algiers plus Tipasa in five days.
I almost always compare hotels, apartments and guesthouses on Booking.com – with genuine reviews and usually free cancellation.
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