Algeria - Visa, North/South travel, etc.
 

Hello, I have a question about traveling in Algeria. In particular, I am interested in working with a tour agency in the South to arrange a visa. I'd like to take a desert tour (likely from Djanet), but would also like to travel the North independently. Has anyone on here been able to do that? In other words, have you been able to obtain a visa invitation from an agency in the South with whom you planned a desert tour, while still being able to travel the North independently? The plan is to visit Algiers, M'Zab, Oran (etc) on my own, then fly to Djanet for a desert trip.

Thanks!

If I were to do this I'd try it the other way round: fly to Djanet, do your agency tour and then fly back north to try and do your own thing.

That way your entry date matches more or less with the agency but you still get the month's visa. Last few times we've arrived at Algiers airport immigration asked who or where our agency is - and were satisfied with a name and that they are down south where we flew later that day.

I would also be up front with the agency because if you're not and you get caught, it's they who get in trouble. What you're doing up north doesn't seem to be completely proscribed the way unescorted driving down south is, but is very unusual. The people of course will be normal; it's the men in hats who may get nervous, so you would do well to behave discretely and not to look too much like a happy-clappy backpacker.

Ch

Hi!

We just crossed Algeria last week, but they only gave us the visa - In túnis - after we wrote them a letter with the compromisse we wouldn t travel south. With an agency I have no idea.

in the north we traveled independently with no problems at all!

And then we took a boat to Spain after 11 months round Africa on our reanault 4L!

cheers from Portugal

Carlos

Not 2 late trip

Congratulations on completing your big circuit Carlos, and managing to drive across Alg without an escort and even getting a visa in Tunis. Not sure I've heard that before.
Which border did you use, Nefta or further north?

Ch

visa alg
 

hi.

I just ask algerian embassy in Poland about visa to south alg.

They answered me that, if I take my own car or motorbike I don't get a visa.
Only travel agency car can be used.

in other embassies are the same?

Fly-ins only? Sounds a bit extreme - I've never heard of that before (though even then, 3 out of 10 fly-ins from various countries failed to get a visa/the right visa for my camel group last Dec).

Each consulate seems to have its own rules.

Ch

Travelling to Algeria - COST!!!
 

Hi everyone,

Basically I didn't know how to write a thread so I'm going to have to write my question here. I'm planning to move over to Algeria and I want to take a car from London. I literally need to know the CHEAPEST way of doing this. As I'm a student I don't have a lot of money to spare, not taking a car is not an option as I'm in sheer desperation for a car in Algeria, it's vital in order for me to function normally on a day to day basis. What are the rules of shipping over a car in a container? Is it cheaper than driving it over myself? What would be the cheapest route to go by if I did drive, through Spain or France? I really need answers as I'm pitching my idea to my father when I see him this summer so I need to sound like I actually know what I'm doing (haha?). Thanks so much to anyone that replies. For the information I'm thinking of buying a freelander 2002 reg I think.

Hi,
make sure that you understand the customs rules applicable before buying a car. For a temporary import (max 3 months) any car will do. But for "permanent" importation cars older than 3 years are banned! (law since 2005)
Also I feel that considering repairs (which a 10 year old car may require from time to time) a model frequently encountered in Algeria were parts are cheap to obtain and mechanics used to work on will be of advantage - a Freelander is not one of thees.
I would expect that taking the ferry from France or Spain is the cheapest way to get a car over to Algeria, and less hassle than by cargo (container).

Thanks so much for that I thought there was that type of ruling about how old it should be. I think I could go over and take it out every 3 months, I could drive over to Tunisia, me and my dad could alternate. What car do you think would be best then? This will be my first personal car that's actually mine. I'd like to spend around £1,500 on it as I said before my costs have to be low as I'm in need of taking money over there to live. How much do you think everything will from (including fuel) From England to Algeria, through france or spain. Thanks for your speedy reply!

