Algeria’s Roman Routes

Welcome to Algeria! Arrival in Algiers, transfer to your hotel in the center of the Capital. Overnight in Algiers at El Aurassi Hotel. (D)

Breakfast at the hotel, and at 8:45 am depart to visit the Casbah, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Going on foot, we will make our way to the lower Casbah through alleys, past fountains, and meetings with craftsmen (ceramist, luthier). Stop for a tea on the terrace of a "Douéra", visit the historic places of the "Battle of Algiers (1957)", the Sidi Abderahmane mosque (17th century), the exterior of the Ketchaoua Mosque (1436), the Pasha Palace (illumination and calligraphy), the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions. Afterwards, we depart through the working-class districts of Bab El Oued and Bologhine (founder of Algiers) to the basilica of "Our Lady of Africa" (open 11:30 am to 12:30 pm). Lunch with reservation in a traditional house at the Casbah. In the afternoon, visit the Antiquities museums and the Bardo as well as the Monument of the Martyrs. And if time permits, visit the Villa Abdeltif, of neo-Moorish architecture, dedicated to artists, painters and writers like the Villa Medici in Rome, or have a tea on the terrace of the El Djazair ex Saint George hotel located in a residential area. Overnight in Algiers at El Aurassi Hotel. (B/L/D)

Departure at 7:30 am by the eastern highway towards Sétif to visit the museum where archaeological collections ranging from distant prehistory to medieval times to antiquity are on display. Walk around the legendary El Fouara fountain, very popular in the city center. Then depart for a visit of Djémila and its museum, ancient city, ancient Cuicul (UNESCO World Heritage), and Roman colony founded during the reign of Nerva (96-98 AD). Djemila is located in the neighboring region of Constantine and Little Kabylia. It is an exceptional ancient site, well preserved. After lunch, continue to Timgad. Arrival at the end of the afternoon. Overnight in Timgad at the Trajan Hotel. (B/L/D)

After breakfast, visit the Roman city of Timgad (World Heritage by UNESCO), built in the first century during the reign of Trajan. Visit the main monuments of the forum, theater, baths, and capitol. Visit also a part of ruins of Lambeze and the museum. After lunch depart to visit the mausoleum of Medracen (the largest pre-Roman monument in the Maghreb, 3-4 centuries before our era, Berber with Punic and Greek influences) and continue to Constantine, "Capital of Arab Culture in 2015", Overnight in Constantine at the Protea Hotel. (B/L/D) 

This morning after breakfast at the hotel, depart at 8:30 am to visit this atypical city, a fortress built on the edge of a canyon, and famous for its cliffs and bridges. Meet copper craftsmen (brassware being the local specialty), visit the Cirta museum and the Bey's Palace with its gardens (1835) recently renovated, and visit the oldest Roman bridge - El Kantara. Cross the Sidi M’Cid suspension bridge, visit the monument dedicated to Constantine's soldiers (Christians, Jews and Muslims) who died during the 1st World War, and the Emir Abdelkader Mosque, an architectural gem. After lunch depart to Annaba via Guelma, visit the roman theater in the center of the city. Overnight in Annaba at the Sabri Hotel. (B/L/D)

After the breakfast, visit the Roman ruins of Hippone, which is in the process of being classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its museum. Also visit the Basilica of Saint Augustine. We will have a seafood lunch followed by a stroll on Cours de la Révolution, in the heart of the city and a popular place with locals and visitors alike, with its coffee and ice cream kiosks, wide promenade, and French colonial architecture. Afterwards we transfer to the airport for the flight to Algiers, and on to Djanet, at 5.30 pm. Arrival in Djanet at 1:05 am, transfer to your hotel and overnight. (B/L/D)

In the morning after breakfast, enjoy a quick tour in Djanet to visit the Tassili Cultural Park museum and the souk to buy the traditional "Chèche" to protect yourself from the winds. After the formalities of access and  security, the expedition departs by 4x4 vehicles to In Djaren, the Gateway to the Tadrart Region, at 200 km from Djanet (5 to 6 hours drive). Picnic for lunch, and continue through large spaces and black dunes to discover the first cave paintings hidden at the bottom of rock shelters. Stops along the way for "Targui Tea". Bivouac, dinner and overnight. (B/L/D)

Breakfast and continue through the Canyon of In Djaren to explore the numerous rock carvings including the painting of giraffes. Picnic for lunch, and continue to Moul En Naga marked by rocks in the shape of a gigantic "cathedral", and a spectacular network of dunes. Camp will be set up at the foot of one of the large dunes and we will be able to enjoy the sunset in the dunes. Bivouac, dinner and overnight. (B/L/D)

In the morning after breakfast, departure to Tin Merzouga through dune cords and canyons with walls of ocher and sand-colored rock. Discover the ancient rock engravings and paintings and the hedgehog-shaped rock before the picnic for lunch. Then stroll through the impressive "red dune circus", some of which are 300 meters high and the highest in the Sahara. Enjoy another sunset in the dunes and the magnificent landscape overlooking the Akakus massif in Libya. Bivouac, dinner and overnight. (B/L/D)

Breakfast and departure through landscapes made up of sands and rocks to explore other stations of rock paintings and engravings including the formidable table of "Cows". Picnic for lunch and continue through the canyons to reach the site of Tesaketa, targui name given to a formation that looks like cow horns, in the gorges of In Djaren. Bivouac, dinner and overnight. (B/L/D)

In the morning, breakfast and departure to the Erg of Admer, a veritable ocean of sand to reach the famous engravings of "the crying cow". Picnic for lunch, and continuation to Djanet. Dinner and overnight in the Saharan village Ténéré village. (B/L/D)

Breakfast and departure to Dider, and seeing along the road some Zéribas, houses made of reeds and palm branches by the semi nomadic Tuaregs. Visit local rock carvings and picnic for lunch. Continue to Iherir, (180 km north from Djanet), a typical nomadic village of Tassili, and also a wetland protected by the Ramsar convention, that is rich in vegetation and its gueltas (pools of water in the desert) surrounded by varied fauna - sometimes they even have fish! Dinner and overnight at the fixed camp. (B/L/D)

Breakfast and return to Djanet passing through the Essendilène valley, a series of rocky peaks and hiking on foot to the gueltas and the colorful oleanders. Picnic for lunch in an extraordinary site, and continue in the afternoon to Tikabaouine to explore new cave paintings before arriving in Djanet. Dinner and rest. At the end of the evening, transfer to the airport for your flight to Algiers at around 4:00 a.m. (B/L/D)

Arrival in Algiers around 6.30 am, transfer and check in the hotel for breakfast and brief rest.
At 9:30, depart for a day trip to Cherchell, capital of Numidia, 100 km west of Algiers, built in the 4th century BC, which became Ceasaree under Juba II, a Romanized Berber prince. As a city of art and culture, it rivaled Volubilis in Morocco. Visit the museum and part of the ruins, and then continue to Tipasa 30 km away. Lunch and visit to the museum and the archaeological park of the Roman city by the sea, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, which inspired Albert Camus to write "Wedding" (author of "Abroad" and Prize Nobel winner in 1957). In the afternoon on the way back to Algiers, stop for the visit of the Royal Mauretanian Mausoleum (2nd or 1st century BC), neither Roman nor Christian, but also called the "Tomb of the Christian". Overnight in Algiers at El Aurassi Hotel. (B/L/D)

Transfer to Algiers airport for your final departure.