Why is it a mystery ?
Whenever there is a high risk there is a mandatory escort. Very simple and nothing to do with bribes.

Tunisia have terrorist groups near the border of Algeria (Chaambi mountain).
The same applies with the western part of Algeria where there is an ongoing war between the Polisario front and morocco.

South and East its even worse with Libya, Mali and Niger.

Basically anything above Ghardaia and far from the borders is fine.

Regarding Abdou Semmar, I was reading his articles since Algerie-focus website.
His "investigations" do not bring anything new to the table.
He is probably being paid by moroccan secret services ( I have nothing to back my claim with but from what he says, it becomes very clear)

Chengriha is not someone who likes power, he definitely hates morocco, he was in charge of the third military region (Bechar and Tindouf provinces), he has a lot of experience and wouldn't hesitate start a war with Morocco in order to destroy it.

Tebboune has a lot of power because he is the president and can remove Chengriha anytime.
Moreover, Chengriha is not that powerful within the army itself, he is starting to grow in power but he is nowhere near Gaid Salah in his prime for instance.
And even Gaid Salah in his time was not that powerful, Hamel, the head of Police was a serious threat for Bouteflika and Gaid Salah but he was put in jail after the cocaine affair in oran port.
This affair itself shows you how power was split, basically, you had police forces who were fighting against gendarmerie to get first to the port in order to seize the 701 kg of Cocaine.
Gendarmerie came first, Hamel was finished.

Why because in order to have the military with you, you need the head of intelligence, marine, DCSA, Police (which grew a lot in power) ... etc.

Boutflika was smart enough to know how to negociate with some military figures in order to eliminate the other ones and that is how he stayed in power.

He first got rid of Lamari by making an alliance with Toufik who was the head of intelligence while Lamari, Nezzar and Bellkhir were backing Benflis.

Algeria is really complicated and doesn't have a single point of failure like so many other countries (Gaddafi/Libya, Saddam/Irak... etc), if someone goes that doesn't change the rules, people change, the system stays the same, but no one knows who is in charge because power is not in the hands of a few people.

One would expect that comment from an Algerian :)
But Semmar is plenty anti-moroccan, from his writings.

Exactly.

And what protection does one get from a tourist agency escort, if that is what you mean?
Or occasional gendarmerie escorts, who only ever do so on highways?
No tourist in Alg was ever kidnapped off a highway.

At least in the Gilf they threw in a soldier! (Albeit dressed like a rapper with no comms or arms or any idea what was going on, but enjoying a holiday ;-)

Maybe not so bad now, but I'd feel far more nervous and conspicuous in parts of Kabylia than in the middle of the Immidir plateau, as unescorted Herve G found to his cost.

Alger goverment protect only gas fields and protect citizens from contact with us.

As Chris said gandarmerie escort is only on the highways and gandarmerie always tried to minimalize our contact with people.

Everything changed in south. Escort finished in Djaned and we could spend our time everywhere alone or with guide and we were even on the border with Libia.

As above it is only oil bussines and no infuence on local people.

Protect us from the people....had a discussion with the chief of police in Illizi, and he said just that - escort needed to protect us from "gamins". I retorted we have gamins in Europe too, but no escort.
Kabylia, yes but - Looking back, I think the eeriest place we passed in Algeria was Bir Al Ater, going down from Tebessah (which was eerie enough) to Oued. Only stopped for a coffee. Border town, sort of.

Well, there is some news today (Article in Arabic):
https://www.afrigatenews.net/article...4%D8%A7%D8%AA/

This is a petition signed by some moroccans and algerians , they want the border to be open... guess what ? Abdou Semmar is one of them.

Once again, this only reinforces the fact that Abdou Semmar is working for moroccan services.

I was talking about gendarmerie escort not tourist agencies.
Regarding why one would need a tourist agency, I really believe that the goal is to track your movements, since agencies will send information about their foreign customers to the authorities.

Now regarding Kabylia which I know very well, I feel way safer there than in a remote place in Tassili n'Ajjer. Obviously there are some parts of the country which are dangerous but the locals know where NOT TO GO.

Gourdel was accompagnied by french-algerians who do not have any idea about the place they were going to, they didn't ask the authorities for information and basically, these french algerians were responsible for his death.

Why wouldn't everyone want the border to open in the long term? Except for sinister reasons.

I would say those responsible for Gourdel's death were those who chopped his head off.

If you'll have a chance to go back to Algeria, ask any Algerian if he is willing to see the borders open with Morocco.
Easily 70% of the population is against it for many reasons (drugs, prostitution, bad propaganda ... etc).
The final nail in the coffin was the new deal with Israel, that is definitely a point of no return for the vast majority of Algerians, and I really doubt that the borders will ever be open.

As of Gourdel's death, if you invite some friends, would you take the risk to go to a dark dangerous street or a dodgy place and not be guilty if something bad happens ?

You hit the nail on the head. It is all about local knowledge and experience. I fell most comfortable in the remoter parts of the Tassili, because I know that area very well, and I go there with the right local people.

Hidden Algeria: The Sahara doc
 

https://www.netflix.com/title/81471124

Only skimmed it so far but looks pretty good; some familiar places all the way down to Tadrart and the Hoggar.

(Also of interest The Moors: https://www.netflix.com/watch/81466297 - not watched yet)

Great spot!

French MEAE ('FCO') loosens the reins a bit
https://topdestinationsalgerie.com/l...stes-francais/

Advice maps after and before below.

(UK FCO meantime and for years has show Alg wide open apart from a thin border band: https://sahara-overland.com/algeria-3/

@Priffe,
This is an irrefutable evidence that Semmar works for morocco, this audio was leaked by intelligence services
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy8faIN8Fn8

So now, you can't say that I was wrong ... BTW, he was sentenced to death by algerian court for revealing secret information about the state-owned oil company Sonatrach.

Algeria lightning up?
 

News from Le Pointe

Point-Afrique reconnects with its first love: the Great South of Algeria!

We are focusing all our forces on Algeria this winter. The obvious reason for this choice is based on 2 factors:

1/ Political evolution in Algeria
Without wishing to interfere in Algeria's internal politics, we have observed a real change in social life and a new determination to open up to the outside world. The hunt for corruption is becoming a reality. Algeria is called to become the link between Africa and Europe.

2/ Political developments in France
France's recent rapprochement with Algeria is probably linked to our energy needs, but this is not the only cause!

The political climate in Algeria and the will of the new authorities are the catalysts for this state of affairs. On October 12, 2022, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs changed the Djanet area from red to orange on the Quai d'Orsay map...and soon to yellow for the end of the year.....

Of course this really just covers Tassili fly-ins. Off highway overlanding (or anything else) outside the Illizi wilaya still seems to be proscribed.