Algeria

The great desert interior of Algeria, a vast expanse of sand and rock, is separated from the Mediterranean coast by the great Tell Atlas range that stretches across the northern fringe of the entire country. The most spectacular landscapes are found in the Kabyle where the peaks rise to a heady 2300m and deep canyons cut the magnificent Atlas Cedar Forests that still exist in national parks such as Djurdjura. For years Algeria has been rather a closed book but is now gaining a reputation as one of the safest country’s to visit in North Africa.

We’ll spend three nights at a hotel high in these mountains enjoying a veritable treasure trove of fauna amongst these beautiful trees. Though the deep blue Mediterranean separates these mountains from the continent of Europe the fauna and flora has a decidedly European feel, though in many cases the actual species here are unique to the Kabyle, or at least to North Africa. Cyclamen africanum is a good example nestling in rocks under these great trees, and there’s Algerian Three-toed Skink and North African Ocellated Lizard, as well as Pretty tri-coloured Viola munbyana and the very rare Paeonia algeriensis. At least thirty-four species of orchid are found within the park boundary. There’s both Sword-leaved and Red Helleborines, Monkey Orchids and Mirror Orchids, and a whole bunch of endemics such as Ophrys battandieri, Ophrys marmorata, Ophrys numida, and Ophrys tenthredinifera subsp. ficalhoana. Throughout the tour we’ll marvel at the rich insect life – we’ll see the multi-coloured ‘eyes’ of the Mediterranean Mantis, the brilliant cobalt-blue Glaphyrus maurus (a beetle) and the simply weird Elongated Bean Weevil – three words you never thought you’d see together except perhaps in what3words! The intricately patterned and coloured wings of Spanish Festoons will no doubt impress and we’ll see Iberian Scarce Swallowtails, Provence Hairstreak, Greenish Blacktip, the Rare Moroccan High Brown Fritillary, and the lovely Spotted Adonis Blue. The highest peaks may still have snow which certainly lies all winter in this area and we can see Alpine Accentor, Red-billed Chough and Seebohm’s Wheatear, whilst lower down the lovely Moussier’s Redstart is found. Black Pine and endemic Abies numidica join the Cedar’s of Lebanon in the wonderful Akfadou Forest where we’ll encounter troupes of Barbary Macaques and hopefully newly arrived Atlas Flycatcher. Orchids are abundant and include Androrchis olbiensis, Androrchis patens, Androrchis pauciflora subsp. laeta, Dactylorhiza elata subsp. elongata, Dactylorhiza maculata subsp battandieri, and the gorgeous Ophrys atlantica.

There’s no question which bird most birdwatcher would want to see on a visit to Algeria, the country’s own endemic bird, the Algerian Nuthatch, and we’ll go to Babor National Park where these cute little nuthatches were first found only fifty years ago. Levaillant’s Woodpecker is also common.

Heading into the interior we’ll find the green hills around the picturesque town of Borj Zemmoura to be a rich hunting ground. African Golden Wolf and Barbary Partridges are typical of this habitat alongside Tristram’s Warbler and Black Wheatear. Butterflies are particularly numerous with Moroccan Hairstreak, Black-eyed Blue, Green-striped White and the gorgeous Little Tiger Blue amongst the choicer species. Lizard Orchid should already be in flower and we’ll find the local expansa form of Pink Butterfly Orchid as well as Ophrys murbeckii, Orchis purpurea and the Tongue Orchid Serapias strictiflora. The Giant Thistle, Carduus macrocephalus, is an arresting sight and there’s all sorts of unusual flora such as Dipcadi serotinum, Shrubby Globularia, Gladiolus dubius, Linaria triphylla, Lathyrus clymenum, delicate pink Ajuga iva, stunning Sulla coronaria with heads of brightest crimson, and the spectacular deep-red spikes of Orobanche foetida.

As well as the beautiful towns of villages of the Kabyle we’ll also visit the Ksbah in Algiers and Jardin d’Essai, the city’s fine botanical garden.