How many days do you need in Algeria? A week covers the highlights of the north: Algiers, Tipaza, Constantine and the Roman cities of Djemila and Timgad. With 10 days you can add Oran and Tlemcen in the west, and with two weeks you can add the Sahara, either the oasis of Timimoun or Djanet and the rock art of Tassili n’Ajjer. Algeria is the largest country in Africa, so plan for domestic flights or long train rides between regions. This guide gives day-by-day itineraries for 7, 10 and 14 days, how to get around and what to book in advance.
Planning a trip? Start with our complete Algeria travel guide, our Algeria visa guide and the best time to visit Algeria.
The short answer
- 3 to 5 days: Algiers and Tipaza, or Algiers plus Constantine.
- 7 days: Algiers, Tipaza, Djemila, Constantine and Timgad.
- 10 days: add Oran and Tlemcen in the west.
- 14 days: add the M’zab Valley and Timimoun, or a desert trip to Djanet.
- When: spring and autumn for the north; October to March for the Sahara.
Algeria in 7 days: the classic north
Seven days is enough for Algeria’s classic northern route: Algiers, Tipaza, Djemila, Constantine and Timgad.
| Day | Route | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Algiers | The seafront, the Grande Poste and the downtown boulevards |
| 2 | Algiers | The Casbah with a local guide, Notre-Dame d’Afrique, the Martyrs’ Memorial |
| 3 | Day trip to Tipaza | The seaside Roman ruins and the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania |
| 4 | Algiers to Constantine via Djemila | The mountain Roman city and its mosaic museum |
| 5 | Constantine | The bridges, the gorge and the Palace of Ahmed Bey |
| 6 | Day trip to Timgad | Trajan’s grid town and the Lambaesis legion camp |
| 7 | Fly or take the train back to Algiers | Last visits and departure |
Read more: things to do in Algiers, Constantine and Roman ruins in Algeria.
Algeria in 10 days: east and west
Follow the 7-day plan, then head west instead of ending in Algiers.
| Day | Route | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1–6 | As above | Algiers, Tipaza, Djemila, Constantine, Timgad |
| 7 | Fly from Constantine to Oran, or travel via Algiers | The Front de Mer in the evening |
| 8 | Oran | Santa Cruz fort, Sidi El Houari and the Pasha Mosque |
| 9 | Oran to Tlemcen | The Great Mosque, El Mechouar and the medina |
| 10 | Tlemcen, then fly to Algiers | Mansourah and Sidi Boumediene |
Read more in our Oran and Tlemcen guide.
Algeria in 14 days: the north and the Sahara
Add four days in the desert to the 10-day route. This option suits October to April.
| Day | Route | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | As above | The north, east and west |
| 11 | Fly from Algiers to Ghardaïa | The market square and the M’zab Valley at sunset |
| 12 | Ghardaïa | Beni Isguen with a local guide, El Atteuf and the palm groves |
| 13 | Travel to Timimoun | The red ksour and the salt lake at sunset |
| 14 | Timimoun, then fly to Algiers | The foggaras, the dunes and the Gourara circuit |
Read more: the M’zab Valley and the Algerian Sahara.
A Sahara week: Djanet and Tassili
If the desert is your main goal, spend a week in the far southeast with a licensed agency.
- Day 1: fly from Algiers to Djanet; meet your guide.
- Days 2–3: the Erg Admer dunes and rock engravings around Djanet.
- Days 4–6: by 4×4 into the Tadrart, or a trek onto the Tassili plateau to see the paintings.
- Day 7: back to Djanet and fly to Algiers.
Your agency can arrange Sahara tourism pre-approval for a visa on arrival. Check official travel advice for the region before you book. See is Algeria safe?
Getting around Algeria
The best way to get around Algeria is to combine domestic flights for long distances with trains and drivers in the north.
| Mode | Best for |
|---|---|
| Domestic flights | Long distances and the Sahara: Djanet, Timimoun, Ghardaïa, Tamanrasset, Oran, Constantine |
| Trains | Algiers to Oran (about four to five hours, several a day), Constantine and night trains to Annaba and Tlemcen |
| Car with driver or tour | The Roman sites and countryside, which are hard to reach by public transport |
| Trams and metro | Getting around Algiers, Oran and Constantine |
Planning tips
- Get your visa first. Most visitors need one before they travel; see our visa guide.
- Book desert trips and New Year dates early.
- Leave buffer time around domestic flights, which can change at short notice.
- Bring enough euros or dollars in cash for the whole trip.
- Use a local agency for the Roman sites and the south: it saves time at checkpoints and on logistics.
Travel with a local guide
Simsem’s Algeria host, Freedom Travel Algeria, offers ready-made journeys from 3 to 11 days:
Discovering Algiers & Tipaza
Three days in Algiers and the Roman ruins of Tipaza on the sea.
Algeria Heritage Express: Algiers, Constantine & Roman Treasures – 5 Days Cultural Journey
Five days with Freedom Travel Algeria: Algiers and its Casbah, Constantine’s bridges and the Roman cities of Timgad and Djemila.
Journey Algiers, Oran & Tlemcen Heritage Escape
Six days in Algiers, Oran and Tlemcen, the cities of Algeria’s west.
Journey Algeria Explorer: From Roman Heritage to Saharan Adventures
Eight days from the Roman coast at Tipaza and Cherchell to the rock art and canyons of Tassili n’Ajjer.
Algeria Grand Discovery: From Mediterranean Cities to the Red Sahara
Eleven days from the Mediterranean cities to the red oasis of Timimoun and the dunes of the Grand Erg.
See all Algeria experiences on Simsem.
FAQ
How many days do you need in Algeria?
Seven days for the main sights of the north, 10 days to add Oran and Tlemcen, and two weeks to include the Sahara.
What is the best Algeria itinerary for one week?
Algiers, Tipaza, Djemila, Constantine and Timgad: the capital, the Casbah, the city of bridges and Algeria’s best Roman ruins.
Can you travel around Algeria by train?
Yes, between the main northern cities. Trains link Algiers with Oran, Constantine, Annaba and Tlemcen.
How do you get to the Sahara from Algiers?
By domestic flight to Djanet, Timimoun, Ghardaïa or Tamanrasset, where your agency meets you.
Is it better to travel Algeria independently or with a tour?
The cities are easy to visit independently. For the Roman sites, the long distances and the Sahara, a local agency or guide makes the trip much easier, and a guide is required in some areas.
Can I combine Algeria with Tunisia?
Yes, by air. Check current advice before crossing by land, since parts of the Tunisian border area are covered by travel warnings.
Sources
- SNTF — Algerian National Railways
- Air Algérie (domestic flights)
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Algeria
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Algeria travel advice
- Wikimedia Commons — photographs credited in each caption
