Best time to visit Algeria

The best time to visit Algeria is in spring and autumn: April to May and October to November. The weather is warm and sunny all over the country. Mediterranean areas are hot from June to September, with the Sahara becoming dangerously hot in August. Meanwhile, October brings date harvests and cheaper flights, and December-February is great for some winter sun.

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Best time to visit Algeria

In spring the hillsides of the north bound with new life and key cultural sites and beach resorts are crowd-free.

The best time to visit Algeria is April-May and October-November. The heat of the Sahara is less fierce – great for desert adventures – and the rest of the country is dry and relatively warm. October also coincides with the annual date harvest. Algeria’s coast, including Algiers and Oran, has a fairly typical Mediterranean climate so expect it to be hot from June to September. However, it’s not as hot as the desert regions to the south where temperatures rocket to unbearable levels. Many of our tours don’t operate during the stifling heat of summer.

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A month by month guide on the best time to visit Algeria

January in Algeria

Mild and sunny

Warm days and freezing nights in the Sahara

Cool, crowd-free archaeological sites

It’s mild in coastal cities like Algiers and Oran, making tours of kasbahs and markets easy and enjoyable in the clear winter sun. Don’t expect beach weather, though: many hotels shut in Algeria in January and the Mediterranean can be choppy. Oasis towns like Tamanrasset are warmest, at around 20°C, and temperatures can hover around freezing at night. If walking or dune climbing is your thing, this could be your time.

February in Algeria

Spring begins

Blossom and wildflowers

Cheaper flights and hotels

Temperatures creep up to highs of 17°C in Algeria in February, heralding the start of spring. Purple irises – Algeria’s national flower – are in bloom while almond and citrus trees start to blossom. As always, Saharan spots are warmer, reaching up to 23°C in central regions like Timimoun. February can be good for budget travel too, thanks to lower flight and accommodation prices – although some beach hotels stay shut for winter.

March in Algeria

Temperatures rising

Great for the Sahara and coastal cities

Spring wildflowers

March is an excellent time to be in the Sahara, with day temperatures at a 26°C high and nights less cold. Mild, bright spring weather arrives along the Mediterranean, although the water still holds a chill. Wildflowers flourish under the bright sunshine and warming temperatures. Sirocco winds have their first of two peaks in Algeria in March; when they arrive, it’s in a dusty, dry sweep.

March is a great time for our Algerian Sahara Desert tour

April in Algeria

Great month to be in Algeria

Combine coast and desert

Camping in the Sahara

April is one of the best months to be in Algeria. Sahara regions creep towards 30°C, while northern cities like Algiers stick to a maximum of 25°C. It’s the perfect time to go camping in the Sahara, as nights lose their chill. UV levels are officially high in Algeria in April, so pack sunscreen and cover-ups. As the weather warms, poppies spring up in the green hills around Constantine.

May in Algeria

Good for sightseeing

Warm, sunny month all over

Beach weather

The cities, Sahara and coast are all warm in Algeria in May, and beach clubs open with gusto as the Mediterranean bathes in sunshine. Temperatures are comfortable for exploring archaeological sites too. The scorching summer is just over the horizon, so most Sahara camps close at the end of May; go now to catch the Milky Way arching above the dunes before it gets too hot.

I found it fascinating how they built the houses in the M’Zab… covered walkways, really thick walls, and they’ve designed all the street system to maximise shade, keeping the sun out.

– Andrew Barton, from our partner Explore Worldwide

June in Algeria

Hot in the Sahara; warm on the coast

Morning and evening sightseeing

Fresh fruit season

Expect 11 hours of bright sunshine a day in Algeria in June, with the sea finally going from bracing to balmy. Algiers reaches about 27°C – but it doesn’t sizzle as much as the Sahara, which can top 40°C. Most desert tours stop altogether or stick to high-altitude oasis towns like Tamanrasset. Plus, fruit season is in: orchards and markets overflow with fresh figs, grapes, melons, apricots and cherries.

July in Algeria

Hot, humid and dry summer

Scorching Sahara

Coastal café culture

Summer is empty of international tourists and lively with Algerians enjoying the cooler coast. ‘Cool’ is all relative, of course – Algiers’ 25-30°C is a balm compared to the plus-40°Cs of the Sahara. Sea temperatures are a glorious 23°C. It’s a great time to experience coastal café culture; the nights are warm too. Some tours stop running in the day to avoid the humid heat of coastal Algeria in July.

August in Algeria

Summer break – lively coast and cities

Very hot and sunny; too hot for the Sahara

Figs and meteors

This is a busy month as schools break up and the Algerian diaspora arrive for their summer holidays. Everyone goes for the cooler coast, and Algiers and Oran sing with summer concerts. Sahara trips run very, very early or very, very late – if at all – as the sand scorches underfoot. Still, it’s a lovely 15°C at night – great for catching the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. Food-wise, figs are at their sweetest in Algeria in August.

September in Algeria

Hot and sunny

Touring returns

Great beach weather

The heat eases off in Algeria in September. Touring returns, with Roman ruins and cities best explored in the cooler mornings and afternoons. The Sahara drops to the mid-30°s and Mediterranean cities like Algiers and Oran go below 30°C. Plus, the water’s warm; dive in minus the summer crowds. Just watch out for dry winds that sometimes turn into dust storms; droughts can also occur after the long, rainless months of summer.

