ALGERIA

Morning/Afternoon: departure from Italy and arrival in Algiers, Algeria’s vibrant capital. Transfer to the city center and check-in at the hotel.

Evening: traditional dinner in the heart of Algiers.

Morning: exploration of modern Algiers begins at the iconic Central Post Office, one of the city’s most beautiful landmarks, known for its stunning Neo-Moorish architecture and richly decorated interiors with stucco details and intricate mosaics. After taking in panoramic views over Algiers from the Clock Garden, visit the MAMA, the city’s fascinating museum of modern art housed in an elegant Neo-Moorish building. Lunch in the city center.

Afternoon: from Port Said Square, home to the National Theatre, continue towards the eastern side of central Algiers to visit the beautiful El Hamma Botanical Garden overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The day continues with a visit to the imposing Martyrs’ Memorial of Independence.

Evening: dinner at a traditional restaurant in the heart of Algiers.

Morning: walking tour through the historic Casbah of Algiers. Starting from Martyrs’ Square, wander through the narrow streets of the lower Casbah, visiting Dar Aziza Palace and admiring the 17th-century Ketchaoua Mosque from the outside. Enjoy panoramic views over the Casbah while continuing through its maze of winding alleys lined with whitewashed buildings and colorful doors. Lunch featuring local street food specialties.

Afternoon: descend towards the waterfront at the edge of the Casbah and visit the Palais des Rais. Transfer to the airport in the mid-afternoon for the domestic flight to Ghardaïa.

Evening: arrival in Ghardaïa, hotel check-in and dinner

Morning: explore Ghardaïa, capital of the Mozabite Pentapolis, the five fortified villages of the M’zab Valley. Begin at the beautiful market square at the foot of the old town, which rises on a hill crowned by its mosque.

Afternoon: continue to the other villages of the Pentapolis, including El Atteuf, Bou Noura, and the sacred city of Beni Isguen. The towns of the M’zab Valley all follow the same architectural layout, with the mosque, the spiritual heart of the community, standing at the top, while the village stretches harmoniously down the hillside. Considered a masterpiece of ancient urban planning, the Mozabite Pentapolis also inspired the work of the renowned architect Le Corbusier. Time to relax among the cool palm groves and oasis landscapes surrounding the villages.

Evening: dinner and evening in Ghardaïa

Morning: set off by 4×4 heading south along the legendary N1, the Trans-Saharan Highway that crosses Algeria from north to south, venturing deep into the Sahara towards the oasis town of El Menia, formerly known as El Goléa. Arrival in the late morning, followed by hotel check-in and lunch.

Afternoon: visit the impressive Berber ksar (fortress) and the Church of Saint Joseph, whose courtyard contains the tomb of Charles de Foucauld. A soldier and explorer who later became a Christian hermit among the Tuareg communities of the Algerian Sahara, Foucauld was assassinated in 1916 and was later canonized by the Catholic Church.

Evening: dinner and evening in El Menia

Morning: day dedicated to the 4×4 transfer along the N1 towards In Salah. Lunch en route

Afternoon: continue the trans-Saharan journey, arriving in In Salah later in the day. After hotel check-in, explore the oasis town, located on the edge of the Tademaït Plateau near the ruins of an ancient ksar. Free time to wander through In Salah and experience daily life in one of the remote desert towns of the Algerian Sahara.

Evening: dinner and evening in In Salah

Morning: continue south by 4×4 along the N1 towards Tamanrasset, the legendary gateway to the Algerian Sahara and the ancient caravan routes leading towards Niger and sub-Saharan Africa.

Afternoon: crossing vast plateaus and dramatic desert landscapes of sand and rock, arrive in the Hoggar Mountains, home to Mount Tahat, Algeria’s highest peak at 2,918 meters. Surrounded by rugged scenery of extraordinary beauty, arrival in Tamanrasset, capital of the Tuareg region, followed by hotel check-in.

Evening: dinner and evening in Tamanrasset

Morning: departure by 4×4 towards Assekrem, known in the Tuareg language as the “End of the World”, a spectacular plateau nestled among the peaks of the Hoggar Mountains. The route follows a dirt track winding between Adaouda Peak and Mount Akar Akar, through dramatic desert mountain scenery, ancient springs, and dry riverbeds.

Afternoon: arrival at the mountain refuge, located at approximately 2,600 meters above sea level, followed by check-in. A one-hour trek leads to Father Charles de Foucauld’s hermitage, built in 1911 at an altitude of 2,725 meters, in a breathtaking setting overlooking Mount Tahat, which glows deep red at sunset, one of the Sahara’s most unforgettable sights.

Evening: dinner and time to admire the spectacular star-filled sky from the Assekrem refuge.

Morning: sunrise over the dramatic cliffs of the Hoggar massif, followed by a 4×4 journey back to Tamanrasset along a different desert route. Along the way, we skirt Mount Ilamane and pass through the pastoral village of Terhenanet, surrounded by lush gardens and palm groves.

Afternoon: continuation of the journey through the magnificent desert landscapes of the Hoggar region, arriving in Tamanrasset in the afternoon. Hotel check-in followed by time to explore the Tuareg capital.

Evening: dinner and evening in Tamanrasset

Morning: departure by 4×4 along desert tracks towards the Tamekrest region. Visit to traditional Tuareg villages, followed by a picnic near the Tamekrest waterfall.

Afternoon: return to Tamanrasset and time to explore the city. Free time at the vibrant Marché Africain (“African Market”), where traditional Tuareg souks blend with the cultures and trade routes of Sub-Saharan Africa, with the opportunity to browse local handicrafts and artisanal products.

Evening: dinner in Tamanrasset and early rest before the following day’s flight.

Morning: very early departure and flight from Tamanrasset to Algiers (possible technical stop in Djanet). Arrival in Algiers in the early morning, followed by transfer to the city center and hotel check-in. Free time, with the possibility of joining an optional excursion to Tipasa. Departure by bus along the western coastline towards Tipasa, with a visit to the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania, a fascinating Numidian tomb dating back to the 1st century BC.

Afternoon: visit to the spectacular Roman ruins of Tipasa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, followed by time to relax at Chenoua Beach and swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean. Return to Algiers in the late afternoon.

Evening: dinner at a traditional restaurant in the center of Algiers

Morning: transfer to the airport for the return flight to Italy… See you on the next adventure!