A trip to Kabylia, from the Djurdjura to the Mediterranean Sea – The full guide
Kabylia is one of Algeria’s most beautiful regions. Located between the Djurdjura mountain range and the Mediterranean coast, its inhabitants are Berbers of the Kabyle ethnic group. They have their own language and culture.
A trip to Kabylia means discovering a people who have been present in North Africa since (at least) protohistory. A rich and unique culture, marked by a blend of pagan and Muslim traditions.
But visiting Kabylia also means discovering the breathtaking scenery of the Djurdjura mountains, the Mediterranean coast with its coves and beaches, and the villages perched on the hills and mountains.
Last but not least, Kabylia has a lot to offer anyone who is curious enough to meet the locals. Indeed, meeting people on a trip has never been easier than in Kabylia. Contact is easy and warm.
Even though Samy was born in Kabylia, we criss-crossed the region from Algiers international airport to write this Kabylia travel guide. The advantage for Lilla is that everyone speaks French in Kabylia. If you’re a French speaker, then you shouldn’t have any trouble communicating with Kabyle people.
A trip to Kabylia, the Amazigh of the north
Travelers to Algeria must first and foremost understand the country’s diverse cultural landscape. Indeed, the indigenous inhabitants of Algeria are called Amazighs (or Berbers). This people is divided into ethnic groups such as the Tuareg, Chaouis and Kabyle. These ethnic groups speak similar languages (Amazigh languages), but may have quite different cultures. For example, 2000 km separate the Kabyle ethnic group from the Tuareg ethnic group, not to mention their diametrically opposed environments (the Kabyle by the sea and the Tuareg on the edge of the Sahara).
The Kabyle are the Berbers of northern Algeria. Visiting Kabylia means discovering the Amazigh world, which is relatively unknown in Europe and America. Yet 27% of Algerians speak Berber!
The 3 main towns in Kabylia are Tizi Ouzou, Béjaïa and Bouira.
But visiting an Amazigh region in Algeria isn’t just about language. The cultural richness, traditional cuisine, customs, etc., are just some of the reasons to discover this unique Berber world that leaves no one indifferent.
When to go to Kabylia ?
That’s the first question that comes up: when to go to Kabylia?
You can travel to Kabylia all year round, and each season has its own charm. However, summer can be harsh with the onset of extreme heat. If you’re not afraid of the heat, then summer is the best time to enjoy Kabylia’s coastline and heavenly beaches.
The main thing to bear in mind when traveling to Kabylia is political and religious events. Two events should be avoided:
- Travelling in Kabylia during Ramadan: Ramadan is a month during which Muslims observe a fast from sunrise to sunset. At night, you can enjoy a festive atmosphere and all the traditional Algerian pastries, but during the day, the country slows down. Museums close early (around 2pm), restaurants are closed and Kabylia looks like a ghost town. We therefore advise you not to travel to Kabylia during the month of Ramadan.
- Presidential or legislative elections: Election periods are not the best time to travel to Algeria. These periods can be unstable, with demonstrations prompting shopkeepers to close up store.
On the other hand, travel to Kabylia around January 13 is a good time to attend the festivities associated with the Berber New Year. These festivities take place mainly in the villages. But the cities of Tizi Ouzou and Béjaïa also organize New Year events.
This event is a traditional, ancestral (and therefore pagan) celebration, halfway between a New Year’s party and a carnival. In the villages, children and adults create monster costumes and parade around the village. During the parade, a fictitious traditional wedding is celebrated.
How to get to Kabylia
To get to Kabylia, first take an international flight to Algiers airport. Once in Algeria, only 100 km separate the capital Algiers from Great Kabylia and the town of Tizi Ouzou. The easiest way is to take a cab from Algiers international airport. The cost is around $25. The best airline to fly to Algeria is Air Algérie. It’s also the cheapest.