October in Algeria

Sunny and warm

Great all-rounder month, including cheaper flights

M’Zab Valley date harvest

Cooler temperatures make for easy explorations in Algeria in October. It’s no more than 25°C in Algiers and Oran, Batna cools right down to 20°C, and Sahara camps reopen as the desert dips below 30°C. The date harvest begins in the M’Zab Valley; see for yourself if they’re really the best in the world. Flights are usually cheapest in October too.

October is a great time for our Algeria desert and history tour

November in Algeria

Mild and sunny

Great for Sahara adventures and Roman ruins

Cooler cities

November is the time for desert adventures, with maximums of 25°C in Djanet and Tamanrasset. Coastal cities cool off under low humidity and highs of 20°C, plus the climate is more comfortable for wandering Roman ruins. Rainfall comes in the form of short, sweet showers. Sirocco winds have their second of two peaks in Algeria in November, sometimes causing dusty, dry conditions.

December in Algeria

Great for winter sun and photography

Mild and quiet

Warm days and freezing nights in the Sahara

Algeria enjoys a mild, sunny winter. The Sahara sits at around 25°C in the day – but don’t be fooled into forgetting your jumper! It can go subzero at night, making camping a no-go for most. Low sun and earlier sunsets – about 5.30pm – make for great photography in Algeria in December; so does the sprinkling of snow on the Atlas Mountains.

Algiers Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

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Best time to go to Algeria for festivals & events

Yennayer (12 January)

Yennayer might be one of the newest official holidays in Algeria, but it’s been celebrated by the Amazigh/Berbers for thousands of years, welcoming new life, wealth and health for the year. The biggest celebrations are in Kabylia and the Aures Mountains, where people cheer the start of the new agricultural calendar with friends, family and feasts of couscous and sweets like tamina and khfaf doughnuts – even cooking up enough to share with the birds.

Annaba Mediterranean Film Festival (end of April)

Annaba Mediterranean Film Festival was founded in 2015 to showcase the magic of modern cinema in the Mediterranean region, including short films, documentaries and feature films. In the spirit of showcasing the future of filmmaking, the festival supports and uplifts the next generation of filmmakers in Algeria and the Mediterranean, laying on training workshops and showings.

International Symphonic Music Festival (May)

This week-long extravaganza of classical and traditional orchestral music is the perfect excuse to admire the new Algiers Opera House, with its sweeping spiral staircase and grand foyer propped up with rose-painted columns. Expect pieces to range from Dvorak’s New World Symphony to epic Algerian chaabi ballads such as Ya Rayah. Each year, a country is crowned the guest of honour, so there’s the chance to hear their national orchestra play too.

Timgad International Festival (July)

How many chances do you get to listen to music in a UNESCO World Heritage Site? The Timgad International Festival has been popping up at the Roman amphitheatre in the ruined city of Timgad for over 40 years. Past acts have included Algerian rap artist Flenn, desert blues band Tikoubaouine, popular fusion band El Dey and Arabic folk artist Souad Chaouia.

Algiers International Book Fair (October-November)

Algiers hosts one of the biggest book fairs in the world, with over six million people arriving to browse its book stalls, chat to authors and peruse publishing houses from around the world, including almost 300 Algerian publishers. Talks and debates, largely in French or Arabic, range from children’s literature to colonialism to detective novels to AI. The focus is on Algeria, Africa and a bonus guest nation; past countries include Mauritania, Qatar, Italy, Senegal and France.

Ramadan (moveable feast)

Ramadan marks the sacred ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which is calculated by the lunar cycle – hence its ever-changing date. Quiet days of shuttered cafés and restaurants transform into bubbling evenings, when the sun sets and Algeria’s Muslim majority break their fast with family and feasting. Algiers is one of the best spots to be during Ramadan to share iftar – the breaking of the fast – with thousands of others. Our best advice? Follow the rhythm of the people around you… and read our advice for travelling during Ramadan.

Our travellers also ask…

When is the best month to visit Algeria?

April is one of the best months to visit Algeria for sightseeing. The weather is sunny and pleasantly warm, rarely stopping you doing anything, whether that’s relaxing on the beach, strolling cities or camping in the Sahara. May, September and October are also great all-rounder months.

How many days do you need in Algeria?

You need at least two weeks to see Algeria. This country is vast – the largest in Africa, in fact, and the 10^th largest country in the world. The geographic range, from Mediterranean coast to Atlas Mountains to the sizzling Sahara, means that the climate differs across the country too.

What is the hottest month in Algeria?

August is usually the hottest month in Algeria, with temperatures hitting 43°C in Timimoun, 34°C in Tamanrasset and 32°C in Algiers and Oran. The climate crisis is increasing extreme heat events, too, so don’t be surprised if the summer sees alerts for temperatures heading towards 50°C on some painful occasions. It’s the sand temperature that might really surprise, though. The surface of the Sahara can cook to a skin-peeling 70°C!

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Written by Catherine Roberts

Best time to visit Algeria

Best time to visit Algeria