Unique Places in Algeria

I worked in the desert in Algeria in 2005/2006 ...beautiful scenery but a lot of tension in regard to personal safety for foreigners...perhaps all coming from me, but was required to stay in a fenced in camp and not advised to move about outside the camp. Military escourts for desert trips was advised...not sure if over the top but certainly tensed me up...so didn't enjoy it that much. People were all very friendly and nice, except for one fanatic who was offended by my drying my underpants on a bush in sun..so beware there are some highly sensitive people out there. Great fruit and meat. People earn meager incomes and are poor, but kind if you just show them the respect they deserve.

This photo was taken in Annaba back country. Household refuse from large and smaller cities are collected and poured in dumping grounds. This can be a heaven for cows or sheep that are happy to find a part of their feed.

1 more image

Terfezia leonis* (Lions' terfez) is an hypogeous mushroom that grows in sub-desert areas. This photo was taken in Ghardaia, were there were heaps of terfez at the market. It belongs to the truffle family but it's taste is closer to potatoes or turnips than to Périgord's black truffle from France or Alba's white truffle from Italy.

Our friend brought us to Hammam Meskhoutine, once the meeting we had attended was over. I will soon build a page on this amazing place. It is a very hot spring (98?C), with a very large flow and a very high level of dissolved minerals. Thus, it gives wonderful cliffs of deposit that are, too my feeling, far more impressive than those found in the Yellowstone National Park. Look at the size of the person on top of the concretions !

The gueltas are unique to this region. They are small terraces, pots and small cascades in which water runs permanently - although this is a completely desert environment. You will find rich vegetation, and the diverse fauna includes fish species such as the desert barbel!

The nomadic Touareg of Tamanrasset use the gueltates to store water for domestic needs and as a watering site for their herds, and the area is a popular place visited by some 20,000 local and foreign tourists per year!!

Arak is the village/town half the way between In Salah and Tamanrasset, at a very low elevation, and terribly hot. The town itself is not much to stop for, but the nearby gorges are quite rewarding.

We only stopped there to spend the night in one of the gorges, which was quite nice and definitely off the beaten path!

Near town of Algier, just 11 km far away to west you can find wonderfull bungalows and beaches called CLUB THE PIN

Near is also Hotel Sheraton but for me is like prison at beach. Beton structure small windows...bljak...fuj...

Algier is windy and take a jacket also on the beach, some times wind can come in a minute and air is cold...

Dont forget sun protection, cap, creme whit hing factor UV.

Beach is full of shells. Especcialy at this beach you can buy water and all toher foods, refreshment in beach restaurants and kiosk.

In the surroundings of Beni Abbes we made a early morning walk.
We passed this small swimming pool with clear spring water a few KM outside of town.
It was a nice shady place with a lot of palm trees.