Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Algiers — The White City & UNESCO Casbah
Welcome to Algeria! Arrive at Houari Boumediene International Airport in Algiers, where your guide greets you. Transfer to your hotel in the city center. Afternoon exploration of the UNESCO-listed Casbah of Algiers — a labyrinthine quarter of Ottoman palaces, narrow winding alleys, and whitewashed houses cascading down the hillside to the Mediterranean. This citadel was the heart of Algeria’s struggle for independence and remains one of the world’s most atmospheric historic quarters. Visit the 17th-century Ketchaoua Mosque and the Dar Aziza palace. Evening welcome dinner at a traditional restaurant overlooking the Bay of Algiers. Overnight in Algiers. (D)
Day 2: Algiers — Notre Dame d’Afrique, Martyrs’ Memorial & Bardo Museum
Morning visit to Notre Dame d’Afrique, a stunning 19th-century basilica perched on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Known for its inscription “Notre Dame d’Afrique priez pour nous et pour les Musulmans” (Our Lady of Africa, pray for us and for the Muslims), this basilica embodies Algeria’s spirit of coexistence. Continue to the Martyrs’ Memorial (Maqam Echahid), an iconic 92-meter concrete monument honoring those who died in the Algerian War of Independence with panoramic views over the city and bay. Afternoon at the Bardo National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography, home to North Africa’s finest collection of prehistoric artifacts, including the Venus of Tipaza. Evening free to explore the French colonial architecture of central Algiers — Rue Didouche Mourad, the Grande Poste, and the waterfront. Overnight in Algiers. (B)
Day 3: Tipaza Roman Ruins & Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania
Full-day excursion to Tipaza, one of the Mediterranean’s most spectacular Roman sites — a UNESCO World Heritage site where ancient ruins meet the sea. Founded by the Phoenicians and later expanded by the Romans, Tipaza features a remarkably preserved forum, a 3,500-seat amphitheater, and a Christian basilica complex with mosaic floors, all set against the azure backdrop of the Mediterranean. Walk through the Cardo Maximus (main street), explore the thermal baths, and visit the archaeological museum housing exquisite mosaics found on site. After lunch, visit the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania — also known as the Tomb of the Christian Woman — a massive circular stone tomb built around 3 BC for King Juba II and Queen Cleopatra Selene II (daughter of Cleopatra and Mark Antony). This 32-meter-high monument offers stunning coastal views. Return to Algiers in the evening. Overnight in Algiers. (B, L)
Day 4: Fly to Djanet — Gateway to Tassili n’Ajjer
Early morning transfer to Algiers airport for your domestic flight to Djanet, the oasis gateway to the Sahara Desert. The flight itself is spectacular, crossing the vast Algerian Sahara with endless sand seas below. Upon arrival in Djanet, meet your Tuareg guide team and transfer by 4×4 to the edge of Tassili n’Ajjer National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage site covering 72,000 square kilometers of surreal sandstone formations. Set up your desert camp as the sun sets, painting the rock formations in shades of orange, red, and gold. Enjoy your first Saharan dinner under a canopy of stars — the Milky Way stretches horizon to horizon with zero light pollution. Tuareg tea ceremony around the campfire. Overnight in desert camp. (B, L, D)
Day 5: Tassili n’Ajjer — Prehistoric Rock Art & Tin Merzouga Dunes
A day that transports you 15,000 years back in time. Explore the Tin Merzouga area, where massive red sand dunes rise against a backdrop of eroded sandstone towers. Walk among these otherworldly formations sculpted by wind and time into arches, pillars, and natural shelters that became humanity’s first art galleries. Visit the Moul N’Aga rock formations, where thousands of prehistoric paintings and engravings cover the rock faces — vivid depictions of elephants, giraffes, hippopotamuses, and cattle herds, proving that the Sahara was once a lush green savannah teeming with life. Your Tuareg guide shares the stories behind these ancient artworks and explains the rich symbolism — the round-headed figures, the hunting scenes, and the spiritual motifs that have survived 8,000 to 15,000 years of desert sun. Picnic lunch among the rock art. Afternoon hike through the “Forest of Rock” — a maze of sculpted sandstone towers. Sunset over Tin Merzouga’s red dunes. Overnight in desert camp. (B, L, D)
Day 6: More Rock Art Galleries & Farewell Sahara Sunset
Morning exploration of additional rock art galleries in the Tassili plateau — each site reveals different chapters of human history, from the Round Head Period (the oldest, featuring mysterious large-headed figures) to the Bovidian Period (pastoral scenes of cattle herding) and the Horse Period (showing chariots and mounted warriors). Visit lesser-known shelters where the paintings remain incredibly vivid. Midday: traditional Tuareg tea ceremony — three glasses, each with its own meaning: the first bitter like life, the second strong like love, the third gentle like death. Learn about Tuareg culture, their distinctive indigo veils, silver jewelry, and desert survival skills. Afternoon hike to a panoramic viewpoint for the final Saharan sunset — a moment of pure stillness as the dunes and rocks blaze orange and crimson. Farewell dinner in camp with Tuareg music and storytelling. Overnight in desert camp. (B, L, D)
Day 7: Return to Djanet → Fly to Algiers → Departure
Sunrise over the Sahara — one last magical moment. Breakfast in camp, then break camp and transfer back to Djanet by 4×4. Visit the Djanet palm grove and traditional market if time permits. Afternoon flight back to Algiers. Transfer to the international airport for your onward journey. You leave with memories of 15,000-year-old art, Sahara silence, Tuareg tea, and the timeless magic of Algeria. (B)