Booking your flight to Algiers in advance means you’ll benefit from lower fares. If possible, avoid booking at the last minute. You should also be aware that air fares are much more expensive in summer than in winter. This is also the case during religious holidays such as Eid and Ramadan.
Finally, it is possible to travel from Algiers to Tizi Ouzou by train. But we don’t recommend it, as trains are unpredictable and delays or even cancellations are frequent.
How much does a trip to Kabylia cost?
The budget for a trip to Kabylia, as elsewhere in Algeria, is quite low. It’s the perfect country if you want to travel on a budget.
Once you’re here, food doesn’t cost much. For example, there are very few restaurants in Kabylia where a meal costs more than 3$. In fast-food restaurants, the price is between €0.5 and $1.5. Not only is the cuisine famous, but there’s no budget limit!
The most important budget for a trip to Kabylia is transportation. You should expect to pay around $15 per day of travel. But we’ll talk about the best way to get around Kabylia below.
As for accommodation, it’s possible to get by with around twenty dollars a day for more than adequate lodgings.
The final budget you’ll need for your trip to Kabylia is for souvenirs. Here, the budget is more important. If you want to take home olive oil, a Kabyle carpet or traditional Kabyle jewelry, you’ll need to budget a few hundred dollars. We’d say that for a trip to Kabylia during which you don’t count your pennies, you need to budget around $600 for a week. This budget includes travel, accommodation, meals and souvenirs.
Travel to Kabylia: local culture
Kabyle culture is reputed to be one of the oldest in North Africa, along with the Tuareg culture in the Tassili n’Ajjer and other Amazigh ethnic groups in Morocco. Rituals and traditions are among the oldest in the region.
Kabylia has also been strongly influenced by colonization. Being a mountainous region, it was a bastion of resistance before and during the Algerian War, as well as during the Roman and Ottoman invasions. The layout of the villages is a vestige of these times. While elsewhere in the world, villages tend to be built in valleys, sheltered from the elements, in Kabylia they are built on ridges and peaks. The reason is simple: this enabled the local population to see the enemy coming and defend themselves from an advantageous position.
Travel to Kabylia and discover its welcoming culture
A trip to Kabylia means discovering an incredible culture of welcoming and sharing. In a Kabyle household, there’s always room for a guest, even a foreigner. People welcome you and share with you what they have, rich or poor, that’s not the question. If you’re wondering what to visit in Kabylia, the first answer is: the people!
The Kabyle are also a curious people, open to the world. They don’t hesitate to mix with other cultures. If you visit Kabylia, be prepared to be asked all sorts of questions about your culture, your way of thinking and so on.
Kabyle culture is a culture of solidarity. No one is left out of society. Communities are strong, sharing both work and harvest. The whole point of visiting Kabylia is to discover this culture and, why not, to immerse yourself in it.
Kabyle crafts
Kabyle craftsmanship is a vast domain, a whole imaginary world, halfway between art and paganism. This craft revolves around Amazigh mythology, its designs and ancestral symbols. These symbols have been handed down from generation to generation, mainly by women, for millennia.
It is these signs and symbols that have been used in Kabyle craftsmanship in all fields. They can be found on Kabyle pottery, silver jewelry, wooden objects, wall paintings and Kabyle tattoos.
Handicrafts also include traditional Berber carpet weaving and wild basketry.
Pottery
It’s impossible to make a trip to Kabylia without discovering Kabyle pottery. This pottery is made from locally harvested clay, painted with local ochres, and finally fired over a wood fire. The very shape of the pottery has a symbolic meaning, often linked to fertility. As for the symbols, they tell a story that the artist can explain to you.
The most famous village for Kabyle pottery is Maâtkas, in the Wilaya of Tizi Ouzou. Here, you can buy pottery directly from the craftswoman.
Kabyle jewelry
As with pottery, Kabyle jewelry uses Amazigh symbols and forms, both in the shapes of the jewels and in their decoration. The jewelry is made exclusively of silver and decorated with red coral and enamel (often blue, green or yellow).
