Day 01: Arrive in Algiers
Arrive Algiers. Transfer to hotel in central Algiers followed by orientation tour and dinner in former hamman.

Day: 02: Walking tour of central Algiers.
Walking tour of central Algiers including the esplanade (panoramic views of the port, art deco Hotel Safir, National Assembly, neo-Moorish Prefecture), Place des Martyrs (situated at the foot of the casbah and housing 17th century El Djedid Mosque).

Followed by Place Emir Abdelkader (with the famous statue in honour of the founder of Algerian nation) and Grande Poste (Algiers’ quintessential neo-Moorish building, adorned with minarets, triple arches and a vast cupola).

Day: 03: Explore Tipaza and the Tombeau de la Chrétienne.
Whole-day excursion to the Tombeau de la Chrétienne (royal mausoleum of Mauritania, one of North Africa’s most enigmatic archaeological survivals), Tipasa (UNESCO World Heritage site bordering the Mediterranean adorned with a Roman amphitheatre, 4th century basilica, forum, old port and delightful museum) followed by Bastion 23 (Ottoman Palais des Rais converted into art and architecture museum).

Day 04: Tour Anglo-Algiers
Anglo-Algiers including historic Hotel St George (where Eisenhower and Churchill planned allied invasions of southern Europe), series of beautiful white villas constructed by British architect Benjamin Bucknall, Church of the Holy Trinity (memorials commemorating the lives of Algiers’ English residents from 1580 onwards), lunch in historic Hotel Safir (liberated by the British) followed by excursion to Sidi Ferruch (scene of the first landing by the French in 1830 and, in 1942, the site of American landings).

Day 05: Independence, Gardens and Art in Algiers
Monument to the Fallen (constructed in 1982 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Algerian war of independence against France), Museum of the Liberation, Museum of Fine Arts (one of the Mediterranean’s great “undiscovered” art galleries with work by Algerian painters and canvasses by Pissarro, Gauguin and Monet) followed by Jardin d’Essai (vast complex of gardens, including a French and English garden, celebrated for its fine avenue of dragon trees).

Day 06: Islam and Arts and Crafts
Bardo Museum (prehistory and ethnography), Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Arts followed by a visit to the Casbah, including lunch in private home and visits to the mosque and Museum of Arts and Crafts.

Day 07:Day of Leisure and transfers to the Airport.
Time at leisure (bookshops, shopping) followed by transfer to the airport and return journey.

Day 01: Arrival in Algiers
Welcome to Algeria! Arrive in Algiers and transfer to your hotel for two nights.
Depending on your arrival time, we can take a city tour which will visit sites such as the Notre Dame d’Afrique, the French colonial architecture, and the Palais des Rais.
If you have an early morning arrival, you will visit the Kasbah in the afternoon.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 02: Algiers / Tipaza / Tomb of the Christian / Algiers
After breakfast, you will depart for the Roman sites of Tipaza. Here you will visit the museum and the archaeological site. Here you will find the largest basilica in North Africa and the Basilica of St. Salsa, who was a local martyr in the 4th century.
Later depart for the Tomb of the Christian (royal mausoleum of Mauritania), which is a large pyramid-like structure.

Return back to Algiers and take an evening flight to Annaba and transfer to your hotel.

Day 03: Annaba / Constantine
In the morning, explore the museum and site of Hippo Regius and the Cathedral of St. Augustine. The museum at Hippo Regius hosts large mosaics found in the region. Be sure to visit the ruins of the ‘Basilica of Peace’ where St. Augustine was bishop in the 5th century. The Cathedral of St. Augustine was built between 1881 and 1900. In the afternoon, wind your way down to Constantine for night.

Day 04: Constantine / Tiddis / Constantine
After breakfat you’ll begin the day with a trip to the archaeological hillside Roman site of Tiddis, which offers excellent views over the region. You will begin by walking through the Arch of Memmius and to the sanctuary of Mithras, Christian basilica, and Roman houses.

Return to Constantine for a half day tour enjoying this breath-taking city. You will explore the suspension bridges, the Constantine museum, Kasbah, and Palace of Ahmed Bey.

