Algeria... is it dangerous?
 

Hi!

We are a couple of Chileans starting a RTW, we are currently in Barcelona, next week we are going to France, currently we are on foot as the bike will arrive to Spain in mid May.

We want to go in the bike to Algeria, but some European people told us that is dangerous and suggested do not go there.

Is it like that? or they just don´t know what are they talking about?(actually non of them has been there)

Are there camp sites? How can I get the info?
I bet they don´t have couchsurfing.

PS: I read several theads about Algeria and in non of them I read about safety issues, so I guess is ok, but is better to be sure.
And I understood that nowadays a guide is not required in the north, am I right?

Hi Gotan,

Getting a visa for Algeria might be difficult and tourism isn't a priority for them at present.

Also this just in:- BBC News - Algeria: AQIM militants kill 14 soldiers in mountains

Happy trails,

Peter

I don't believe it is as dangerous as many people say and certainly less so than Libya, which travellers occasionally transit. The problem is they don't really encourage tourists, visas can be difficult to get, and what little tourism there was has collapsed.
Plus, as in all these countries, you will be a conspicuous as foreigners (probably the only bikers in the country) and so possibly more exposed.
To travel in the south - the best bit by far - you will need an escort (which doesn't really make you safe from kidnapping) but many pistes there are closed so its a bit of a road ride there and back.

Even then, I would say a return run to Djanet for example would be a great ride of about a week. Or the same to Tam, taking a loop up to Assekrem (piste, but probably open).

I am not sure I would bother with the north, even without an escort. You may be less likely to get a visa this way. One good tour that is technically out of the escort zone is down to El Meniaa, west to Timimoun and back up via Bechar.

The only way in or out in via the Med ports or from Tunisia. All other borders are currently closed and some are genuinely risky areas.

Camp sites are few but the desert is one big camp site. Never investigated couch surfing, hotels can be cheap, so is food and fuel. People are great in my experience; no hassle whatsoever as you find in Morocco/Egypt.

Ch

fyi: the Tizi Ouzou area mentioned in the link above has long been a no go area.

Hi Peter Girling and Chris Scott:

Thanks a lot for your answers!

Sadly, the Marroco consulate in Spain told us they will not give us the Visa to go to Marroco, we MUST get them in our country of residence (Chile), so to get the visas we should send our passports and other documents back to Chile... lot of trouble.

that and the "no go zone" in the north, which we were planning to cross to get to Tunisia, made us to remove Algeria (and Tunisia) from our planned route.

Kind Regards,

Francisco

PS: Thanks again!... coming from the other site of the world - were there´s little of no information about so far away countries like Algeria - is great to have a place like this to talk about this things.

The border regions with Mali and Libya are rather dodgy, with many shady characters trying to cross, preferably without attracting attention. Latest news from El Watan:
La menace persiste aux frontières sud - Actualité - El Watan

Nevertheless, as Chris said above the rest of the South (at least where you are permitted to go) is reasonably secure by Saharan standards.

Hi
As i am a touareg ..born & living in djanet .. I have a good knowledgement of my land ...so I'm telling you that peace is all around in here .
I work as a guide and i just came back from a 3 trips since the beginning of september with european tourists we navigated tadrart , Essendillene ,and erg Admer
" Peace"

Can we drive down to Djanet in our own 4x4?
Pick up a guide in Illizi perhaps?
Can we take the shortcut from HBG to Illizi?
Go to Amguid?
Berliet no22?
Cross over to Tamanrasset?

:)
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NG...g=w800-h600-no

I would add "Can we access the Tamrit plateau above Djanet ?" to the list...

Jan 17
 

Situation Jan 2017:
A guide is waiting for you at the border.
Desert exploration started from Djanet. HGB> Illizi still with Gandarmerie. I think it would be very difficult to force them to drive off-road.
From Djanet>Tadrart Rouge>Djanet only guides with us.
We went east from N3A so we didn't see any balise.
We were told we can't drive to Tam from Djanet but that Tam is accesible via TSH.
We felt safe all the time.

Hi,

You wrote: "Tam is accesible via TSH."
Also for European tourist with their own car (with a guide)?
RR.

Don't know about B22 but no to the rest last time I asked a few weeks ago.

yes, but from there all you can do is Assekrem.

So really, a long drive to explore a relatively limited area(s) if you seen much of Alg before. But if you've not seen Afara to Tadrart and all in between, probably worth it, despite visa hassles.
We have just started the visa dance with 3 months to go.

I know it is not the same, but what about exploring other parts of Algeria, like the southwest. Beni Abbes to Reggane. Impossible? I haven't seen anyone asking.

According to Timtar - yes.

afaik, if you stay on the road you can go as far south as the timimoun road.
below adrar is same as below in salah.

Without an escort or even a guide?
Then one could theoretically do a few detours :)