Private tour itinerary
Algeria Beyond Expectations — 10 Days
Ten days from the Mediterranean to the M'Zab — Roman cities, Constantine's bridges, the Casbah, and a Saharan adventure of quad, camel and sandboarding. Private trip on your own dates, with a licensed local guide.
Day by day
Day 1Arrival in Algiers
Airport reception, hotel check-in and a welcome dinner.
- Houari Boumediene Airport — Met in arrivals and driven into the city — the practical part of the first day handled for you.
- The Bay of Algiers — The seafront drive in, with the white capital rising in tiers above the harbour.
- A welcome dinner — A first Algerian table — chorba, fish from the bay or a chicken tagine — with the ten days ahead talked through.
Day 2Tipaza & Cherchell
The Roman ruins and amphitheatre of Tipaza, the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania, the Cherchell museum and coastal views.
- Roman Tipaza — A UNESCO-listed Roman port strung along the Mediterranean — basilicas, baths and a theatre with the waves at their feet.
- The Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania — A great stone drum on a hill above the sea — the 1st-century-BC tomb of Berber king Juba II and Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Cleopatra of Egypt.
- Cherchell (ancient Caesarea) — Juba II's old capital, whose museum holds some of Algeria's finest Roman and Greek mosaics and statuary.
Day 3Algiers historical tour
The UNESCO Casbah, the Martyrs' Memorial, and the National Army Museum.
- The Casbah of Algiers — The UNESCO-listed Ottoman citadel — a steep white labyrinth of palaces, mosques and courtyard houses climbing above the bay.
- The Martyrs' Memorial (Maqam Echahid) — Three soaring concrete palm-fronds raised in 1982 over the city, honouring the dead of the war of independence.
- The National Army Museum — Algeria's long military story from antiquity to 1962, beside the Martyrs' Memorial.
Day 4Travel to Sétif
Transfer to Sétif and the Roman ruins of Djémila; overnight in Sétif.
- Djémila (Cuicul) — A UNESCO Roman city in green mountains, superbly preserved — forum, temples and a steep theatre.
- The Djémila mosaics — On-site mosaics among the richest in the Roman world, in the site museum.
- Sétif and the Ain El Fouara fountain — The high-plateau city at 1,100 m and its famous marble fountain of 1898, where the night is spent.
Day 5Constantine
The suspension bridges of Constantine, the Emir Abdelkader Mosque and Ahmed Bey Palace; overnight in Constantine.
- Constantine's bridges — The 'City of Bridges' spanning the dizzying Rhumel gorge, the Sidi M'Cid footbridge slung high above it.
- The Emir Abdelkader Mosque — One of Africa’s largest mosques, its twin minarets a modern landmark of Constantine.
- Ahmed Bey Palace — The early-19th-century Ottoman palace of the last bey, with painted galleries and shaded courtyards.
Day 6Batna & Timgad
Travel to Batna and the UNESCO Roman city of Timgad, with local heritage; overnight in Batna.
- Timgad — Trajan's grid-planned colony of AD 100 — the 'Pompeii of the Aurès', laid out across the open plain.
- Trajan's Arch — The triumphal arch framing Timgad's main street — the city's iconic silhouette.
- The Timgad library & theatre — The ruins of a rare Roman public library and a 3,500-seat theatre still in use today.
Day 7Journey to Ghardaïa
Travel south to the M'Zab Valley and check in at a traditional guesthouse, with a free evening.
- The road south over the Atlas — Out of the Tell, across the high steppe and down into the pre-Sahara — the drive on which Algeria changes climate.
- Ghardaïa — The M’Zab’s main town, a UNESCO-listed pyramid of houses climbing to the mosque and minaret at its summit.
- A traditional guesthouse in the M’Zab — Check-in at a restored Mozabite house — thick walls, an internal courtyard and a roof terrace — with a free evening.
Day 8Ghardaïa cultural tour
The villages of El Atteuf, Beni Isguen and Melika, their mosques and architecture, the souks and a lunch with a local family.
- El Atteuf — The oldest of the five M’Zab towns, whose simple Sidi Brahim mosque so struck Le Corbusier that it shaped modern architecture.
- Beni Isguen — The sacred walled town of the M’Zab, entered by its old gate, where dress and photography follow local custom.
- Melika — A hilltop M’Zab town of marabout tombs and long views over the valley.
Day 9Return to Algiers
Travel back to Algiers, with the Hamma botanical garden, the Bardo Museum and Notre-Dame d'Afrique.
- The Hamma Botanical Garden — The grand 19th-century Jardin d'Essai, one of the finest botanical gardens in Africa.
- The Bardo Museum — Prehistory and ethnography inside a graceful Moorish villa, from Saharan rock-art casts to silver jewellery and everyday Algeria.
- Notre-Dame d'Afrique — A 19th-century basilica — 'Our Lady of Africa' — on the cliffs above the bay, inscribed for Muslims and Christians alike.
Day 10Departure
Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
- A free morning in Algiers — Whatever the ten days missed — the Jardin d’Essai, the Ketchaoua Mosque or simply the seafront — depending on your flight time.
- Last shopping — Kabyle silver, Tuareg leather, Deglet Nour dates and pastries, on Rue Didouche Mourad or in the Casbah workshops.
- Houari Boumediene Airport — The private transfer out and assistance through check-in.
Included
- Accommodation in 4-star hotels with breakfast
- Air-conditioned tourist transport
- Accompanying tour guide
- Private local guide at major sites
- All meals during the desert excursion
- Desert activities: quad biking, camel riding, sandboarding
Not included
- Additional programs and activities
- Tips
- Lunch and dinner on other days
Good to know
- Best season: October–April (best for the Sahara)
- Pace: Active — touring plus desert activities
- Style: Private, guided, 9 nights in 4-star hotels with breakfast
- Bring: Layers, closed shoes for desert activities, sun protection, modest dress
How to book
- Your dates are held free for 72 hours while we confirm.
- Free cancellation up to 5 days before departure.
- 5% off when you book 60+ days ahead.
- Visa support included; full refund if your visa is refused.
Algeria Compass · WhatsApp +213 784 193 176 · hello@algeriacompass.com
https://algeriacompass.com/tours/algeria-beyond-expectations/
https://algeriacompass.com/tours/algeria-beyond-expectations/