Day 05: Constantine / Timgad / Lambaesis / Constantine
Today you will want to depart early to have sufficient time at all the sites. Begin with a stop at Medracen(Ancient Numidian Tomb), which is 58 meters in diameter and 19 meters tall. Then travel to the UNESCO site of Timgad, begun by Emperor Trajan in AD100, where you will discover the library, temples, amphitheater, arch of Trajan, forum, houses, and basilicas. There is a fantastic museum at the site with grand mosaics found in the region.
On your return to Lambaesis, you will stop to visit the large ancient Roman legionary base. Continue to Constantine for night.

Day 06: Constantine / Djemila / Algiers
Begin the day with a drive to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Djemila, meaning ‘Beautiful’ in Arabic. The site lives up to its name as it is uniquely situated amongst rolling hills. You will have a guided visit of both the museum and the historic site. Explore the forum, basilicas, baptisteries, arch of Caracalla, Temple des Septimes, well-preserved Roman market, and theatre.
Your next stop will be in Setif to tour the archaeological museum, which hosts the grand Roman mosaic ‘Triumph of Dionysos’.
Return to Algiers for night.

Day 07: Algiers
Enjoy a full day city tour of Algiers and explore the historic sites and museums. If you missed the Kasbah on Day 1 you will wind your way through the narrow streets about learn about its unique history. See historic mosques and museums in the Kasbah. In the afternoon your visits may include the Museum of Archaeology and Islamic Art and the Bardo Museum.

Day 08: Depart Algiers
Transfer to airport for flight back to home.

Day 01: Arrival In Algiers
Today we arrive in Algiers – welcome to Algeria!

Algiers, originally called Al-Jaza’ir, is built into the Sahel hills and runs for ten miles along the Bay of Algiers, located on the Mediterranean coast. This coastal location made it perfect for the Barbary pirate stronghold it would become in 1529, when the pirate “Redbeard” expelled the Spanish from the island of Penon, gaining control of the city for the Ottoman Empire. The country’s turbulent history is writ large in the city’s richly textured architecture: wide French-built boulevards and elegant apartments and villas, Socialist-era monuments and public buildings, and an enduring Islamic heart secreted in the steep, hillside Casbah.

Overnight in Algiers.

Day 02: Algiers: Cherchell, Tipaza & Tomb Of The Christian
Today we travel west to the ruins of Tipaza (also Tipasa), originally a Phoenician trading post but a Roman colony in the 2nd century AD onwards. Later it became one of the most important Christian settlements in Northern Africa. With the coming of the Vandals and their Arian Christianity in 430, most of the inhabitants fled to Spain. According to legend, the inhabitants had their tongues cut out, but by a miracle they could still speak! One the most interesting sites at Tipaza is the mausoleum built in the 5th century where there are 14 places for sarcophagi. The museum is small but full of valuable mosaics taken from the Basilica dating back to 1st century AD.

We continue to Cherchell and the ruins of the former Roman port of Caesarea. Today Cherchell is the seat of Cherchell District in Tipaza Province; under the names Iol and Caesarea, it was formerly a Phoenician, Carthaginian, and Roman colony and the capital of the kingdoms of Numidia and Mauretania.

On our way back to Algiers we’ll stop at the pyramid-like structure of the Tomb of the Christians, set on a hill with wonderful views over the surrounding countryside. The tomb pre-dates the Christian era and probably belongs to the pre- Roman era of the Numidian rulers.

Overnight in Algiers.

Day 03: Algiers – Setif – Djemila – Constantine
An early start take us first to city of Setif, the commercial centre of a region where native textiles and phosphates are manufactured and cereals are grown. Setif was built by the French on the ruins of the Roman town of Sitifis, founded in the 1st century AD. In 1945, more than 100 Europeans were killed in a revolt against French rule; it resulted in a bloody reprisal in which more than 6,000 locals died.

From Setif we make a diversion north through attractive hilly farming countryside to Djemila (a security detail wil likely join us for this visit), Arabic for ‘pretty town’ (a World Heritage Site), considered to be the most outstanding Roman site in Algeria. Situated 900m (2,950 ft) above sea level, Djemila, or Cuicul, with its forum, temples, basilicas, triumphal arches and houses, is an interesting example of Roman town planning adapted to a mountain location. While the site itself is not one of the largest in North Africa, Djemila stands out as one of the best-preserved Roman ruins of North Africa and the adjoining museum is packed with the most amazing Roman mosaics.

We continue to Constantine after a full day of travel and sightseeing.

Overnight in Constantine.

