Wonders of Ancient Algeria Eclipse Tour

Our tour starts in the Algerian capital, Algiers. The country's largest city, Algiers today is a bustling Mediterranean port that can trace its origins back to Carthaginian traders of the 4th century BC. Dominated by the imposing walls of its citadel, the Kasbah quarter of the old town is a collection of meandering alleyways, palaces and mosques, that now fall under the protection of UNESCO. Away from the old town, the city's French colonial heritage embraces a collection of grand buildings and wide boulevards that sweep around the coastline.

There are no activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Algiers at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Algiers International Airport, also known as Houari Boumediene International Airport (ALG), which is around a 30-minute drive from the hotel depending on traffic. Due to the number of flights arriving later in the day, your tour leader will catch up with you the following morning for the welcome meeting.

After this morning's welcome briefing, we'll head west out of Algiers along the coast. Today we'll visit three sites along the Mediterranean coast. Our first stop is the massive, circular stone funerary monument of the Mausoleum of Mauritania, the final resting place of the last king and queen of Numidia. The views from the hilltop monument are impressive, with the fertile Mitidja plains stretching out beyond us. Historically, this area has been the agricultural heartland of the region.

Our next stop is Cherchell on the coast. The former capital of ancient Mauritania, today Cherchell has a busy fishing port. The town's museum houses a rare white marble copy of the Apollo of Phidias and a colossal statue of Augustus, as well as intricate mosaics depicting agricultural life and mythological scenes such as the Triumph of Dionysus. Just outside of the museum is the Place des Martyrs (Martyrs Square), a beautiful esplanade shaded by massive, centuries-old Phytolacca (Elephant) trees. It overlooks the harbour and serves as a lively meeting place for locals. You can spot Roman ruins scattered across the square, including ancient columns and capitals sitting amongst the modern benches.

We'll break for lunch in Tipaza, stopping at a local seafood restaurant (vegetarian options available) after lunch, it's a short ten-minute stroll to the archaeological park. Founded by the Carthaginians as a port and trading centre, the site contains a forum, four thermal baths and the outline of a large Christian Basilica. The setting is stunning, feeling like an open-air museum, situated between the mountains and the Mediterranean.

This morning we have time to explore the nation's capital, Algiers. We'll start with a visit to the 92-meter/300-foot-tall Monument to the Martyrs, situated on a hill and overlooking the city. We'll then head to the Church of Notre Dame d'Afrique, which dominates the bay above Bab El Oued, before driving to the 10th-century city known as the Kasbah, or "The Citadelle". The Kasbah is made up of a maze of narrow cobbled streets, as well as palaces and mosques that date back to the Ottoman period which we'll explore on foot.

Finally, we'll visit one of Algier's most important historical monuments, Bastion 23 (or Palais des Rais). This Ottoman-era complex houses three palaces, and we'll have the chance to roam through secret rooms inside. Please note, the order of our visits might change depending on traffic conditions.

After our visit, we'll have lunch in Algiers and then drive to Setif, a journey of three to four hours through rolling hills. Our hotel in Setif is centrally located, close to a good selection of restaurants and shops.

After breakfast we'll take a short walk to visit the town's museum, which houses a number of excellently preserved Roman mosaics. We'll then drive an hour to one of the most extensive and well preserved Roman era sites in Algeria, Djemila. Sitting on a hilltop, 900 metres/2,952 feet above sea level with fine views across the valley, Djemila is a fascinating example of the way Roman urbanism adapted to the sloping alpine terrain. Founded by the Emperor Nerva, the village was built to house his subjects. The streets are lined with the remains of houses, temples and a forum - we can also see the basilica and several triumphal arches. While in Djemila, we'll visit the museum, where every square inch of wall is plastered with intricate mosaics, making it one of the finest collections in the country.

Lunch will be close to the site, after which we'll drive three hours to Batna.

Total, we'll witness the longest solar eclipse of the century amongst the Roman ruins at Timgad. The moon's shadow will fall across Algeria at 8.51am, reaching totality at 10.01am, at which point the altitude of the sun will be around 38 degrees above the horizon.

