Apart from the changing regulations, we could also share our recommendations of places to stay in Algeria. I for one am interested in recommendations in or near the following places and will update upon my return, if I will get there at all...

Oran - Tlemcen - Aïn Sefra - Taghit - Beni Abbes - Timimoun - El Golea (Meniaa) - Ghardaïa - Laghouat - Bou Saada - Algiers

grtz
Raf

Rui T gave some recent recoms for some of those towns here:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...973#post280491

Forget the name but there were a couple of nice, tiled, non en-suite cheapies about here in Ghardaia:

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 pre-order for Xmas • Trans Morocco Trail

Yep, got in touch with Rui after his post, but was thinking to put the recommendations/updates together in a thread like the Moroccan one?

BTW For those interested, in winter 2010 the Rose de Sables in Timimoun will not open before 25/10/2010.

... was thinking to put the recommendations/updates together in a thread like the Moroccan one?

Nice idea but I think the Morocco list is potentially much more useful for many more people as there are many places to choose from and the less sunny climate and short distances make non-camping viable.

IMO in Alg (and Mori and Libya, etc) you take what you're given but for most the desert is the best place of all.

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 pre-order for Xmas • Trans Morocco Trail

Can't agree more Chris, but maybe it could be useful for people heading south or making a tour in the North/northern Sahara as I'm sure some around here are planning/have done...

OK, let's see if we can make a list!

In Tam I have used Camping Dassine since 1981 and now just for old time's sake. It's not as busy as it was but the hot showers are now not a 5 min walk from the huts though the resto is. Usually the place is empty these days.

In Djanet I like Hotel Zeriba in town for the same nostalgic reasons, though I have not been there for a while and it's cheaper and more fun to eat in town.

Up north I dont remember much but Rui's list will be useful for next time.

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 pre-order for Xmas • Trans Morocco Trail

First, a qualification that I did not have to make any considerations for a vehicle/bike.

The hostel network has a somewhat new website, which is not fully functional, but is vastly superior to what existed a year ago.

[url=http://www.faaj.org/auberge.html]FAAJ, Auberges de Jeunesse (Alg

There are hostels in many towns. The quality varies widely, as does there location downtown or on the outskirts. In Taghit hostel during the cold spell of January 2009 it was below freezing with the windchill, and the water heater - L'Avenir "The Future" - would not heat. I am Canadian and the tenth of a shower I had there was the coldest I have ever been.

One consistent feature is cheapness, just a couple of euro/pounds/dollars per night.

In Oran the Hotel Riadh is very close to the train station, across the plaza, and a pleasant walk to and from the centre of town. It was about 600DA per night and spartan but clean. No use really if you need to store a vehicle over night.

In Tlemcen the Hotel Al Mansour is on Place des Feddiyines between the main square and the market area. Cheap again and very clean, with an almost too gregarious owner. Again, not the best for vehicles.

In Ain Sefra - the most beautiful place in the country when snow clung to the hills above the little area of sand dunes - the Mehkter has a range of rooms and is suitable for overlanders! It is one of the state hotel chain, and if you ask you get very reasonable rates for not having sat tv, modern heaters (which weren't necessary), and having to go to the back end of the complex. The front desk people thought it was a bit perverse though!

The hostel in Taghit is on the erg side of the road to the south of the centre of town. See cold water above, only one lightbulb per room too. The Hotel Taghit is a lazy place with a bar. I didn't see any of the rooms though.

Cherchell - to the west of Tipaza with a small but mighty Roman antiquities museum - has a hostel to the west of town. Tipaza has one too, but it was full for some event when I was there.

Algiers doesn't come cheap or at a good value. The hostel is out to the east a fair ways. I picked a place in town just off Didouche Mourad - and promptly spent the next 3 days in a state of internal flux.

Hope this helps.

The (ok parts of the) North and its people are lovely too.

do you have a working email contact?

thks

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bernardo feio (Portugal)
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