The vibes I'm getting on the grapevine is that due to the repeated misconduct of a couple of irresponsible idiots on the Bamako rally, it is practically impossible for anyone with an Eastern European passport to get a drive-in visa.

A request for information or experiences;

I want to do a road trip across Algeria. My current concern is the visa situation.

How do I submit an itinerary that does not include flights or exact dates of arrival/departure?

Is it necessary to book all hotels or ok to start with a couple and leave the rest?

Is it easy enough to make phony hotel bookings purely for the purposes of obtaining the visa?

Cheers.

Pete

Hi Pete,
if by road trip you mean in your own vehicle (other than pushbike), then you will need a fixed date of arrival and departure (off a Med ferry or at the Tunisian border) so that your escort can meet you there. One or two have managed over the years (pre Arab Spring) to get away, but it seems a matter of luck and maybe nationality.

I imagine your itinerary will also be dependant on where you're allowed to go unescorted (not down south, whatever your nat) and where you'd be advised not to go (a foreign-plated vehicle in parts of the Kabylie in the northeast may not be a good idea).

From your hotel booking questions it sounds like you might be hoping to stay up north and dodge the agency-invite requirements (to get the visa) with the mandatory escort rule (once there). Not sure you will get away with it, otherwise we'd all be trying it to save €50-100/day.

Where that works, I would say the latter.

I rarely hear of it working these days, despite this seemingly simple requirement being stated on some consulate websites.
I also think it depends on where yoiu apply for your visa (the consulate in your home country).
If you are a Brit arriving with a vehicle and apply with just a hotel booking or two, I dont think the guys at Hyde Park Gate will go for it. They will say you need an invite from an agency (or some other official body in Alg - usually for business travel). That invite is effectiively a 'Certificate de Hebergement' (CdH) which is the same as a hotel booking. Formerly a fax was sufficient, now some ask for originals sent by DHL from Alg - more expense.
But of course you won't get the agency CdH without their escort - or it's extremely unlikely - as it's said they are responsible for you in Algeria.

Other consulates will have different regs - some will 'slow track' your app until it's just too late, while for example I believe a Portugal app was easy for one guy here who rode his moto unguided (north of the 'escort line' - more or less In Salah parallel).

One way might be to book a few days tour with an agency, and then try and split to do your own thing (while staying up north).

If you aren't travelling in your own vehicle I get the feeling all the above might be easier to pull off, although the last few times I arrived at Alg airport they ask me where is my guide/who is my agency? I always have one of course; we meet up in Tam or wherever after a domestic flight, but on other occasions I could have slipped out of the airport, especially if you look 'businessman-like'. Getting the visa is the key.

For a cancellable hotel booking you might try online with the Mercure at Algiers airport (from about €80? part of Accor group, very few of those in Alg), but I dont know if their printed email conf will wash as a CdH at the Brit consulate. Nothing to lose I suppose as you can cancel it.

There aren't many countries in the world (3?) which make getting a visa for unescorted independent vehicle travel as difficult as Alg, but once in a while people manage. I think a lot depends on the consulate and the state of relations with them and the host country.

fyi, currently only overland access seems to be Tunisia. Maroc long closed, Libya the same (for foreign tourists), north Niger currently closed for tourists, same with north Mali of course and Mori too.

Ch

Current travel restrictions Algeria
 

Hi,

currently the possibilities for trips off tarmac are very limited in Algeria, more than ever (I don't know about the northern part of Algeria):

Possible:
- Tam-Assekrem, sometimes with Escorte
- Erg Thiodaine, Afara plain
- Tamadjert, Oued Aharar .
- Tadrart, Tassili N'Ajer, Erg Admer

Not permitted:
- Driving off piste (not permitted for Algerians too)!
- Ahnet!
- Erg Oriental, Erg Occidental, Erg Tiffernine
- Tam-Djanet
- Tagrera, Mts. Gauthier

For fly-in tours there are still many possibilities (in Hoggar, Djanet/Tassili N'Ajjer, Immidir).