Day 04: Constantine: Timgad & Lambaesis
We start the day with a 2-hour drive to Timgad, Roman Thamugadi (a World Heritage Site), located on the northern slopes of the Aures Atlas Mountains. It was founded as a military colony by the Emperor Trajan in AD 100. Originally designed for a population of around 15,000, the city quickly outgrew its original specifications and spilled beyond the grid in a more loosely-organized fashion, an excellent example of Roman town planning. Although only partly excavated, Timgad is spectacular in both its scale and its setting.

We continue to the remains of the Roman town of Lambaesis (Lambessa), which includes two triumphal arches, temples, an aqueduct, an amphitheatre, baths, and many private houses. The camp of the third legion, charged with defending North Africa, was moved to Lambessa between 123 and 129 ce. The modern settlement was founded in 1848 by French agriculturalists attracted by the fertile soil. A large convict prison for French political deportees was established there in 1852.

We return to Constantine. Overnight in Constantine.

Day 05: Tiddis & Constantine City Tour
This morning we visit Tiddis, hovering on a barren mountain slope, some 30km from Constantine. The ruined Roman town is perhaps the most impressively situated of all Algeria’s Roman sites. The Romans arrived during the age of Augustus, but built much of what can now be seen in the 3rd century AD, adapting their fundamental rule of town planning – two straight central streets that cross at the heart of the community – to the curves of the site. Tiddis had no water sources, so one of the most interesting features of the houses here are the channels and cisterns.

We return to Constantine for a city tour and visit the museum of Cirta. We spend the afternoon enjoying this breathtaking city; Constantine is set astride a spectacular gorge that splits the city in two. We’ll explore the suspension bridges, the Constantine Museum, Kasbah, and Palace of Ahmed Bey.

Overnight in Constantine.

Day 06: Constantine – Fly To Ghardaia
Today we fly to Ghardaia (via Algiers),* located in the UNESCO World Heritage region of the M’Zab valley. We’ll transfer to our hotel and, time-permitting, explore the markets and architecture unique to this region.

The valley, on the edge of the Sahara, is actually a cluster of five towns: Ghardaia, Melika, Beni Isguen, Bou Noura, and El-Atteuf. Often referred to collectively as Ghardaia, the once distinct villages are gradually sprawling together, but retain separate identities.

* Please note that if the flight from Constantine to Algiers is not scheduled/available, we may drive to Algiers and fly to Ghardaia from there.

Overnight in Ghardaia.

Day 07: M’zab Valley: El Attefu, Bon Nouria & Ghardaia
The M’Zab is home to a conservative Muslim sect known as the Ibadites, who broke from mainstream Islam some 900 years ago. This is, some say, a country unto itself, with ancient, unchanging social codes. The traditional white haik (a head-to-toe wool wrap) is worn by most women, who cover their entire face, exposing only one eye. Men sport extravagantly pleated baggy trousers called saroual loubia. While locals here can be reserved, it’s a friendly and surprisingly laid-back place.

Today step back in time as we enjoy the local customs and culture while visiting the historic cities and sites in the M’Zab valley. We spend a full day visiting traditional market places, enjoying the lively atmosphere and lively colours and unique architecture. We wander narrow streets, visit important religious monuments and mosques, and enjoy the natural beauty.

Overnight in Ghardaia.

Day 08: Ghardaia – Fly To Algiers
Today we fly back to the capital. Flight time permitting, we’ll tour Algiers including the historic Kasbaha built in the 16th century, a maze of pretty small alleys and whitewashed houses. There are also quite a few nice boulevards dating back from the days of the French who come in Algiers in 1830 and stayed for 130 years.

Overnight in Algiers.

Day 09: Departure
Departure from Algiers.

Day 01: Arrive Algiers
Meet-assist at airport & transfer to hotel.
After short rest starting in the Algerian capital we’ll take an orientation tour of the city this afternoon. Overlooking the waters of the Mediterranean, Algiers began life as a Phoenician trading post, but it was the 10th century Berbers under Bologhine ibn Ziri who began the city’s rise to prosperity. Over time it fell to the Almohades, the Ottomans and the French, before a bloody struggle for independence finally saw the Algerians wrestle control from their colonial overlords in the early 1960’s. Much of the historic heart of the city dates back to Ottoman times and includes the impressive facade of the Ketchaoua Mosque. Without doubt the city’s most iconic structure is the impressive Cathedral of Notre Dame d’Afrique, an imposing 19th century basilica that commands stunning views across the Bay of Algiers. This evening we’ll enjoy our first group dinner and take the chance to talk about the trip ahead.

