Wonders of Ancient Algeria and the M’Zab Valley

Our tour starts in the Algerian capital, Algiers. The country's largest city, Algiers today is a bustling Mediterranean port that can trace its origins back to Carthaginian traders of the 4th century BC. Dominated by the imposing walls of its citadel, the Kasbah quarter of the old town is a collection of meandering alleyways, palaces and mosques, that now fall under the protection of UNESCO. Away from the old town, the city's French colonial heritage embraces a collection of grand buildings and wide boulevards that sweep around the coastline. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Algiers at any time. On this tour we have limited time in the nations capital, you may wish to consider extending your trip. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Algiers International Airport, also known as Houari Boumediene International Airport (ALG), which is around a 30-minute drive from the hotel depending on traffic. Due to the number of flights arriving later in the day, your tour leader will catch up with you the following morning for the welcome meeting.

After this morning's welcome briefing, we'll head west out of Algiers along the coast. Today we'll visit three sites along the Mediterranean coast. Our first stop is the massive, circular stone funerary monument of the Mausoleum of Mauritania, the final resting place of the last king and queen of Numidia. The views from the hilltop monument are impressive, with the fertile Mitidja plains stretching out beyond us. Historically, this area has been the agricultural heartland of the region. Our next stop is Cherchell on the coast. The former capital of ancient Mauritania, today Cherchell has a busy fishing port. The town's museum houses a rare white marble copy of the Apollo of Phidias and a colossal statue of Augustus, as well as intricate mosaics depicting agricultural life and mythological scenes such as the Triumph of Dionysus. Just outside of the museum is the Place des Martyrs (Martyrs Square), a beautiful esplanade shaded by massive, centuries-old Phytolacca (Elephant) trees. It overlooks the harbour and serves as a lively meeting place for locals. You can spot Roman ruins scattered across the square, including ancient columns and capitals sitting amongst the modern benches. We'll break for lunch in Tipaza, stopping at a local seafood restaurant (vegetarian options available) after lunch, it's a short ten-minute stroll to the archaeological park. Founded by the Carthaginians as a port and trading centre, the site contains a forum, four thermal baths and the outline of a large Christian Basilica. The setting is stunning, feeling like an open-air museum, situated between the mountains and the Mediterranean. Arriving back in Algiers in the late afternoon, we'll head directly to Algiers airport for a flight to Ghardaia on the edge of the Sahara, the capital of the famous M'Zab Valley. Upon arrival, it's a short 20-minute drive to our hotel.

On the edge of the Sahara, Ghardaia is our gateway into the M'zab Valley. It's one of five ksours (hilltop towns) that were founded by members of the Muslim Ibadi sect nearly 1,000 years ago in 1053 AD. The town is distinctive thanks to its white, pink and red houses that are centred around its historic mosque. We'll spend the day exploring the town and the neighbouring villages in the M'zab Valley. Starting on foot, we'll a visit the town's mosque, which we'll see from the outside, and walk around the lively markets and side streets with a local guide. This area gets very few tourists - it's an excellent place to purchase rugs and other fabrics at reasonable prices. Next we'll explore the outer lying sights by bus including Beni Yezguen, a sacred Berber Islamic town which prohibits all foreigners from spending the night within its walls, Malika and the scenic settlement of El Ateuf. We'll also see the date palm groves which thread between the settlements. Ghardaia lies in the heart of the traditional homeland of the Mozabite people, a Berber tribe, most of whom are Ibadi Muslims, known for their warm hospitality. We'll enjoy a home-cooked lunch at a traditional restaurant and the afternoon is free to rest or explore more of the town.

Bidding farewell to Ghardaia after breakfast, we drive east to the desert town of Ouargala across the vast hammada, the rocky desert plateau that characterizes northern Sahara. As we get closer towards Ouargla, the terrain softens into towering sandy landscapes; we’ll make a stop to admire the sweeping sand dunes that hug the edges of the city, offering a dramatic contrast to the arid rocky plains we crossed earlier in the morning. We’ll stop for lunch in Ouargla under the shade of the Palmaraie (date palm grove) trying a traditional Saharan lunch featuring fresh regional produce, grilled meats and vegetables and local flatbreads served alongside soothing mint tea. After lunch we’ll head north along the desert highway toward Touggourt, the historic "Gateway to the Oases." We aim to arrive in the early evening, time and daylight hours permitting, we’ll have a short orientation of the town to take in its distinctive desert architecture.

We’ll head north out of Touggourt, covering around 300 kilometres / 185 miles over the course of the day. The drive encompasses one of the most dramatic landscape transitions of the trip, as we move away from the low lying Saharan desert plains intersperse with isolated sand dunes, into the fertile high Atlas mountain valleys. As we approach Biskra, the horizons flattens out into expansive salt basins and it’s here that we’ll start to see the distant mountain dirges of the Atlas. North of Biskra the flat desert gives way to dry heavily eroded sandstone mountains. We’ll break the journey at Ghoufi Canyon, sometimes referred locally as the ‘Grand Canyon of Algeria.’ It’s here the Oued River has carved a deep three kilometre long gorge through the layers of golden orange and red sandstone, at the bottom of the canyon the river feeds pools of water where date palms, figs and pomegranates grow. After lunch (which will either be in Biskra or Ghoufi Canyon), we’ll explore the canyon , including the troglodyte cliff dwellings made from local stone, mud and palm timber that were inhabited for over four centuries. It’s around two and a half hours to Batna, this last part of the journey sees us pass through is fertile agricultural valleys and pine covered hills as we enter the cooler higher altitude plateau.