Given the need to protect coral and its increasing scarcity, craftsmen are increasingly using recycled coral, or even resin, as a substitute.
The village of Ath Yenni, high above Tizi Ouzou, specializes in Kabyle jewelry. The village is home to a large number of stores and craftsmen. It’s even possible to attend demonstrations of Kabyle jewelry-making.
What to eat in Kabylia
The traditional Kabyle dish par excellence is, of course, couscous. This typical dish, which originated in the region, is now world-famous. But what you need to know first is that there isn’t just one couscous recipe, but hundreds, rather like cheese in France. Each village has its own recipe, so there are many opportunities to enjoy it!
The basic couscous in Kabylia is called “Ameqful”. This couscous consists of vegetables (green beans, potatoes, onions, zucchinis and turnips) diced and steamed. These are then mixed with the couscous and drizzled (copiously) with Kabyle olive oil as a sauce. It’s pretty simple, but a real treat!
There are many other traditional Kabyle dishes not to be missed. The traditional “Aghroum” or “Kesra” galette is made with semolina and olive oil. It’s a yeast-free galette that Kabyles traditionally eat with chopped garlic in olive oil. The result is quite addictive!
Finally, it’s impossible to make a trip to Kabylia without tasting the traditional Kabyle olive oil. Suffice to say, it’s a religion around here. The Kabyles are experts in olive oil, and proud of their own. The culture is similar to that of wine in France, or argan oil in Morocco. It’s obviously a big business!
In autumn, you can enjoy green olive oil (made from green olives), while in winter, it’s black olive oil (made from black olives) that’s consumed. The latter is a local favorite.
If you want to buy olive oil in Kabylia, you need to contact the locals directly. This oil is mainly sold by private individuals.
What to drink in Kabylia
The only traditional drink in Kabylia is whey, called “Ighi” in Kabyle (pronounced eri). This drink is generally served with Kabyle galette or couscous. You can buy it in the many creameries in the region. In these shops, you can eat Kabyle galette accompanied by butter or local cheese and whey.
Kabyle people drink a lot of soft drinks. Coca Cola, fanta and other soda brands have flooded the Algerian market and are now manufactured locally. Some sodas are even unique to the region, such as Schweppes Grenadine. So it’s hardly surprising that so much sugar is consumed in Kabylia. The main algerian soda is called Hamoud Boualem.
As for alcohol, Kabylia is one of the few regions where you can buy beer in Algeria. However, consumption in public places is forbidden. So you have to buy beer in a liquor store and drink it at home. Otherwise, there are bars in Tizi Ouzou and Béjaïa where you can have a draught. Some of the larger hotels also have bars where you can enjoy a glass of alcohol.
The region’s most popular beer is Beaufort, a lager made in Africa and sold in cans, glass bottles or draught.
Finally, Algeria is a wine-producing country. Bottles can be purchased in liquor stores. Prices are fairly low. The most expensive bottle costs around $10. These are rather tannic, full-bodied wines.
Nature and landscapes in Kabylia
Kabylia is renowned for its sublime landscapes. Visiting Kabylia lets you enjoy both the coastline, with its thousands of beaches and wild hills, and the Djurdjura mountains, where you sometimes feel you’re in an alpine environment. Outside the villages, nature is untamed, even if plastic and garbage cans spoil the picture a little. It’s even possible to come across a golden wolf, a griffon vulture or a Barbary macaque at the turn of a path.
The Djurdjura mountains
It’s impossible to make a trip to Kabylia without visiting the Djurdjura mountains! This mountain range separates the green plains of the north from the rocky, arid plateaus of the center of the country. The landscapes of the Djurdjura are sublime, with peaks approaching 2000 m in altitude and villages perched on the ridges.
In spring and summer, the Djurdjura mountains remain cool, while it’s very hot on the plains. This is the best time for hiking in Kabylia, with the possibility of camping anywhere in the wilderness.