Day 02: Algiers – Djemila – Constantine
Today we head out from the hustle and bustle of the capital to the impressive ancient Roman city of Djemila, a UNESCO World Heritage site considered one of the finest in North Africa. The wheel-rutted streets of ancient Cuicul, founded by Nerva to house his subjects, are lined with what would have been elaborate houses, a forum, basilica, triumphal arches and temples. It is a fascinating example of Roman town planning adapted to suit its mountain location. Equally impressive is Djemila’s fascinating museum, where every square inch of the immense walls are plastered with mosaics. After wandering around this charming site we continue our journey east to Constantine or ‘Cirta’ with its dramatic setting amongst precipitous cliffs and deep gorges. The French writer Alexandre Dumas called it ‘a fantastic city’, something like Gulliver’s flying island. Founded 2,000 years ago, a plateau surrounded by deep ravines was a great place to build because the city could be easily defended. Since then Constantine has outgrown the plateau and spilled over into the adjoining areas. They are connected to the old city by seven high bridges hence the title ‘City of Bridges’.

Day 03: Constantine – Tiddis – Constantine
This morning we’ll drive a short distance north to the small Roman ruins at Tiddis. Also known as Castellum Tidditanorum, it’s perhaps Algeria’s most impressively located Roman site. Originally believed to be a Berber settlement, Tiddis is an oddity in that it’s made up of winding pathways that climb the hillside it clings to, as well as paved streets, a temple of Mithras, an impressive arch, cisterns and a small forum. From here we’ll drive back to Constantine for lunch before heading out on a guided tour of the city. Constantine boasts an excellent museum noted in particular for its Roman mosaics, as well as the delightful Palace of Ahmed Bey, a handful of impressive mosques, a traditional casbah with its local market and of course, the architectural triumph of the city’s bridges for which it’s so well known. Time permitting we’ll also visit the impressive Abdul Khader mosque.

Day 04: Constantine – Timgad – Lambaesis – Setif
After breakfast we’ll drive south and pay a quick visit to the mausoleum of Medracen, the royal temple of the Berber Numidian Kings, before continuing to the Roman ruins at Timgad. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Pompeii of Africa’, this vast site was constructed under Emperor Trajan as a military base to defend against the Berbers. After the Vandal invasion in 430AD, Timgad was destroyed at the end of the 5th century by montagnards of the Aurès. Centuries later, Timgad still represents the embodiment of Roman urban planning. From here we’ll stop for some lunch before continuing to the Roman military archaeological site of Lambaesis. Here we will see the Temple of Aesculapius, a set of baths, an Arch of Severus and the impressive praetorium of the Third Augustan Legion. We’ll then drive to Setif for the night, one of Algeria’s centers of resistance against French rule.

Day 05: Setif – Algiers – Ghardaia
After an early breakfast we will visit the Musee d’Archologie and then enjoy a walk around the town. We will then drive back to the capital and the airport, transferring in time for a late afternoon flight to Ghardaia. On arrival we’ll check in to our hotel for a late dinner.

Days 6-7: In & Around Ghardaia
Ghardaia lies in the heart of the traditional homeland of the Ibadi Muslim sect, and is today part of a preserved piece of medieval splendour, made up of five fortified settlements that occupy the highest hills in the valley, each one crowned by a lone towering minaret. A distinctive blend of white and red buildings, these snapshots in time still retain the customs and traditions of a culture that has endured since the Mozabite Berbers of the 11th century, providing us with a unique insight into a way of life that can trace its ancestry back a thousand years. During our 2 days here we will have the chance to explore some of this remarkable valley, paying visits to a number of villages including Beni Isguen and Al Ateuf (the oldest of the fortified settlements), as well as stopping off to wonder through the markets and palm groves of the M’zab Valley. The majority of the houses that lie scattered around the hilltops seem to almost fuse with the surrounding landscape, with their courtyards and terraces picked out in white against the brilliant blue of the desert sky. Each of the villages follows the same principle, with the houses being built in concentric circles around a central mosque and minaret, which are then in turn protected by high walls and ramparts. Originally, these villages were fed by a unique water distribution system that was devised by the Mozabites themselves to capture rainwater and divert it to the oasis by way of underground tunnels.

IMPORTANT: People in the Ibadi towns around Ghardaia are very sensitive about photography, so please pay attention to the local guides before taking any photos.