This morning we'll head to one of Algeria's archaeological crown jewels - Timgad. This old Roman city, known as the 'Pompeii of Africa', was built by Emperor Trajan as a reward for his troops. Because the city was built on flat ground, its grid layout remains one of the best-preserved in the ancient world. We'll wander the main thoroughfares to discover the old forum, the thermal baths, and the imposing Triumphal Arch. Following a guided tour of the highlights, you'll have time to get lost in the maze of ancient streets at your own pace. Thanks to low visitor numbers, we often have the site virtually to ourselves. Commencing our journey to Constantine, we’ll make a brief stop at the tomb of Madghacen, a royal mausoleum dating back to the era of the Berber Numidian Kings, located directly opposite the highway. This large cylindrical mausoleum dates to the 3rd century BC and is believed to be the tomb of a Numidian King. After our short stop, we'll drive onwards to Constantine, perched above the Oued Rhumel River Valley. Constantine is also known as the 'City of Bridges' thanks to the seven bridges that span the ravine connecting the old city. Upon arrival in the city, we'll head to the Monument to the Dead, a memorial arch topped by a statue of the winged victory, commemorating the Algerian victims of World War I. Our vantage point up here lets us witness what a masterpiece of urban geography the city is. Walking downhill, we'll cross a suspension bridge (which hangs like a ribbon over the deep ravine) connecting the labyrinthine of the old city to the cliffs beyond. It's then a short walk along the busy Rue de Larbi Ben M'Hidi to our hotel in the city centre. Constantine has some good restaurants, so this evening we can head out to sample the local food.

Today we'll explore Constantine - both on foot and by bus - with our tour leader. Founded over 2,000 years ago, the city (formerly known as Cirta) is built on a plateau surrounded by deep ravines. This site was chosen so the city could be easily defended but over the centuries, it's outgrown the plateau and spilled over. Heading out on foot, we'll retrace our steps along the central Rue Larbi Ben M'Hidi, the main shopping street selling everything from clothing and shoes to electronics. Just off the central boulevard is one of the finest Ottoman structures in the city, the Palace of Ahmed Bey. We'll explore the palace's courtyards and gardens filled with palms and orange trees, and see the tiled mosaics. Just outside the palace is the 11th-century Great Mosque, the oldest mosque in the city, which we'll see from the outside. Next, we'll walk through the alleyways of the casbah, along the Boulevard of the Abyss, overlooking the city's vast gorges, to the Sidi M'Cid suspension bridge - the city's most iconic symbol. The bridge measures 175 metres/575 feet in height and 168 metres/552 feet in length and connects the city to the hill. From the bridge, we'll get views over the old Bab El Kantara Bridge and the Sidi Rached Viaduct. Our final stop is the National Museum of Cirta. The museum is a treasure trove of antiquities and relics found in Constantine and the surrounding areas, including the bronze sculpture of winged 'Victory of Constantine.' The rest of the afternoon is free. There's the option to take a trip to see the Roman ruins at Tiddis, occupied since the Neolithic period and containing several circular 'bazina' burial monuments from the pre-Roman Numidian times. See the budgeting and planning section for more details.

Located 125 kilometres/78 miles to the east of Constantine, the ancient village of Djemila is one of the most important and picturesque Roman remains in Algeria and one of the finest sites in North Africa. Djemila sits on a hilltop, 900 metres/2,952 feet above sea level and is a fascinating example of the way Roman urbanism adapted to the sloping alpine terrain. Founded by the Emperor Nerva, the village was built to house his subjects. The streets are lined with the remains of houses, temples and a forum - we can also see the basilica and several triumphal arches. While in Djemila, we'll visit the museum, where every square inch of wall is plastered with intricate mosaics, making it one of the finest collections in the country. After our visit, we'll have lunch and drive to Setif where we'll stay overnight (we might have a later lunch in Setif depending on timings). On arrival in the town, we'll visit the museum, which includes even more Roman mosaics. Our hotel in Setif is centrally located, close to a good selection of restaurants and shops.

Today we'll head back Algiers (a journey of around four hours). On arrival, we'll have lunch at a local restaurant and then head out for an afternoon tour of the capital. We'll start with a visit to the 92-meter/300-foot-tall Monument to the Martyrs, situated on a hill and overlooking the city. We'll then head to the Church of Notre Dame d'Afrique, which dominates the bay above Bab El Oued, before driving to the 10th-century city known as the Kasbah, or "The Citadelle". One of the most impressive old cities in North Africa, it has narrow cobbled streets, as well as palaces and mosques that date back to the Ottoman period - we'll explore on foot. Finally, we'll visit one of Algier's most important historical monuments, Bastion 23 (or Palais des Rais). This Ottoman-era complex houses three palaces, and we'll have the chance to roam through secret rooms inside. Please note, the order of our visits might change depending on traffic conditions. Heading back to our hotel, we'll check in and the rest of the afternoon is free to relax or further explore Algiers. For departures in 2026, we'll bid farewell to those travelling on to the south of the country at this point. For those remaining, we'll have the opportunity to celebrate our last night together at a local restaurant.

Our tour ends today at our hotel in Algiers. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight departs later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Algiers International airport, also known as Houari Boumediene International Airport (ALG), which is around 30 minutes from the hotel depending on traffic. If you want to extend your time in Algeria, you might want to look at our 16-day 'Ancient Algeria and the Sahara Desert' tour, available on selected dates. The itinerary includes a week in Algeria's south, camping in the Saharah Desert.