In winter, you can even ski in Kabylia! The best time for winter sports is in January, when the snow cover is generally good. This period also corresponds to the olive harvest. We recommend that you experience this ancient tradition. All families, including children and the elderly, take part in the olive harvest in Kabylia. These olives are then mainly used to make olive oil.
The Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean coast is a jewel of landscapes, biodiversity and heavenly beaches. And Kabylia is no exception. With its 200 km of coastline, Kabylia offers travelers more than one opportunity to swim, enjoy the warm sand and stroll along wild hills and cliffs. It’s possible to swim in Kabylia as early as May. But it’s from June onwards that the beaches start to fill up. They remain busy until September and the end of summer.
The most popular beaches in Kabylia are Tigzirt and Azzefoune (petit paradis is the best one!) in the wilaya of Tizi Ouzou, and the famous Boulimat beach in Béjaïa.
There are a few rules to follow on the beaches of Kabylia, as elsewhere in Algeria. First and foremost, nudity is forbidden. We strongly advise against breaking this rule, as it is punishable by law. However, women are allowed to wear one- or two-piece bathing suits.
It’s also important to avoid littering or leaving litter behind when you leave. If the beach already seems dirty, that doesn’t mean you have to contribute to these uncivilized acts, and the people around you will be sure to remind you. Because while some people in Kabylia may be uncivilized, the vast majority are quite respectful of nature.
Last but not least, it’s possible to eat, drink and wear swimwear at practically every beach in Kabylia.
Travel in Kabylia: accommodation and transport
Given the lack of information and tourist infrastructure, it’s not easy to find accommodation in Kabylia and get around once you’re there. However, once you’ve got the hang of it, finding accommodation in Kabylia isn’t all that complicated. As for the rest, there’s not much in the way of official information, so you’ll have to make the effort to ask the locals, or read our guide 🙂
Accommodation in Kabylia
There are three types of accommodation in Kabylia:
- Hotels: there are plenty of them, but they’re all very authentic. However, some are located on exceptional natural sites, such as the Hotel El Arz in Tala Guilef, on the summits of the Djurdjura.
- B&Bs: there are plenty of these in Kabylia, both in town and in the mountains, and it’s best to use Airbnb or Booking to find them easily. Prices are low, and breakfast or even dinner is usually included. This is the option we recommend.
- Home-stay invitations: as you wander around the villages, you can easily be invited to stay with the locals. This is the best way to meet new people and discover the local culture. In this case, it’s customary to offer a contribution to expenses, even if in most cases this is (insistently!) refused.
On the other hand, you should be aware that there’s not really any luxury accommodation in Kabylia. The standard is pretty basic, especially in B&Bs. So don’t expect three-star hotels like in Europe or America.
Transport in Kabylia
Transport in Kabylia is illegible for foreigners unfamiliar with the country. In Kabylia, you can only get around by car. Trains are reserved for travel to other regions.
Given the difficulty of driving in Algeria, we recommend that you rule out the option of renting a car in Kabylia. You’ll soon realize that driving is dangerous for anyone not used to the anarchy. The ideal solution is simply to use cabs. They’re cheap, they know the area inside out and they’re plentiful.
To travel around Kabylia by cab, you’ll need to spend between $2 (more in town) and $15 (for longer journeys). Fares are low enough to allow travelers a degree of flexibility.
Finally, it’s also possible to travel around Kabylia by bus for very low fares. But in this case, you’ll need to allow time for your trip to Kabylia. These journeys can sometimes take all day.
The last word
A trip to Kabylia is above all the best way to discover Algerian culture without hours of plane and/or car travel. Quickly accessible from Algiers, this region has a lot to offer nature, food and crafts lovers. When visiting Kabylia, there’s only one thing to remember: as long as you respect the local culture and people, you’ll be warmly welcomed and, who knows, you might even make some local friends.
