Amaury Dreher

ALGERIA trip REPORT

Population : 44 millions

Capital : Algiers

Main languages : Arabic, Berber, French

Visa : Intermediate

My favorite place : Hamma garden in Algiers

Introduction to an Algerian journey

Despite being the biggest country in Africa, Algeria is not really a popular destination yet due to the lack of internal investments & visa requirements. Moroccan or Tunisian people I know were a bit shocked to hear I intended to visit Algeria instead of their own countries. Needless to say that non-touristic places are often the ones where you get the best interactions with locals and this point turned particularly true in this country.

A country in mutation

The period when I arrived in Algeria was a little particular because the country was in political turmoil and regular demonstrations were organized against the power. In Oran I even found myself in one of these demonstrations by chance. The atmosphere was good, people were marching with their families and seemed to me totally peaceful. I took some pictures of the procession before being approached a few minutes later by a police officer in civilian clothes. The man did not behave in an unpleasant manner, he simply checked my passport and visa and asked me nicely not to do it again. I have heard of similar situations with other travelers who were approached by the police for taking pictures in the metro. Algeria remains a very sensitive country in terms of politics and security. Armed groups affiliated to Al Qaeda are still present in the South of the country where some Westerners have been kidnapped in the last decades. Moreover the country economy is heavily depending on oil exports and suffers from a brain drain.

The tremendous Algerian hospitality

I travelled to Algeria in May 2019 in the midst of Ramadan. Due to the latter, everything was closed : shops, restaurants, bars, cafés, etc… Obviously, I could have chosen a better timeframe to visit the country. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed my time there and was delighted by the fact that there were no tourists at all. Whether in Algiers or in Oran, it could not have been easier to interact with locals. I was invited many times for Iftar (breaking the fast after sunset) and had plenty of opportunities to measure the kindness of the locals. By the way, I have to say that the Algerian people are probably the most welcoming I have ever met while traveling. Special mention to the Algerian sweets !!

A relaxed & pleasant capital city

Algiers the capital city is very intriguing. It is way more peaceful and organised than Cairo. The proximity with the sea is undoubtedly a huge asset that makes the city very pleasant. I understand why Gérard Depardieu decided to buy a villa there. The architecture of the city center has been influenced by the French one and it is impossible to not think about Paris or Marseilles when roaming through the Didouche Mourad street. The main historical district of the city is called Casbah and features very ancient houses with narrow streets. The area is interesting to explore and looks really genuine. It’s a cultural heritage of the Algerian history throughout its various developments. One can find there craftmens, tea house, small mosques and kids playing around. Although the district has been registered to the UNESCO, it seems very overlooked by local authorities and remains in a state of neglect. Besides, some locals advised me not to wander there alone at night. Here again, I need to highlight the kindness and hospitality of the Algerian people. One guy literally closed his shop to provide me with a free private guiding tour throughout the Casbah and at the end he insisted to offer me some local sweets.

Is Algeria safe for solo female tourists ?

I would not recommend a woman to travel alone in Algeria. While the locals are particularly kind and hospitable, it is quite ingrained in their culture that a single woman should not travel without her brother, husband, or father. In this respect, I was able to discuss with an Algerian girl who seemed particularly upset about the local mentality (harassment is way higher than the one happening in Europe, freedom to wear uncovered clothes is very limited, etc…). Of course this does not concern the whole population but the culture is still quite conservative and it is better to roam around with a local friend.

Final thoughts

This being said, I wish one day to come back to Algeria, notably to explore the southern part where it is possible to roam through the desert and to admire roman ancient ruins. Also, I hope to visit Constantine in a near future.

Eventually, Algeria was a very pleasant surprise and I am now convinced that the country has some tremendous potential.

The following shots feature Algiers, the Hamma garden and Oran :