Day 08: Ghardaia – Timimoun
To the south west of Ghardaia lies the red oasis town of Timimoun, a long day’s journey across the desert. Starting out early our journey today is truly spectacular and lies along the route taken by WF’s founder, Jonny Bealby, when he rode his motorbike around Africa as told in his first book ‘Running With The Moon’. Part of the Grand Erg Occidental, Timimoun is set amongst the sands of the Gourra region and noted for the red orchre colour of its buildings. Arriving by the late afternoon/early evening we’ll check in to our hotel and have dinner.

Today we will be covering a distance of approx 620kms, so please be prepared for a long drive day

Day 09: In & Around Timimoun
This morning, before the temperature starts rising, we’ll visit some of the immediate area around Timimoun. Depending upon local conditions (ie weather and the authorities) we’ll visit various sites such as the deep red caves and the abandoned village of Tindjillet, before escaping the heat and heading back to Timimoun for lunch. We’ll then have some free time to relax before taking a walk through the old town with its ancient ksars (fortified dwellings), admiring Sudanese influenced architecture as well as visiting the town’s market and handicraft shops. We’ll also visit the palmeraie where we’ll learn about the ancient irrigation system used there known as ‘fouggara’. Beyond the town the haunting sand dune landscapes of the Grand Erg Occidental provide a stunning backdrop for our time here.

Day 10: Timimoun – Beni Abbes – Taghit
After an early breakfast we’ll drive north-west to the ‘Pearl of the Saoura’ or the ‘white oasis’ town of Beni Abbes (though the buildings here are gradually turning an orangey-brown colour!) The town has a beautiful setting where the oasis ends and the sand dunes rise majestically into the distance. Time permitting we should get a chance to look around the ksar and visit the Sahara Museum, housing an intriguing collection of artefacts and questionable taxidermy! We’ll also learn about Father Charles de Foucauld – a French monk who lived here as a hermit back in 1905 – and visit the site where he constructed his hermitage not far from the town. From here we’ll continue on to Taghit for the night.

Today we will be covering a distance of approximately 500kms, so please be prepared for a long day.

Day 11: Taghit – Bechar – Oran
Taghit (pronounced ‘Ta-rit’) is a small oasis town located on the western edge of the Grand Erg Occidental. The dunes here tower over the eastern edge of the town, and the views as you come over the hill towards the old Ksar are simply magnificent. The town is dominated by red mud architecture along narrow winding streets making for some fantastic photo opportunities. This morning we’ll get the chance to look around the small town, before taking an early lunch and driving on to Bechar, in time to catch a late afternoon flight to Algeria’s second largest city, Oran, and a late dinner.

Day 12: In Oran
After breakfast we’ll head out on a guided tour of Oran, the original home of fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and novelist Albert Camus. Oran has a significant Spanish flavour to it after more than two centuries of occupation before the French took over in the 19th century. We’ll visit the major sites such as Place du 1er Novembre, Santa Cruz fort and chapel, La Cathedrale du Sacre Coeur and Bey’s Palace.

Day 13: Oran – Tipaza – Algiers
This morning we’ll drive east to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Tipaza on the Mediterranean coast. Considered to be one of the most important archaeological sites in North Africa, this old Roman port rose to prominence under the emperor Septimus Severus (AD193-211), and provides us with a remarkable collection of Punic, Roman and Numidian temples and monuments. From here we’ll continue east towards Algiers, and time permitting visit the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania on the way. This imposing tomb is the final resting place of Berber Juba II and Cleopatra Selene II, who were the last king and queen of the ancient Kingdom of Mauretania. Returning to Algiers by the early evening we’ll check into our hotel before heading out for dinner.

Day 14: In Algiers
Today we’ll enjoy a guided tour of the old part of the capital, focussing upon the historic Kasbah, one of the most impressive in all of North Africa. This UNESCO World Heritage site was described by Le Corbusier as “a masterpiece of architecture and town planning” and we’re sure you will agree after wandering around its labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways, made up of tiny shops, museums and market traders. From here we’ll visit the imposing Maqam Echahid (Martyrs Monument) and the National Museum of El Mujahid to learn some more about the Algerian war of independence. Tonight we’ll head out into the city for a farewell dinner.

Day 15: Tour Ends In Algiers
Those on the suggested group flights will transfer to Algiers airport in time for the return flight.