I'v got today info from Tenezrouft about my schedule of visit in Algeria.
They told: south is safe, but in north is unsafe and we have to keep main roads and no wild camping.
However in algerian embassy told: you can drive without guide in north.
So what do you think about dangerous in Algeria. I was in many african and asian countries and I underestand what mean "dangerous", but I don't know what to think about this??
I really think that Marocco is more "unsafe" that Algeria.
First time in my life in Tunesia I have attempt of burglary in my car (only car lock damged). If this is usafe it is no problem.
Please help me friends.

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Bartosz
www.wyprawy4x4.com.pl

... south is safe, but in north is unsafe and we have to keep main roads and no wild camping.

I would say take the advice of the agency - they live and work in the country not in an embassy in the posh quarter of some distant European capital.

However in algerian embassy told: you can drive without guide in north.

They are mistaken AFAIK. Try it - you won't get let out of Taleb Larbi or Algiers port. As a rule embassies are almost always out of touch with self drive travel practicalities in the countries they represent.

... I underestand what mean "dangerous", but I don't know what to think about this??

The problem is you have to transit the more active north before you get to the safer south. And there has been a lot of 'activity', especially in the northwest (G E Occidental) lately.

I know that Agence Tanezrouft have revised their map of map of safe and accessible piste areas.

I really think that Marocco is more "unsafe" that Algeria.

For ambush/attack/kidnapping I dont think so my friend, but no worse than say, parts of Pakistan and several other countries.

First time in my life in Tunesia I have attempt of burglary in my car (only car lock damged). If this is usafe it is no problem.

Make no mistake, foreigners are- and have been a GSPC/AQIM target in Alg (generally east of Algiers) but currently there is activity in the north Sahara (GEOcc). It could all be a flash in the pan or maybe it was always going on but not reported or off our radar.

I am flying into Tam in Jan and am not concerned. There will be other groups flying in and we will be gone before anyone notices to a place where cars can't reach. But I cancelled a 4x4 tour for Feb passing round the GE Occ'. IMO it is being spotted getting to the southern desert in a conspicuous European convoy that could be a risk, especially carrying the escort as a passenger (ie no Algerian vehicle present).

For the moment the agency advice seems good to me. Go fast to the south and then enjoy the fabulous Algerian Sahara.

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Thank's Chris
Now I know more. I think the best will be fast get to the Tassili and Hogar region and after then try to see some places in north, but do it very quickly.
It is uncomfort for traveller to be in Algeria or other countries and don't see historical monuments and interest places.
This countries are not only desert. It is fantastic to be on Sahara but now I will be in to minds before choosing direction of my next year trip.
Once again thank's. I will wait for good info fro this region.

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Bartosz
www.wyprawy4x4.com.pl

Hi Bartosz, if you mean the Roman historical monuments like Timgad Djemila, Tipaza and so on, they look very interesting but it has been risky to visit much of that area for many, many years.
To go there it would be much better to be in a discrete local car and driver. (I presume you are in your car?)

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Things are becoming clear. Maybe first heading south and then go north, leave the car in safe place and as you write use a discrete local car and driver. Then back for my car and go straight to the border. Maybe it is good plan!?

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Bartosz
www.wyprawy4x4.com.pl

I wanted to go to Tipaza next trip, thinking that most of the trouble is east of Algiers.

Then to my surprise and chagrin there was a bombing on the highway near Tipaza this summer. Al Queda Group Claims Algerian Bombing
July 29th. 15 soldiers killed. So the bearded guys are all over the place.

Now I am thinking of seeing the north from a sailing ship! - we have one available in Portugal. That would be the safe way, no? - - - or maybe there are pirates too? Sigh.

Richard,

What do you mean by that?

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Roman (UK)

This was based on conversations with Algerian guides in Algeria. The guides become personally responsible for the tourists they are with for the time that the tourists are in the country. The authorities apparently make this clear to the guides and the strong suggestion is that the guides will suffer consequences if something were to happen. I wonder if anyone else has heard similar?

Richard,

>The guides become personally responsible for the tourists they are with for the time that the tourists are in the country.

That is true, they sign a contract, usually at the Gendarmes post at the border.

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Yves

I took that to be a marketing ploy, so they oblige you to sign them on for the whole trip and pay for every day. When I asked agencies "what if?" they meant that it was little they could do. Protection is from the gendarmes.

... I wonder if anyone else has heard similar?

I never have and I wonder whether this may have been a case of b/s to try and impress clients about the terrible pressure they are under.
IME guides (who are very poorly paid - the cars are rarely theirs) rarely want to take risks or follow interesting diversions at the best of times and AFAIK itineraries are approved by the wilaya or gendarmes.
Once that is done it would be pretty severe to what... send a guide's family to the salt mines just because he and his clients were unlucky enough to get nabbed?

For sure the agency (and so it's employes) is responsible and any funny business (most likely collecting neolithics/sand) it would lose its license.

But as with so much in Algie, what do we really know...

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

The interesting thing in the case/conversation I quoted was that the claim came from a person who was a stand-in (i.e. temporary) guide who came to our assistance following some problems with a vehicle with a regular guiding company. The temporary stand-in guide spoke openly about the agreement he had signed. The context of the conversation was that, far from us as tourists being afraid of any eventuality, he, as the stand-in guide had more to fear because he had guaranteed our safety.

A fuller set of circumstances on the trip is described here:
Sahara with Series 2A Land Rover

I mention this detail because a stand-in guide would probably not be motivated to make false claims for the sake of the tourist industry. He was not normally involved in the tourist industry and made it pretty clear he didn't much like tourists anyway. He may, of course, have had other motivations for saying what he did. That is why I asked if others had heard such claims. One case would not prove all.

Still, we are left with explaining why AQ-M, which began in Algeria pretty much, has not kidnapped tourists in Algeria since 2003 whereas they've spread the net now from Niger to Mauri. There must be a reason. At the same time AQ-M have transitted the country, sometimes with prisoners (Austrians from Tunisia). So the threat imposed on them by the Algerian military does not explain everything either.

Hi
Yes it's totaly true. Our guide was not an official guide, actually he was a friend of the couple who organize the trip, he made an agreement with a travel agency . And at the border when he signed the contract he realized the commitment he took, an really the police at the border was clear, he was responsible of us and for all which could happened. In Algeria it seems that every body fear the police.
When we (the bikes rapidly followed by the car) went off road at Borj El houes until Djanet, he was really angry against us, because at the check point before the military said stay on the road.

After Djanet and until Illizi throug Tam not control at all, it seems not logical at all, I don't think that all controls are for our safety, I think it is just to have a total control within the oil area, and after they don't care.

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Eric
http://two400xrinmorocco.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CJbEWCb_wk

I believe controls and regs vary from wilaya (province) to wilaya. Illizi town and Djanet are in Illizi wilaya which extends well north of HbG. Although there are plenty of oil installations around In Amenas etc, the current checkpoints (as well as piste closures) are I believe primarily an over-reaction to 2003 which all happened in Illizi wilaya. A shame as, as far as pistes go, Illizi wilaya was about as good as it got in Alg.

Tam wilaya (which on the regular piste starts at the re-occupied Serenout fort) is more relaxed, AFAIU, although I dont know why - is it just lack of oil installations? That is why were were going there next Feb, to roam around where we liked.

Ch

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail