Arrive in Algiers, transfer to your hotel (20 minutes by car). Walk with your guide to explore the
surroundings of your hotel located in the center of town. (No meal is included). Overnight in Algiers.

One-day trip to Algiers. Departure from the hotel at 8:30 am for a day tour of the capital, “Algiers la Blanche”. We start the visit by the Casbah (classified as a World Heritage Site), the Citadel, the residence of Dey in the upper Casbah, then crossing walk through the narrow streets, stop at artisans, the house-museum of the heroes of the “Battle of Algiers” (1957), the Ketchaoua mosque (outside), the Pasha palace built-in 1798 in the lower Casbah, is an exceptional architectural wealth. It houses the museum of miniature, illumination, and calligraphy and the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions (domestic life, housing, clothing …).

Continuation to the basilica of “Notre Dame d’Afrique”, a great panorama of the city and the bay. Then departure for lunch either at the Casbah in a guest house or in a restaurant in the modern quarter of the capital around the “Grande Poste” (neo-Moorish architecture), the most emblematic monument of Algiers.

In the afternoon, visit the Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Arts located in Liberty Park, which is the oldest museum in Algeria. It covers the history of art in Algeria for 2500 years, then the Bardo museum (a former residence built in the 18th century) and the Moorish villa- a museum of prehistory and ethnography.

Continuation of the visit to the Monument dedicated to the martyrs of the Algerian revolution (1954-1962), and nearby the army museum which traces the history of the country from the Numidian era to the present day. If time permits, before returning to the hotel, stop at the El Djazair ex Saint Georges hotel for a tea break on the terrace overlooking its botanical garden, dinner, and overnight in Algiers. (B, L, D)

Depart early morning after breakfast to Djemila, a world heritage site located 50 km northeast of the town of Setif. Known by its ancient name of Cuicul, the site of Djemila is an establishment of an ancient Roman colony founded under the reign of Nerva (96-98 AD). “The Roman city was a remarkable defensive site included its forum, temples and basilicas, arches of triumph and houses, at an altitude of 900 m, is a remarkable example of Roman town planning adapted to a mountainous site. Djemila is in the neighboring region of Constantine and Little Kabylia. It is an exceptional ancient site, well preserved. After lunch, continue to Constantine. Arrive at the end of the afternoon, in the “Capital of Arab Culture in 2015”, and former Cirta, dinner, and overnight in Constantine. (B, L, D)

Departure at 7:30 am, after breakfast to Timgad. Stops along the way “at the salt lakes of Ouled Zouaï” wetland classified as a biosphere and nesting place for flamingos, and at the mausoleum “Le Médracen” (the largest pre-Roman monument in the Maghreb, 3-4 centuries before our time). Continuation to Timgad, the Roman city (Unesco world heritage), on the north side of the Aurès, Timgad was created ex nihilo, in 100 AD. J. – C., by the emperor Trajan as a military colony. With its columns, its triumphal arch, its square enclosure, and its orthogonal plane controlled by the cardo and decumanus, the two perpendicular paths that crossed the city, it is a perfect example of Roman urbanism. Visit the recently reopened museum, containing the best mosaics of the countries around the Mediterranean basin. After lunch, visit also
a part of the Roman ruins of Lambèze and the museum. Back to Constantine, arrival at the end of the afternoon, dinner, and overnight in Constantine. (B, L, D)

Constantine-Ghardaia by flight, only on Wednesday: In the morning after breakfast at the hotel, departure at 8:30 am to visit this atypical city, a fortress built on the edge of a canyon, and famous for its cliffs and bridges. Meeting with copper craftsmen (brassware being the local specialty), visiting the Cirta museum and the Bey Palace with its recently renovated gardens (1835), and visit of the oldest bridge “El Kantara. Crossing the Sidi M’Cid suspension bridge, visit the monument dedicated to the Constantine fighters (Christians, Jews, and Muslims) who died during the 1st World War, and the Emir Abdelkader Mosque, an architectural gem. Lunch, and transfer to the airport for the flight to Ghardaia at 2:35 pm. Arrive at 3:55 p.m., orientation tour and transfer to your residence, a traditional house in the palm grove, dinner and overnight in Béni Isguen (Ghardaia). (B, L, D)

Breakfast and departure at 8:30 am to visit the towns of the M‘Zab Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The exterior of the Great Pyramid Mosque (11th century), the traditional water division system, and the Great Square and its carpet bazaars (a local specialty). Visit the cities of the pentapolis: Mélika (1124), El Atteuf the oldest (1012) whose architecture inspired Le Corbusier and other artists. In the afternoon, visit the holy city of Béni Isguen (1050) and its “auction” market which takes place every day after the 2nd-afternoon prayer. Return to the residence and walk in the palm grove, dinner, and overnight in Béni Isguen (Ghardaia), B, L, D

Breakfast and transfer at 6.00 am to the airport for the flight to Algiers at 8.00 am. Just arrival at 9.45 a.m., departure for a one-day excursion to Cherchell and Tipasa. Cherchell, 100 km west of Algiers, ancient Cesarea, was founded in the fourth century BC by the Phoenicians and from 40 AD, it was the capital of the Roman province of Mauretania Caesarean section, which extends to the Atlantic Ocean. Visit the museum and a part of the ruins. Continue to Tipasa, a Roman city by the sea 70 km west of Algiers, the Phoenicians founded a counter to the fifth century BC. The city experienced its rise as the Numidian king Juba II and becomes Caesaria (current Cherchell) one of the centers of Greco-Roman culture in North Africa. After the lunch (fish meal), visit the museum and walk in the archaeological park classified as world heritage by Unesco: amphitheater, theater, large basilica … and among the ancient tombs, a stele
has been erected in memory of Albert Camus, philosopher, and Nobel laureate, born in Algeria who
dedicated admirable pages to Tipasa “Noces” (Wedding). Return to Algiers, stop on the road to visit the Mausoleum Royal Mauretania (some historians believe that this is a royal mausoleum built by King Juba II who reigned from 25 BC. to 23 AD. and his wife, Queen Cleopatra Selene), dinner and overnight in Algiers. (B, L, D)

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport 3 hours before the time of the departure flight. (B)