I got back from a remarkable 7 day camping trip to the deep south of Algeria (around Djanet). I first “discovered” this as a good adventure option given its relatively off-the-beaten track nature and my curiosity of the Sahara desert and its cultures.
Tours deep into the south of Algeria all require a guide (typically a duo consisting of a guide/cook and a driver). They can be found using websites such as Getyourguide or TourHQ. I chose the latter - it works by you putting up a tour request, and tour agencies will try to offer you an itinerary and the price. Note that the offers I got were all from agencies based in the north of the country, who act as middlemen with local tour operators (guides and drivers). A relatively young tour agency offered me a private 7 day trip (one of my key needs to maximise flexibility) for a fairly good price of 1550 USD, excluding flights. Expect a much lower price per person accordingly if you are thinking of doing a group tour.
The trip (most of these locations can be searched on Google Maps):
-Day 1: Flight to Djanet via Algiers, arriving in the early hours I met my driver (spoke French only), who took me to a local guesthouse for some rest. Around midday I met up with the driver and the guide/cook (English speaking), went for lunch at Djanet town, stocked up and headed to the desert. The first camp spot were the Erg Admer sand dunes just outside Djanet.
-Day 2: Erg Admer northwest to the highlands of Tassili N’Ajjer National Park, with stops at the Assar oasis and the petroglyphs at Tin Taghirt. Camping near Tin Taghirt.
-Day 3: Tin Taghirt northwest to the oasis settlement of Iherir and the abandoned nomad base of Idaren. Then further west to the campsite among the rock formations of Tasset.
-Day 4: Tasset back south to another part of Erg Admer for some more dune camping.
-Day 5: Erg Admer north to the canyons and oasis of Essendilene, then further east to the campsite in the rock formations of Tikoubaouine.
-Day 6: Tikoubaouine back to Djanet via the Crying cow rock engravings. Souvenir buying in Djanet market, dinner then back to hotel.
-Day 7 (early hours): Flight out of Djanet to Algiers.
Conditions:
-Camp conditions are adequate, the food was clean, freshly made (usually stews and soups with canned tuna or beef or chicken) and I did not get sick from anything. No toilets provided so I had to do my deeds in the open. Tent was basic and did make noise when it got windy. Sleeping mattress was also basic (and inevitably dusty).
-Weather in November: still very dry and hot during day time, around 32C in the shade. It was quite draining, literally. Night times on the other hand got cold (10 or so C).
-Road conditions: very good on the paved N3 main road. Gravel/sand a bit more bumpy but bearable.
-The flies were relentless, even in the middle of the dunes. They cling onto you much unlike what I have encountered. There were also mosquitoes in the oases, but my guide reassured me no malaria risk.
The good:
-I saw a LOT, the Sahara is much more than dunes. I saw canyons, highlands that have an uncanny resemblance to Iceland, oases, dramatic rock formations. It just kept on giving.
-The Tuareg culture is vibrant, my driver and guide were both keen to show it to me, including tea ceremonies for each meal.
The less good:
-Air Algérie, the national (monopolised) carrier. It was BAD, 3 of the 4 flights were delayed, all of them by over 2 hrs. Plane interiors were in a dreadful state.
-The initial itinerary planning and communication - I realised on Day 1 the final itinerary was different from that proposed by the agency (including Tin Merzouga, large red coloured sand dunes further to the south of Djanet, which is where most tourists go, and where I anticipated to visit). I let it slip given that I nevertheless enjoyed the tour very much. The Algiers-based agency is very young (mine was first trip they tried to organise in the Djanet region), and the organiser was friendly, helpful and communicative (I met him when I arrived in Algiers airport).
Other notes:
-I barely saw any other tourists given that the route we took is less popular than the Tadrart Rouge one.
-USD/EUR can be exchanged to DZD informally in the black market, but at bad rates. I never used my bank card at all during the trip.
-eSIM works mostly in Djanet and the larger settlement stops, but otherwise the desert is signal-dead, as expected.
-Visas: most nationalities require a Visa, which is an extra cost (100 or so USD).
-A deposit is paid upon tour agreement on TourHQ, I then gave the remainder USD to the organiser when I met him in Algiers.