Algeria Photo Tour

The magical dunes of the Sahara
Photo tour to Algeria
Photo tour to the Sahara, Algeria
Start: March 6, 2024, Alger, Algeria
End:
March 14, 2024, Alger, Algeria
Guide: Dmitry Arkhipov
Price: 2890€ (deposit 1500€)
Single occupancy: 230€
The Algerian Sahara is the most photogenic among the deserts - we will spend 7 full days here, enjoying the endless sands, the highest dunes and the stone forest that grows like magic right out of the sand. The whole trip will be devoted to shooting desert landscapes - gentle halftones, graphic lines and the almost complete absence of people around - is this not a dream of a real photographer? Remoteness from civilization will allow us to see and shoot the endless starry sky, which is especially beautiful in the Sahara. The middle of our trip will be on the new moon, so the chances of capturing the starry sky will be high.
Starry sky of the Sahara
Sahara's starry sky
We will stop overnight in tents in the most picturesque places, right among the dunes - this will allow us not only to enjoy magnificent views, but also to spend morning and sunset shooting in the immediate vicinity of our camp. After three nights in the desert, we will take a short break so as not to completely wean ourselves from civilization, and spend the night in a cozy hotel with all amenities, and then we will hit the road again, and spend two more nights in tents in the middle of a stone forest.
Algeria, Elephant rock
Elephant rock in Algeria
Tuareg guides will accompany us on the way - every evening we will have a fire, delicious food, traditional Tuareg music, endless starry sky and interesting conversations.

The desert, with complex and beautiful lines of dunes, is an almost ideal place to learn your composition and frame building skills. And I will share with you my knowledge of landscape photography.
During the trip we will spend 5 nights in tents. Warm sleeping bags (0°C - comfort) will need to be taken with you (during the day in the desert up to 30°C, and at night it can be quite cold, up to 5°C (41°F)). Tents and mattresses will be provided to us, but everyone will set up and assemble them on their own.

You can take a drone on this trip at your own risk. Drone photography in the Algerian desert is great, but bringing a drone across the Algerian border is at your own risk.

Algeria photo workshop map

ITINERARY

Day 1 (March 6)

On this day in the evening, around 9 PM, we meet at the local departures terminal of the airport in Algiers, the capital of the country of the same name. From here at 11 PM we will fly by Algerian Airlines to the south of the country (flight time - 2 hours 15 minutes). Here we will be met by our guides - the Tuareg. With them we will go to the city of Djanet (about 20 minutes), check into a nice hotel where we can relax after the flight.

Overnight in a hotel
Day 2 (March 7)

Today we will be able to sleep and have a leisurely breakfast on the cozy terrace of the hotel, and then around noon we will leave towards the desert. We will travel by off-road vehicles, there will be no more than 2 people in each car (except the driver). We will also be accompanied by a separate car, which will take our field kitchen, tables and chairs for lunch, food, water and a supply of firewood for the evening fire.

For lunch, we will stop at an unusually shaped rock with the telling name Helicopter, then we will stop by to look at ancient rock paintings, and delve into a real desert with endless dunes. Here we will set up our first camp, and while our guides will set up the kitchen and prepare dinner for us, we will make a sunset shooting.

In case of good weather, the most active members of our group will be able to take pictures of the starry sky against the backdrop of the dunes.

Overnight in a tent, breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Drives are about 3 hours.

Day 3 (March 8)

After sunrise shooting and breakfast, we will start moving to our next point. Along the way, we will see high dunes, magnificent arches and various rock formations. We will have lunch in a beautiful place, have a little rest and move on to our second stop - Tin Merzouga - among the dunes and beautiful stone figures. Here we will take a sunset shooting.

Overnight in a tent, breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Drives are about 3 hours.

Day 4 (March 9)

After sunrise shooting and breakfast, we will drive to some unusual rock formations, one of which is very similar to a hedgehog, and for lunch we will stop in a rocky canyon near an amazingly beautiful cave, where we will hold a workshop on shooting with exposure bracketing.
After lunch and a short rest, we will go further, we will see the place where the nomads take water among the sands, and in the evening we will be near the Delicate Arch, striking in its grace, near which we will stop for the night, and the most persistent, if the weather permits, will be able to shoot again endless starry sky.

Overnight in a tent, breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Drives are about 2 hours.

Day 5 (March 10)

After dawn shooting and breakfast, we will move towards Djanet. On the way, we will meet some magnificent rock outcrops, rock paintings of the ancient inhabitants of the Sahara and very beautiful views of the desert. Soon we will leave the area of the Tadrart Plateau, go to the asphalt road and head towards the city. Right before Djanet, we will have lunch in a picturesque place and in about half an hour we will be at the hotel, where we can enjoy the benefits of civilization.

Overnight at the hotel, breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Drives are about 3 hours.

Day 6 (March 11)

On this day we will be able to sleep again and have a leisurely breakfast, and then around noon we will go to see the most famous rock paintings of these places - the image of a crying cow, dating back to the sixth millennium BC. Then our route will pass between very high dunes of the most bizarre forms and reaching 300 meters in height. Gradually the landscape will change and we will finally reach the stone forest. Here we will see a stone army of basalt idols - a very photogenic place where everyone can find a subject for the shooting.

Overnight in a tent, breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Drives are about 2 hours.

Day 7 (March 12)

At sunrise, we will once again take pictures of the stone idols, and then we will drive along the picturesque valley, meeting interesting arches along the way, until we reach the stone elephant, where we will set up our camp. Within walking distance from this place there are a huge number of free-standing picturesque rocks, some of them already have their own names, while others you can name to your taste - the scope for imagination and beautiful landscape shots is truly limitless here.

Overnight in a tent, breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Drives are about 1.5 hours.

Day 8 (March 13)

After dawn shooting and breakfast, we will go to another unusual place - the narrow and picturesque Essendline Canyon, where we will see an amazing small lake. It is only reachable by foot - the road takes about an hour one way along a well-trodden path with almost no ups and downs. Those who do not want to go to the lake can relax in the shade of the trees. Here we will have lunch, and then we will move to the dunes, where you can take pictures in the national clothes of the Tuareg.

After that, we go to Djanet, check into a hotel, have dinner and rest there before a night flight to the city of Algiers.

Overnight at the hotel, breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Drives are about 2.5 hours.

Day 9 (March 14)

Today we fly to the city of Algiers, from where on the same day in the evening after 8 PM you can fly home, or you can stay another day in Algeria.

* The program may be slightly changed during the trip.
THE COST OF THE TOUR INCLUDES

* meals on a program
* accommodation in double or twin suites in a hotel and in tents in the desert
* transfers and excursions
* local flights
* guide services, photography consultations
THE COST OF THE TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE

* International air fares
* insurance
* meals not in the program
REGISTRATION FORM