From Annaba to Algiers via Constantine and Kabylia

From Annaba to Algiers via Constantine and Kabylia

11-day tour

Day 1:

Europe/Alger/Annaba

Arrival at Annaba (formerly Hippone) airport, in transit via Algiers or by direct flight from Europe, welcome by local team, transfer to airport and check into hotel. Free time before dinner, then overnight stay.

Day 2 :

Visit to the Basilica of Hippo and walk on the beaches of Saint-Cloud

After breakfast, visit the Basilica of Saint-Augustin (built in 1881 after the French conquest of 1830) and called "Lalla Bouna" by the local population. This Catholic church is a major historical monument, revealing Annaba's Catholic past. Every day, it welcomes visitors from all over the world to admire its architecture or to pay their respects. Visit the ruins of Hippo, just a few hundred meters from the basilica.

Lunch time.

The afternoon will be devoted to a stroll along the beaches of Saint-Cloud, and we'll witness our first sunset on Algerian soil. Return to hotel, evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 3:

Historical visits and relaxation (approx. 1h30 away)

After breakfast, we set off for a day punctuated by historical visits and moments of relaxation. Visit to the town of El-Kala (on the border with Tunisia), with its port and lively terraces in a heavenly setting.

After lunch, return to Annaba. The afternoon will be devoted to a walk to Seraïdi (850 m altitude), located on the Edough massif, from where you'll enjoy an exceptional view of the city of Annaba and its natural areas, still preserved from anarchic construction.

Day 4 :

Phoenician Skikda (approx. 2 hrs away)

After breakfast, departure for Skikda. Philippeville during the French colonial era, this port city is known as one of the country's most influential after Algiers and Oran. Arriving in Skikda, lunch will be taken not far from the city center. Afternoon stroll along Skikda's most beautiful beaches: Bikini, Miramar and Ravin des Lions. Return to Annaba, dinner and overnight stay.

Day 5 :

Constantine, the suspended city (approx. 1h45 away)

After breakfast, departure for Constantine, a major city in Mediterranean history. Capital of Numidia from 300 to 46 BC, ancient Cirta eventually came under Roman rule. Its current name was given by Emperor Constantine I in 313. Today, Cirta is better known as the city of suspension bridges. Visit to the Ahmed Bey Palace (another figure of Algerian resistance to the French invasion). Next, a visit to the "Cirta" ethnological museum. With a collection of over 17,000 works, the museum preserves rare antiquities ranging from prehistory to the Islamic period, via the Roman, Byzantine and colonial eras. Next, a visit to the Souk El Ghezal mosque, testimony to Constantine's Ottoman history. Finally, stroll along the city's suspension bridges, an indelible marker of this unique city. Dinner in a typical local restaurant and overnight at the hotel.

Day 6 :

Sétif, the Roman city that rivals Rome (approx. 4h30 away)

After an early breakfast, we set off again for the town of Sétif. This city is well known for its Roman site of Djemila, exploring its forum, temples, basilicas, triumphal arches and houses. This majestic setting is worthy of ancient times. Next, a visit to the Byzantine Citadel of Sétif. This great stone wall once protected a Byzantine fortress in 540. Stroll through the basilica district and its circus between the ramparts. Return to your hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 7 :

Bejaïa, the city of lights and knowledge (approx. 2h20 away)

After breakfast, departure for Béjaïa, famous for its legends and sites. Lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, departure for a discovery and exploration of Mount Yemma Gouraya. Contemplation of magnificent landscapes. The mountain was designated a World Nature Reserve by UNESCO in 2004. Indeed, the authenticity of this site is very real, with its fort said to be the sanctuary of a saint who is said to have marked the town's history. Countless legends have sprung up about the origins of this mountain. Some say that Gouraya is the translation of "little mountain" in the Vandal language. Others prefer to link it to the legend of the woman who defended Béjaïa during the Spanish invasion. The mountain is therefore a representation of Lalla Gouraya, who was the town's guardian and continues to watch over it.

Day 8:

Djurdjura Mountains/Tizi-Ouzou (approx. 3 hrs away)

After breakfast, we set off for the Djurdjura mountains, famous for their National Park of the same name. The park is located in northeastern Algeria, between the towns of Bouira and Tizi-Ouzou. Lunch on arrival.

The afternoon is devoted to exploring the park. Discover a great diversity of flora and fauna. The park is home to forests, gorges and chasms. In this prestigious site, you can come across animals such as magot monkeys and red foxes. We then head for Mount Thaletat, also known as the Hand of the Jew (named by the French for its appearance as a 6-fingered raised hand), which rises to an altitude of 1,638m. Dinner and overnight in Tizi-Ouzou.

Day 9:

Algiers la blanche (approx. 3 hrs away)

After breakfast, departure for the capital. On the way, we'll make several stops to take in the surrounding scenery and discover some of the sights. Lunch will be taken a short distance from the capital. Arrival in Algiers late afternoon, check-in at your hotel. Free for the evening. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 10:

Discovering white Algiers

After breakfast, discover the must-see sites of white Algiers. Head for the Martyrs' Monument (Makam El-Chahid). We'll then take the cable car to enjoy the panoramic view over the Bay of Algiers, before descending to the Hamma test garden (the largest botanical garden in Africa). Before visiting the garden, we cross the aisles of the Musée National des Beaux-Arts d'Alger, home to over 8,000 works of art, sculptures and other treasures. With such a large collection, this museum is considered one of the most important not only in the country, but also on the African continent. Afterwards, we'll head for the Jardin d'Essai, a botanical garden that ranks among the most beautiful in the world and where, in his role as Tarzan (1932), Johnny Weissmuller filmed some of the scenes from the 1st Tarzan film in cinematic history. Lunch time.

In the afternoon, visit the Basilica of Notre-Dame d'Afrique (1872), one of the few Christian basilicas in Muslim lands. Perched 124 m above sea level, overlooking the town of Bologhine, it was designed by French architect Jean-Eugène Fromageau. This superb building is Byzantine on the outside and Hispano-Moorish on the inside. Stroll through the Kasbah and central Algiers, return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Day 11:

Return to France or Europe

After breakfast in the morning, free time for final souvenir shopping, then transfer to Algiers airport according to flight schedule.

N.B:

Your guide may have to modify the itinerary due to organizational constraints (transport and accommodation in particular), weather conditions, the level of participants, or any other reason relating to the safety of the group.