Hi,

Can you tell since how many time Ahnet is forbidden? Are you sure about that?

About Tassili, do you know if it is possible to drive from Tamedjert to Illizi without going to Oued Aharar and Afara: that is going almost north (via Oued Samene?) toward Erg Issaouane (without going inside the erg) then going East to Illizi along this erg?
About Thiodaine surroundings, is it possible to reach Ahellegen and In Azaoua (North West of this erg, cf IGN1/1.000.000) and from where ? Also, is it possible to make a loop around Thiodaine ?
And do you know if it is possible make a trip from Illizi to Dider (or Iherir) with driving along Oued Imirhou?
Sorry for these numerous questions , I'm trying to plan a trip in Algeria for next October (15 days in Algeria), before everything will be closed:(.
Thanks for your replies.
RR.

Can't picture where aharar is right now but if I understand you correctly, there is a slow rocky route north from northwest of erg tio through the tassili onto the east-west erg isa route. Never done that bit but I recall one of the 2003 groups were caught on this route.
Once on the erg east side there is another rocky track east over the jebel via erg amastane to ain el hadjadj well and the well known 'graveyard piste' to ilizzi - but that is long closed afaik, since 2003 grabs all happened in that area.

As for tarat piste, even short cut down imirhou I would have thought not permitted nor a good idea. They are still trying to smuggle arms out of Libya, towards north Mali I imagine, or maybe northeast alg.

Still, with the open areas Yves described I still think you could do a good tour, as long as you can get off the tsh well before tam.

I recently read a book from the early 80s where the guy was told off for off piste driving which was then also interdite. I suspect it was always forbidden but they just turned a blind eye and of course could not police it anyway. And it's not like you can drive off piste that far in SE alg before you hit a track, that is part of the appeal there.

Ch

Motor tours in Algeria
 

This is hopefully a easier question that posted here recently..
A solo Yank living in Italy with a GS bike and just got Chris's new Sahara overland book! Planning a 6 month africa tour and would like to start it off with a bang.

are motorcycle 'tours' available in southern algeria for those with a bike, coming thru Tunisia (via ferry from Genoa). I'm not after slipping thru the cracks, but want to see it before me and my bike ship home. Or is it so rare it is always independently organized?

And if this doesn't pan out, is south western Libya off limits for independent travel? i've read that its perhaps not so hard to drive west to east along the coast road (tourist visa available i think) but that's not that interesting except for Leptus magnus

Jim

Thanks Chris for your reply.

Oued Aharhar is going NE from Afara with some pretty (I presume, never go along this oued) villages :Tamera,Ifata,Armar. You can see it on IGN map.
But our guide (M.Jaffar) in 2009 told me that there is another track going from Tamedjert to Illizi and is authorized (he said).
And it is this track that I'm lookin for....
I think this is not the rocky track you are talkin about (but not sure) and may be another one more in the east: from Tamedjert, following Oued Ifernikene, then Oued Samene (cf IGN 1/1.000.000) toward the track along Issaouane then Illizi.
About Imirhou, an agency in Djanet told me it's open now...
If anybody have other infos they are very welcome.
About visas, the Algerian consulate in France told me that I can have it within 14 days with only the "prise en charge" (invitation letter) from an Algerian agency: same procedure as before, the only thing who have changed is the price!
RR.

Back at the desk, I see Aharhar now. Never been up there but came down the rocky piste from the '1560 junction' off the main road in late 2002 (also in 89). Ended up near Tazat. Didn't 'know' about Afara then - should have had a look around.

2002 I also followed the owed that runs north of Amrar coming in from the main road to the east, but I turned north for Oued Samene. It's possible there was a junction which also lead south to Amrar valley, so coming up via Amrar (assuming it's possible) you could then turn east along this piste and join the highway just below the big Inhadja Kli switchbacks.

