Travel to Algeria — everything you need to know
When to go to Algeria?
- March – May — Mediterranean spring : Ideal for the north: Algiers and the coast are pleasant (18–25°C). Sahara still bearable (25–35°C). Best overall period.
- October – November — Mild autumn : Excellent for the Sahara (20–28°C) and the Roman sites. Pleasant in the north. Dunes without extreme heat.
- June – August — Saharan summer : Extreme heat in the Sahara (45–50°C) and the south. Mediterranean coast pleasant but crowded. Sahara not recommended.
Weather in Algeria
Check the weather city by city, starting with Algiers.
- [object Object]: daytime highs from 17 to 33 °C depending on the season, 50 mm of rain per month on average.
- Tamanrasset: daytime highs from 21 to 36 °C depending on the season, 5 mm of rain per month on average.
What to do in Algeria?
Algeria is the largest country in Africa and one of the least visited: the Casbah of Algiers (UNESCO) with its Ottoman houses, Ghardaïa and the M'Zab valley (UNESCO), the golden dunes of the Grand Erg Occidental in the Sahara, the Roman ruins of Timgad and Djémila (UNESCO), and the Aures gorges. A country of continental scale and legendary hospitality.
The Casbah of Algiers
The Casbah of Algiers (UNESCO) is a labyrinth of gently sloping Ottoman alleyways on the hill overlooking the sea: palaces of the Deys, 16th-century mosques, houses with interior courtyards and fountains, and the iconic stairways made famous by films about the Battle of Algiers. A world apart, lively and authentic.
Highlights : Casbah of Algiers (UNESCO) — 16th-century Ottoman alleyways, Palais des Raïs (Bastion 23) — museum of arts and traditions, Ketchaoua Mosque (1612) — Ottoman mosque turned cathedral, Algiers waterfront — the Mediterranean at the foot of the Casbah.
Tassili n'Ajjer — Saharan rock art
Tassili n'Ajjer (UNESCO) is the largest prehistoric rock art site in the world: 15,000 engravings and paintings spread across a sandstone plateau worn by erosion, depicting the animals and people of the green Sahara of 10,000 years ago. A forest of rocks in fantastical shapes within an utterly pristine desert.
Highlights : Rock paintings of Sefar — the prehistoric 'museum', Rock forest of Tamrit — thousand-year-old Saharan cypresses, Overnight camp under the desert stars, Iheren engravings — giraffes and elephants in the Sahara.
Djémila & Timgad — Roman cities
Djémila (UNESCO) and Timgad (UNESCO) are two exceptionally well-preserved Roman cities in the Algerian mountains: Timgad, built in 100 AD by Trajan for his legions, lays out its perfect grid across the steppe; Djémila, 'the beautiful' in Arabic, sits perched on a rocky spur with intact forums, temples and a triumphal arch.
Highlights : Timgad (UNESCO) — Trajan's Roman city with its perfect layout, Djémila (UNESCO) — forum and triumphal arch on a rocky spur, Djémila Archaeological Museum — Roman mosaics, Mountain scenery surrounding the cities.
Hoggar — Desert and Tuareg
The Hoggar (Ahaggar) is the mountainous, spiritual heart of the Algerian Sahara: volcanoes and red granite peaks forming a mineral, desert landscape at 3,000m altitude, Father de Foucauld's hermitage on the Assekrem (legendary sunrise), and Tuareg camps with their blue tents. One of the greatest expanses of solitude on Earth.
Highlights : Assekrem — sunrise over the Hoggar (2,780m), Father de Foucauld's hermitage (1905), Tuareg camp in the stony desert (reg), Tamanrasset — Tuareg market (silver jewellery, leather).
Travel budget for Algeria
Algeria is very affordable for tourists: prices are set in dinars and cheap at the official rate. The main hurdle is the requirement to use a licensed tourist agency for the Sahara. Visas can sometimes be restrictive — check current conditions before booking.
- Backpacker : 40–70 €/j — Budget hotel + local food + public transport
- Comfort : 90–140 €/j — 3-star hotel + restaurants + guided excursions
- Sahara : 120–200 €/j — All-inclusive agency tour of Tassili / Hoggar
Practical tips for travelling to Algeria
- Flight from Paris : ~2h30 direct (Air Algérie, Air France, Transavia, Vueling — many connections)
- Visa : Visa mandatory for French citizens — Algerian embassy in Paris. Variable processing times, occasional refusals. Check current conditions before booking.
- Currency : Algerian dinar (DZD). Change euros at banks. Credit cards rarely accepted outside major hotels.
- Language : Arabic (official) + Tamazight. French is very widely spoken and understood — easy to communicate.
- Electricity : Type C/F (European) — 230V.
- Health : No mandatory vaccination. Anti-malarial not needed. Usual food precautions apply.
- Tap water : Not drinkable in most regions — bottled water recommended.
- Photography : Avoid photographing official buildings, military, police, or border areas. Ask permission before photographing people.
Compare Algeria with other destinations