Algeria

Traveling in Algeria

Entry requirements

Passport and visa service: Consult the conditions for entering Algeria on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website
Diplomatic representations: Consult the directory of embassies and consulates near you on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

Organizing your trip

Means of transport recommended in town

Recommendation: The public transport system in large Algerian cities is quite modern even if it is disorganized in some cases. It is recommended that foreign visitors use taxis, especially for trips inside a Wilaya (a department).
Maps of urban networks

Transportation from Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car rental
Algiers (ALG)	18 km / 11 miles	DZD 300 / 20-25 min	DZD 20 / 30 min	DZD 15 / 25-30 min
Oran (ORN)	8 km / 5 miles	Available			Available
Constantine (CZL)	8 km / 5 miles	Available	Available		Available
Annaba (AAE)	10 km / 6 miles	Available	Every 30 min		Available
Batna (BLJ)	27 km / 17 miles

Means of transport recommended in the rest of the country

Recommendation: For safety reasons, using long distance public road transport is highly inadvisable. Until the east-west motorway is operational (some time in 2009), travelling by plane is recommended.
Air Algérie serves most large (and medium sized) Algerian cities and has attractive fares.
Rail transport has again become an attractive means of transport, both in terms of fares and keeping to the timetable.
Rail companies: National Rail Transport Company

Airlines

Name	Type	Domestic flights	International flights
Air Algérie	Major	Yes	Yes
Tassili Airlines	Major	Yes	Yes
Aigle Azur	Low cost	No	Yes

You can consult the list of airlines banned within the EU. Look also the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Traveling by yourself

Recommendation: Traveling on your own is unsafe. Fake roadblocks set up by armed groups must still be feared on a certain number of roads, including well traveled roads, often at nightfall. Moreover, the number of road accidents appears to be particularly high, but this is less because of the state of the road network, which is good on the whole, than because motorists do not observe the highway code.
Road maps: Michelin map of Algeria
Map of Algiers
Find an itinerary: Maporama

Visiting

Different forms of tourism

Historical: Many museums and monuments reflect Algeria's historic past.
In Algiers: the National Museum of Antiquities, the History Museum, the War Museum, the Martyrs' Monument.
Cultural: 28 museums including the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions (Algiers) and the Cirta National Museum (Constantine).
Nature: The coastal band, the Atlas mountains, the Oases of the Sahara, the Hoggar mountains in the south, the mountainous massifs of Great Kabylia, Saharan Algeria with its plains and mountains, and the many UNESCO World Heritage sites (see the list ).
Religious: Algeria is home to some 15 000 mosques, including a certain number of very old ones. The Great Mosque of Algiers was built in 1018, that of Tlemcen in 1102, the mosque of the Pasha, in Oran, in 1797. See also the mosque of Constantine.
Thermal: Algeria has more than 200 hot springs, some of which date from Roman times.
Beach: Algeria has 309 authorized beaches over all its coastal towns.
Winter sports: Not far from Blida there is a ski slope at Chréa (altitude 1 500 m).
Outdoor activities: Trekking, expeditions in 4x4s, rides on camels, etc. See further information on the Algeria.com. website.
Shopping: Local items that tourists can bring back from Algeria are: carpets, gypsum flowers ("Roses of the sands"), darboukas (percussion instruments), dates. Terracotta or copper items made by local craftsmen are becoming rarer and rarer.

Top highlights of the capital city
The Kasbah in Algiers
The experimental garden of the Hamma
The Basilica of Notre-Dame of Africa
The Museum of Antiquities in Algiers
The Bardo National Museum
The Martyrs' Monument
The Great Post Office in Algiers
The Trappist Monastery of Staoueli
The Great Mosque of Algiers
The Dey's Palace in Algiers

Top highlights of the country
Oran, the places to visit
Constantine (3rd city in the country)
Annaba (4th city in the country)
The region of the M'zab, a dazzling group of oases
Timimoun, a splendid palm grove
The Hoggar, on the borders of the Sahara
Timgad, the Roman city founded by the emperor Trajan in 100 AD
Djémila, the ancient Roman city probably founded by Trajan
Tlemcen, a historical city
Kabyle villages

Tourism organizations: Algerian Tourism

Living conditions

Health and safety

Health precautions: A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for travelers over 1 year of age coming from contaminated areas. There is a limited risk of malaria. A small outbreak (of P.vivax) has been reported at Ihrir (dep. of Illizi) but the place is isolated and difficult to get to.

Health risks are low, except for illnesses linked to a lack of hygiene ( typhoid, hepatitis A, diarrhea...). The traveler really should be vaccinated against typhoid and hepatitis A and B. In any case be very careful about what you eat or drink. Avoid drinking tap water or non industrial drinks. Wash fruits very well (or, even better, peel them) and eat cooked meat dishes (couscous, tajines, spit roast lamb).
International hospitals: The British medical insurance company Bupa recommends the El-Bordj clinic (near Algiers), as a point of reference.
For further information on sanitary conditions: The information pages on the World Health Organization website.
For further information on safety conditions: The "Travel warnings" of the US State Department
The "Travel reports" of the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The recommendations of the US State Department

Emergency numbers

Police	17
Samu Alger (emergency medical service)	+213 21 23 63 81
Civil Protection	14
Treatment center for poisoning cases	+213 21 97 98 98

Time difference and climate

Time and time difference: It is %T:%M %A in Algiers (GMT+1)
Summer time period: None

Map of the time zone

Fuseau(x) horaire

Type of climate: The climate is hot and dry in the south. The temperature is average in the south (27°C), but it often reaches 40°C in summer. The average temperature in the north is 21°C. The rainy season lasts from mid-September to mid-May.
For further information: Algerian National Meteorological Office

Average annual temperatures and rainfall

Climate

Eating

Food specialties: Lamb with prunes and almonds - Lahm Lhalou : this is a rich, sweet dish.
Couscous which can be prepared with selected vegetables.

You can find recipes typical of Algerian cuisine on the Algerian Cuisine website.
Drinks: Selecto : national fizzy drink
Mint tea
Dietary restrictions: Islam forbids Muslims to eat pork. Alcohol must only be consumed in dedicated establishments.

Paying

Domestic currency: Algerian Dinar
ISO Code: DZD
To obtain domestic currency: You can get an advance on a credit card in big hotels and in some banks (at the Crédit Populaire d'Algérie (CPA) or in foreign banks). You are strongly advised not to change your foreign currency on the black market to avoid counterfeit banknotes and Customs controls.
Most banks now have ATMs. Check if you can withdraw cash there with your international credit card. Some banks reserve their ATMs for their own customers.
Possible means of payment: Big hotels take the main international credit cards. However, make sure you have enough cash to pay for everyday purchases.

Speaking

Official language: Since July 1998, the official language in Algeria has been Arabic.
Other languages spoken: Most Algerians speak dialectal Arabic. Moreover, although Arabic is the official language in Algeria, the Berber language or Tamazight is also widespread in the country, but the law of 17-12-1996 provides for the generalization of Arabic in all activities.
French is still used by many Algerians, especially in the administration.
Business language: French and Arabic are generally the language of business, although some companies use English.
Getting some knowledge: Consult the tool "Foreign Language for Travelers"of the Travlang.com.website.
Free translation tools: Foreignword - Translator of words and text
Arabic Tripod - Introduction to Arabic (in English)
Al-Awal English Arabic Dictionnary - On-line translator
Lexilogos - Translation website for Arabic to French and English .