Following the easy track and heading up towards Oued Samene watershed that time, I got far enough (this point - the house icon) to establish then (this was pre Google maps) that there was a rideable track from the watershed vicinity. We were planning to moto down Oued Samane from the north on Desert Riders a few months later.

The other month I was looking again at this area on Google and found the Oued Ifernikene track you mention. You could say it's a continuation of a track that I know people have done, coming from Imirhou (or Tarat) along Oued Edefil, east side of the road. And if Imirhou is open then why not, but I get the feeling since Libya changed, this whole area is a bit hot. It occurred to me that should Libyan arms smugglers get round Tarat (army base in view of Libya border), they could follow the piste to Imirhou, Edefil, over the road for Ifernikene and from Tamadjert and out onto the plains - one of the few back ways through the Tassili N'Ajjer AFAIK.

It is notable that there are no tracks visible up Oued Samene. From our small experience riding it (a few km), it would be extremely hard work if not impossible in a car - boulders or very fine river sand. We also suspected from maps at the time (and now from sat) that there is a cliff face right on the watershed (somewhere here) high enough to stop vehicles - although you could maybe get round it on the plateau either side. All way too 'Camel Trophy' for me.
A good place to ask is Wüstenschiff • Forum anzeigen - Maghrebstaaten und Nordafrika
All the old Alg pros are there.

Reply to Jim:
Sorry to have to tell you the 2004 Sahara book is fast becoming a remembrance of things past.

Yes, AFAIK. I last did one there in 2008 and don't know of anyone doing them now - maybe in Europe.

SW Libya is surely off limits right now. No news from the south does not mean good news. Tourists visas are now only for fly-ins at the airport, and even the coast transit seems a bit of a rat run. That is all they allow atm.

Make your plans in Alg, notwithstanding the restrictions of closed areas. I get a feeling they are not so rigid and once you're in there (with a suitable guide) you can feel out to the edges.

Ch

Thanks a lot Chris for all these accurate infos!

I'm sure you know AFARA: a beautiful plain East of THiodaine. And Oued Aharhar is coming down (or going out?) this plain.

I think I'm going to give up Oued Salene , Too much "camel Trophy" for me too!
Thanks for the German site .... but unfortunately I don't speak German!

I will try to see what it's possible/authorized to do in this area and ...Inch'Allah

RR.

Getting algerian Visa
 

Hi,

I'm trying to obtain this visa.
I've received the invite document from the algerian agency and also the same document stamped by the Algerian direction of Tourism.

I've gone with these 2 documents (and all the others items required) to the algerian consulate in Lyon (France) and they said that the agency must the same invite document to the MFA in Alger.. and then this MFA will inform the Consulate... (if they are OK to give us our visas).
I've told the Algerian agency about that but mau be they have already sent the document to MFA.
Not so easy and the result is not guaranteed:(

Do you know if some people have got their visas with this procedure?

RR.

Hi RR, did you get your visa and did you made your trip in Alg?
I obtained visa from Stockholm and waiting for answer to know where shall I go from Finland with my bike. My final destination is Barcelona for winter, but liked to make a roundtrip down to Palermo-Tunis-Alger-Spain. Have an accomodation invitation from a individual person in Algier with all stamps needed.

Yes , I've got it but it was in October 2012!!!
Good trip but not so easy due to a lot of controls and forbidden zones
RR

I got my 30 days Algerian touristvisa today, but my Green card for bike is valid only in Tunis not in Algeria. Can I get insurance from Tunis and Algerian border for the bike?

Hi,
>Can I get insurance from Tunis and Algerian border for the bike?
yes you can.
In Algeria it is even enforced, no "green card" is valid for Algeria.

Happy travels, Yves

'Assurance frontier' easy to buy at Taleb Larbi Alg border - in an office next to immigration (though I have not been this way for many years).

Ch

I was last week in the North of Algeria
 

Hi.

I've just returned from a little trip to Northern Algeria.

