Saturday 11^th January – Algeria

• Arrival at your convenience into the capital Algiers – a dazzling cultural mecca which is also the largest and the capital city of Algeria.
• Meet our driver at the airport and transfer to our hotel
• Pre-tour meeting and get-together with your guide and fellow travellers in the lobby of Hotel ABC at 6:00pm to go over the tour itinerary and plans for the coming days.
• Head out for dinner and get a glimpse of the famous bars, discotheques, and dance halls around while exploring the nightlife of Algiers.
• Overnight at ABC Hotel

Sunday 12^th January – Algiers – Constantine

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and head out for a full-day tour of the city. Don’t forget to wear light clothing and comfortable walking shoes or sandals. The narrow streets of Algiers make travelling by car difficult at times and must be done on foot.
• Explore the Casbah of Algiers – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and repository of Algerian culture and history. The remains of the citadel, old mosques and Ottoman-era palaces will bring you back to the ‘glory days’ of ancient Algeria.
• Visit the Palais des Rais – a shining symbol of Moorish architecture otherwise known as Bastion 23. One of the last remnants of the Ottoman rule.
• Stop by the La Grande Poste – constructed in 1910 it is still Algeria’s largest post office building.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Lalla Mina – a restaurant best known for preparing dishes in the most traditional Algerian way. Famous for its couscous, harira soup, and lamb brochettes, among other dishes.
• Head to the Botanical Garden of Algiers, back then known as the Test Garden of Hamma – built in 1832 the park hosted a model farm to showcase what Algeria was capable of growing in its unique climate.
• Visit the Museum of War and Monument of Revolution – commemorating the Algerian War, the struggle for independence from France. The monument was opened in 1982 on the 20th anniversary of Algeria’s independence. It represents the shape of three standing palm leaves, each with a statue of a soldier underneath it as it protects the eternal flame.
• Visit the Museum of Fine Arts – a vast collection of the finest Algerian artworks and European paintings that date back to the 14th and 20th century.
• Dinner in Algiers before heading to the airport to board our 1 hour domestic flight to Constantine – Algeria’s third largest city.
• Transfer to our hotel and overnight in Constantine

Monday 13^th January – Constantine – Djemila – Constantine

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and depart to start our 2 hour journey along Algeria’s iconic highways to the picturesque mountain village of Djemilla.
• Here you’ll explore the Djemila Roman ancient city ruins – a UNESCO World Heritage Site where one of the world’s best-preserved Roman temples, basilicas, arches, and streets are to be found. This will give you better understanding of what the influence the Roman Empire had as they conquered Algeria from 160BCE to 430CE.
• Visit the Djemila Museum for a further look back in history with greater explanations of the era. Here you’ll see extraordinary archaeological wonders and relics excavated from the site and nearby areas.

Afternoon

• Lunch at a nearby restaurant and return to Constantine
• On arrival we’ll freshen up at the hotel and head out for dinner to explore the nightlife of the city
• Overnight in Constantine

Tuesday 14^th January – Constantine – Algiers

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and begin our city tour exploring Constantine – also known as the City of Bridges.
• Our first stop of the day will be to visit the Ahmed Bey Palace – one of the finest Ottoman-era buildings in Algeria. A majestic palace filled with courtyards, gardens, and orchards. Expensive tiles crafted in Algeria and France decorate the building.
• Walk over the iconic Pont de Sidi M’Cid – a 164 metres long suspension bridge across the Rhummel River. Built by the French and it was the highest bridge in the world from 1912 to 1929.
• Stop by the Monument aux Morts – a memorial that honours the city’s dead from World War I. More than 173,000 Algerians fought in World War I under the banner of France, with many of them taking part in the Battle of Verdun and other well-known battles of the war. Sadly, more than 36,000 of these Algerian soldiers perished during the war.
• Visit the monument of the dead, which was built after the First World War.

Afternoon

• Lunch at El Khaimah – one of the top restaurants in Algeria, known for its excellent service and food. The restaurant offers a wide selection of local wines and dishes. Méchoui, or spit-roasted lamb, is among the best you will ever find in the region.
• Visit to the Great Mosque of Constantine constructed in 1135CE.
• Walk along the Medina located in the heart of the old Constantine – a place full of life and merchants selling traditional street food and sweets.
• Stop by to explore the Emir Abd El Kader Mosque – the second largest mosque in the country.
• Dinner in Constantine before heading to the airport for the domestic flight back to Algiers
• Check into the hotel, and for those with the energy we’ll head out for a night in Algiers
• Overnight in Algiers

Wednesday 15^th January – Algiers – Ghardaia

Morning

• Breakfast at our hotel and drive 1 hour to Tipaza to further explore the Roman ruins. Tipaza was an old Punic trading post conquered by the Romans. It was subsequently turned into a military colony by the emperor Claudius for the conquest of the kingdoms of Mauretania. It is one of the most famous ruins in all Northern Africa.
• On the way we’ll grab a coffee break along the Mediterranean coast to take in the view.
• Visit the distinguished Archaeological Museum of Cherchell which houses some of Algeria’s finest sculptures and mosaics.

Afternoon 

• We’ll grab lunch at one of the most scenic spots not only in Algeria but along the Mediterranean.
• Explore the remaining roman temples, including the tomb of Cleopatra Celina who was the only daughter of Queen Cleopatra and Mark Antony. This site is exceptionally remarkable not only because of her resting place but her magnificent and imposing tomb that very few tourists know or visit.
• Make our way to the aiport to board a domestic flight to Ghardaia – located in northcentral Algeria in the middle of the Saharan Desert and home to some of Algeria’s most impressive architecture and monuments.
• Arrive and check into our hotel to freshen up
• Head out for dinner and explore the small village
• Overnight at Le Belvedere.

Thursday 16^th January – Ghardaia

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Head to M’Zab valley, which comprises of five villages in the heart of the Sahara Desert. This UNESCO site is a photographer’s dream with its unique architecture that is a source of inspiration for today’s urban planners.
• Head to the Ksar of Ghardaia, also called the pearl of the Oasis. No surprise, as this incredible village is nestled between hills. Roaming around, you will feel you have been taken back in time, leaving the modern world behind. This exotic city is a unique place.

Afternoon

• Try local cuisine while admiring the peculiar architecture.
• Next, we head to one of the hidden wonders of Beni Isquen, which has been perfectly preserved since the 10th century. This strictly religious city is a fantastic opportunity to get insight into the formation of heritage in Algeria.
• Stop for tea and visit one of the liveliest marketplaces of Beni Isquen. This is the perfect place to look for an authentic Algerian shopping experience.
• Back to the hotel Overnight at Le Belvedere.

Friday 17^th January – Ghardaia – Algiers

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Go on an adventure through the Desert of Seseb and experience the Sahara Desert in all its glory. From local history, famous cuisine and fun in the dunes, you will feel like a true adventurer. Optional activity: rent quad bikes and hit the dunes!

Afternoon

• We’ll have lunch and transfer back to the airport for our flight to Algiers
• Transfer to our hotel, freshen up, hit the drinking spots of Algiers and enjoy a farewell dinner.
• Overnight in Algiers.

Saturday 18^th January – Algiers

• Breakfast at hotel
• Tour concludes with airport transfers – YPT is able to arrange post-tour accommodation or advice for flights out.
• Continue your Saharan Adventure with YPT and board a flight to Nouakchott and join us on our Mauritania Iron Ore Train tour.

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