Algeria.

Algeria's geography drives every timing decision. The country stretches 2,000 kilometres north to south, from the Mediterranean down through the Tell Atlas, the High Plateaus, the Saharan Atlas, and finally the deep Sahara that covers four out of every five square kilometres. Algiers, Oran, and Annaba all run a classic Mediterranean cycle: mild wet winters (12 to 18 degrees daytime, regular rain November through March), hot dry summers (28 to 33 degrees, peaking July and August). Tamanrasset, Djanet, and the Hoggar plateau are a different planet: daytime highs cross 45 degrees from May into September, while winter nights drop near freezing at elevation.

The Mediterranean coast and Roman ruin circuit are at their best in April, May, October, and November. Daytime temperatures sit in the 20 to 26 degree band, spring wildflowers carpet the hillsides around Tipaza and Djemila, and autumn light is the kind photographers fly continents for. Sahara excursions are a winter activity. The peak window for Tassili n'Ajjer and Hoggar treks runs November through February, with December and January the sweet spot. March and October are shoulder months. Licensed operators essentially shut down deep-Sahara excursions from mid-May through mid-September.

The Islamic calendar matters more than the Gregorian one for cultural rhythm. Ramadan in 2026 runs roughly February 17 to March 18, with daytime restaurant closures, reduced site hours, and almost no alcohol service outside large international hotels. Eid al-Fitr (March 20 to 22, 2026) is a three-day national shutdown with heavy domestic travel. Eid al-Adha (May 27, 2026) is similar in scale. Yennayer, the Berber New Year on January 12, has been an official public holiday since 2018 and is a good time to be in Kabylie or the M'Zab valley. The Sebeiba festival in Djanet in late September or early October is a serious Tuareg cultural moment. Couscous was added to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2020, and rai music was born in Oran in the 1970s through Cheb Khaled and Cheb Mami.

The Mediterranean coast is mild and easy. Algiers, Oran, Annaba, Béjaïa, and Skikda all sit in a band where winter daytime highs stay in the 12 to 18 degree range and summer peaks at 28 to 33 degrees. Rainfall is concentrated November through March, with December and January wettest (roughly 100 to 130 mm per month in Algiers). The sea is swimmable from mid-June to early October, peaking in August at 25 to 26 degrees.

The interior plateau (where Djemila, Timgad, and Constantine sit) runs cooler in winter and hotter in summer than the coast. Sétif and Batna can drop to 2 or 3 degrees on January nights, with occasional snow above 1,000 metres. Roman ruin walking is most pleasant April, May, October, and November. July and August are uncomfortable for full-day site visits; mornings before 10 and late afternoons after 17:00 work, but midday is brutal.

The northern Sahara (Ghardaïa, El Goléa, Beni Abbès, the M'Zab valley) is a transitional zone. Winters are cool and dry (12 to 22 degrees daytime, often below 5 at night). Summers are very hot (38 to 45 degrees). October to April is the workable window for these oasis towns.

The deep Sahara (Tamanrasset, Djanet, Tassili n'Ajjer, Hoggar) is the most weather-sensitive part of any Algeria trip. November through February is peak. Daytime highs of 18 to 26 degrees make camel trekking, 4x4 expeditions, and rock-art viewing genuinely pleasant. Nights drop fast: expect 2 to 8 degrees at standard camp elevations and near-freezing on Hoggar plateaus above 2,000 metres. Mount Tahat (3,003 metres) can carry frost in December and January. From mid-May to mid-September the deep south is effectively closed to tourism. Sandstorms (the sirocco or chehili) are most common in spring and early autumn; they pin you in a hotel for a day but are rarely dangerous.

Algiers and the Casbah deserve at least two full days. The Casbah of Algiers (UNESCO since 1992) is one of the densest, most atmospheric old quarters in North Africa: a steep maze of whitewashed houses, Ottoman palaces, and narrow staircase alleys cascading from the upper city to the port. Hire a local guide; navigation is genuinely difficult and a guide also gets you inside restored palaces (Dar Hassan Pasha, Dar Mustapha Pasha) that are otherwise locked. Above the Casbah, the Maqam Echahid (Martyrs' Memorial) is a 92-metre monument with a museum on the colonial period. Notre-Dame d'Afrique is a clifftop 19th-century basilica. The Bardo Museum and Botanical Garden of Hamma round out the city.

