Algerian Desert

Getting there

By plane Air Algérie offers flights to almost all Algerian cities. It's the only carrier that serves the Saharan region. Some of the biggest airports in the area include the following:

1 Aguenar-Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport (TMR IATA). The largest airport in the region. Mainly serves the city of Tamanrasset. (updated Jan 2022) 2 Ain Beida Airport (OGX IATA). An airport serving Ouargla, a city in the Ouargla Province. 3 Tindouf Airport (TIN IATA). An airport serving Tindouf.

By car The Trans-Sahara Highway is the main route from Algiers to Tamanrasset. The road is paved and in good condition, however, you need a durable, sturdy vehicle as the climatic conditions of the desert are harsh.

Getting around

By plane Due to the immense size of the area, the harshness of the Saharan desert, the lack of adequately developed infrastructure, and the uncertain security situation, the safest way to get around the area quickly is by plane. The airport in Tamanrasset offers flights to many cities in the region, including cities like In Guezzam.

By car Unless you have experience driving in harsh conditions, it's not wise to get around the region by car. Due to its remote location, there is little to no access to medical facilities and the risk of becoming stranded is high. It is also important to note that in the Sahara Desert temperatures can reach extreme highs during the day, making it dangerous to travel in the area.

See

1 In Eker test site (about 150 km north of Tamanrasset). France, the fourth country to produce a nuclear weapon conducted some of their early tests in Sahara as much of Western Africa still was a French colony into the 1960s. On May 1, 1962 an underground test at In Eker went wrong and observers including soldiers and government officials were exposed to radiation. If you happen to drive north-south across Sahara along the road from Algiers to Tamanrasset, you will pass right next to the area. (updated Aug 2015)

Go next

If you plan on staying in the continent for long, you may wish to visit some of Algeria's closest neighbours. Some of them share a culture similar to that of Algeria. As the security situation is rather uncertain, it's often not recommended to travel overland. The best thing to do is to return to Algiers and hop on a flight that will take you to Algeria's closest neighbours since none of the airports in the area offer international flights. However, should the adventurous traveller wish to travel overland, they should consider travelling with an armed escort or someone experienced.

Morocco - Travelling overland and by air to Morocco is not possible from Algeria. Mauritania - Travelling overland and by air is possible from Algeria.