While Algeria is practically synonymous with the Sahara desert – rightfully so, since it takes up more than four fifths of the land, the country has much more to offer, including beautifully preserved ruins – the most famous at Djemila – considered to be among the greatest Roman ruins in North Africa, as well as at Tipasa and Timgad.
Algeria is Africa’s second largest country, of which Algiers is the largest city. Known as the “Algiers the White” for its white buildings that rise up as a backdrop to the Mediterranean coast, it has been considered the gateway to the orient, and is known for its colonial French influenced architecture.
Kabylia is a scenic region in northern Algeria with diversified landscapes, from grassy fields to snow capped mountains and proud Berber locals. Heading south towards the Sahara, you enter the world of sand dunes, oasis’s, caravans and camels where you can view fantastic gorges, such as the El Kautara Gorge and dessert towns, including Timimoun, a pretty Saharan Oasis town known for its red ochre color of the buildings, and Beni-Isguen, a holy city that has retained its traditional lifestyle, and a number of markets.
The Hauts Plateaux features two mountain ranges, the Tell Atlas and the Saharan Atlas, within which Tlemcen, an important imperial city offers sites of the Grand Mosque, the Mansourah fortress and the Almohad ramparts.
Tourism in Algeria is still held back by instability in the country even though the war between Islamists and the government ended several years ago. The threat from terrorism continues to be a security risk, particularly in the south. Since early 2007 car bombs have occurred and local inhabitants and foreigners have been killed. Although, the security situation has improved, one should still exercise caution and travel advisories issued by the U.S. and other governments should be referred to.
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