Attachment 10856

Four weeks after asking the visa at the embassy I got it. I asked a tourist visa just for eight days and this helped me convince the officials at the toll in Oran I had no intention to get to the South.
People agreeable and very helpful everywhere. Lots of police controls but no problem at all.

Regards.

Basauritik mundura... motorrez: Norte de ARGELIA en moto

Cycling in North Algeria
 

Hello!

I am from a dual Irish/British national living in London and am planning a rather long cycling trip, one leg of which is to be from Tangiers to Tunis. I am aware of the border being closed between Morocco and Algeria so intend on taking the ferry to Spain and back again. I will be carrying my own tent and plan to use it in Northern Algeria, following the coast (i.e. away from the dodgy desert).....I am trying to figure out how to do this as I'm aware of the need for hotel bookings for your whole trip.

I have considered booking a hotel in a port city for the duration and then only using it for 1 night - I see other people have mentioned this and I would be keen to hear if it worked.

I am also speaking to French friends of mine who might have Algerian friends/relatives to see if they could write a letter to the consulate saying I'd stay with them. Anyone have experience of this?

Thanks,

Dave

Great! but 8 days is very short!
Do you think that 15 days will be OK (about visa).
And with a car? (only to visit Northern Algeria).
Where have you slept? Hotels? BivoauacS?

RR.

My pals in Djanet say they can come and pick me up on the border and we can drive down south no problem. I am not so sure. Perhaps I will get a chance to try it this season.
Of course most areas are closed for tourists. Waiting to hear about the plateau.

It's true only if you have a visa! And to have a visa you need an "prise en charge" by an agency in the south....and at the consulate when thay see you are going down south, to get it can be very long, or never.
I've tried it one year ago: More than 2 monthes to get the visa and just a few days before ferry's departure!

RR

Sorry, roro, for this late answer.

In the border crossing in the port of Oran there was a very easy passport control, but in the subsequent vehicle control the official was very intensively questioning for a detailed route plan, hotels as looking for something suspecting. Finally, after rereading the visa of my passport, he said: 'ah!, just eight days, ok, go ahead'.
I stayed in hotels: St hotel in Alger (good and not very expensive), Ibis in Constantine.
That's what I can tell you.

Eight days is really a very short time. The north of the country has also a lot to visit.
Good luck.

Nice trip, mate, I have read it already twice and I am seriously thinking to couple northern Algeria to Tunisia in case I'll have to cancel the trip to Iran in 2014 for budget reasons.

Some questions: was it easy to obtain the Algerian VISA?
I thought that the guide was mandatory for Algeria, but according to your experience, that was not the case if you remain in the north... :D

How many days did it take to make the entire loop?

The Algerian embassy in Spain demands an insurance (the word 'Algeria' or 'North Africa' must appears) and evidences of hotel reservations. I sent them with MRW and in 4 weeks I had the visa back.

In theory, in the North of Algeria neither guide nor escort are mandatories, but in the web there are some tales reporting people staying a whole day in the customs because the border officials didn't believe they wouldn't head South.

I stayed eight days. It's a short time. To be taken into account that between major cities (Tlemcen, Oran, Alger, Constantine) there are good motorways and you can ride quickly, but between other cities the roads cross lots of villages and the riding can be desperately slow due to traffic jams.

Thank you very much for your excellent reply, ondoibili!

How many days did it take to carry out the whole Algerian trip?
Did you sleep in only those two cities you have mentioned or also in smaller towns?
Average price of accomodations?

Thanks again,

The whole trip eight days (5 days biking plus 3 days almost fully as pedestrian).

I stayed in: St hotel in Alger (55 euros/day breakfast included if booked by booking/trivago..., 75 euros/day if booked in their own hotel web), Ibis in Constantine (55 euros/day), and a particular home in Biskra (a guy we met in Alger invited us).

For obtaining an easier evidence of the hotel reservations required for the visa, I booked all the nights of the trip in St hotel; once I received the confirmation email, I redid the reservation according to my real route plan, leaving some days off to have some flexibility.