The Roman ruin trinity is non-negotiable if you have any interest in classical archaeology. Tipaza (UNESCO) sits on a Mediterranean cliff about 70 kilometres west of Algiers and works as a half-day trip. Djemila (UNESCO), 50 kilometres northeast of Sétif, is ranked by many archaeologists as the most beautiful Roman ruin site in the world: an intact mountain city with a forum, Capitoline temple, theatre, and basilicas, plus a museum holding some of the finest Roman mosaics outside Italy. Timgad (UNESCO), 35 kilometres east of Batna in the Aurès, is the largest and best-preserved. Founded in 100 CE by Trajan, it includes the Arch of Trajan (the largest surviving Roman triumphal arch outside Italy), a 3,500-seat theatre, and a Byzantine fortress. Allow a full day each and overnight nearby.

Constantine is the 'city of bridges', built on a limestone plateau ringed by a 200-metre-deep gorge cut by the Rhumel river. The medina is smaller than the Casbah but arguably more dramatic in setting. The M'Zab valley (UNESCO since 1982) around Ghardaïa, 600 kilometres south of Algiers, is a self-contained Ibadi Berber world of five fortified towns built between the 11th and 14th centuries. The earth-coloured architecture and managed date-palm groves are unlike anywhere else on the continent. Two to three nights.

Tassili n'Ajjer (UNESCO since 1982) is the destination most likely to justify the entire trip if you care about deep human history. The plateau covers 72,000 square kilometres of sandstone formations in the southeast, accessed from Djanet by 4x4. The rock art is the headline: more than 15,000 paintings and engravings, the oldest dating back roughly 12,000 years, depicting herds of elephants, giraffes, hippos, and cattle from a period when the Sahara was green savanna. Trips run 7 to 10 days with licensed operators; permits and military escort are mandatory. Costs run 200 to 500 USD per person per day, fully inclusive.

The Hoggar mountains around Tamanrasset are the volcanic counterpoint, rising to 3,003 metres at Mount Tahat. Assekrem (2,728 metres) is the classic Hoggar destination, where Charles de Foucauld built a hermitage in 1911. Sunrise from Assekrem is one of the great views on the continent. Oran in the west is the birthplace of rai music. Tlemcen, near the Moroccan border, is the cultural capital of the west with the medieval Great Mosque (1136) intact.

Visa rules are the largest barrier to spontaneous travel. Most foreign nationals (US, UK, Canadian, Australian, EU passport holders) need a tourist visa secured through an Algerian embassy before departure. The process typically requires a Letter of Invitation from a licensed Algerian tour operator, passport photos, proof of accommodation, bank statements, and a fee of 80 to 150 USD. Processing takes two to four weeks. A pilot Saharan tourism visa-on-arrival has been running for travellers booked through approved operators flying into Djanet and Tamanrasset; verify current status before booking. Passports must be valid for six months beyond entry.

Currency: the Algerian Dinar (DZD). The dinar is a closed currency that cannot legally be imported or exported. The official rate sits around 135 DZD to 1 USD in early 2026; the parallel market trades at a better rate but use official channels. Card acceptance is limited; budget on cash outside the four or five international-brand hotels in Algiers. Bring clean USD or EUR notes.

Daily costs in 2026 (excluding international flights): budget travellers manage 40 to 80 USD per day. Mid-range runs 100 to 200 USD per day per person. Comfort travellers at top Algiers hotels with private driver-guide spend 250 to 500+ USD per day. Sahara expeditions are a separate line at 200 to 500 USD per person per day, fully inclusive. For two adults on a 14-day mid-range trip covering coast, ruins, and one Sahara destination, budget 3,500 to 6,000 USD on the ground, plus international flights.

Transport. Houari Boumédiène International Airport (ALG) has direct flights from Paris, Marseille, Madrid, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Doha, and Dubai. Air Algérie runs domestic flights to Constantine, Oran, Tamanrasset, Djanet, and Ghardaïa. The SNTF rail network is genuinely good along the coast. Long-distance buses cover most of the country. Deep Sahara travel is 4x4 expedition only.

Security. Algeria has been broadly stable since the end of the civil war in 2002. The standard tourist circuit (Algiers, Tipaza, Djemila, Timgad, Constantine, Oran, M'Zab, organised Hoggar and Tassili trips) is regarded as safe by most Western foreign ministries as of 2026. The hard exclusions are the southern and eastern border zones: areas within 100 to 200 kilometres of the borders with Libya, Mali, and Niger are off-limits because of jihadist activity. Solo female travellers report Algeria as more conservative than Morocco or Tunisia: modest dress is essentially required outside hotel premises, and persistent street attention is common.

Language and health. Official languages are Arabic and Tamazight (Berber); in practice French is the working language. English is uncommon outside upscale Algiers hotels. No vaccinations required; hepatitis A and typhoid commonly recommended. No malaria. Tap water is safe in major coastal cities; bottled in the south. Plugs: Type C and Type F European 2-pin, 230 volts.