The Moon orbits the Earth almost 13 times a year, and an eclipse happens if it lines up exactly with the Earth and the Sun. Solar eclipses occur at New Moon, when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun. Lunar eclipses occur at Full Moon, when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon appears the same size as the sun, completely obscuring the light.

Eclipses don't take place every month because the Moon and Earth's orbits are tilted at an angle so, most of the time, the line-up is not precise enough for an eclipse. When an eclipse is total, the solar corona can be seen as a white halo around the black disk of the Moon. Near the beginning and end of total eclipses, the thin, visible slice of the Sun appears broken up into blobs of light. These blobs are called 'Baily's beads' after the British astronomer Francis Baily. They happen because the edge of the Moon is not smooth but jagged with mountain peaks. When just one bead is visible, the effect is often likened to a diamond ring. The total eclipse on 2nd August 2027 will last for five minutes and 24 seconds, making it one of the longest periods of totality this century.

We'll view the eclipse from one of Algeria's archaeological crown jewels, Timgad. This old Roman city, known as the Pompeii of Africa, was built by Emperor Trajan as a reward for his troops.

Because the city was built on flat ground, its grid layout remains one of the best-preserved in the ancient world. We'll wander the main thoroughfares to discover the old forum, the thermal baths, and the imposing Triumphal Arch. After watching the eclipse with our Explore tour leader, we will have a guided tour of the site, you'll have time to get lost in the maze of ancient streets at your own pace. Please note this eclipse departure is not accompanied by an astronomer.

After lunch we'll drive onwards to Constantine, perched above the Oued Rhumel River Valley. Constantine is also known as the 'City of Bridges' thanks to the seven bridges that span the ravine connecting the old city. Upon arrival in the city, we'll head to the Monument to the Dead, a memorial arch topped by a statue of the winged victory, commemorating the Algerian victims of World War I. Our vantage point up here lets us witness what a masterpiece of urban geography the city is. Walking downhill, we'll cross a suspension bridge (which hangs like a ribbon over the deep ravine) connecting the labyrinthine of the old city to the cliffs beyond. It's then a short walk along the busy Rue de Larbi Ben M'Hidi to our hotel in the city centre.

Today we'll explore Constantine - both on foot and by bus - with our tour leader.

Founded over 2,000 years ago, the city (formerly known as Cirta) is built on a plateau surrounded by deep ravines. This site was chosen so the city could be easily defended but over the centuries, it's outgrown the plateau and spilled over.

Heading out on foot, we'll retrace our steps along the central Rue Larbi Ben M'Hidi, the main shopping street selling everything from clothing and shoes to electronics. Just off the central boulevard is one of the finest Ottoman structures in the city, the Palace of Ahmed Bey. We'll explore the palace's courtyards and gardens filled with palms and orange trees, and see the tiled mosaics. Just outside the palace is the 11th-century Great Mosque, the oldest mosque in the city, which we'll see from the outside.

Next, we'll walk through the alleyways of the casbah, along the Boulevard of the Abyss, overlooking the city's vast gorges, to the Sidi M'Cid suspension bridge - the city's most iconic symbol. The bridge measures 175 metres/575 feet in height and 168 metres/552 feet in length and connects the city to the hill. From the bridge, we'll get views over the old Bab El Kantara Bridge and the Sidi Rached Viaduct.

Our final stop is the National Museum of Cirta. The museum is a treasure trove of antiquities and relics found in Constantine and the surrounding areas, including the bronze sculpture of winged 'Victory of Constantine.'

Our destination today is Algeria's fourth largest city, Annaba, situated on the Mediterranean close to modern day Tunisia. Heading back towards the coast, we'll make a stop an hour outside of Constantine to see the Roman ruins at Tiddis, occupied since the Neolithic period and containing several circular 'bazina' burial monuments from the pre-Roman Numidian times. The site is more compact than the other sites we've seen.

Continuing to Annaba, we'll drive directly to our modern hotel, located close to the sea, with fine views across the ocean from the terrace and a large swimming pool. The rest of the day is left free to explore the city or visit one of the fine beaches.

This morning we'll explore some of the best sites in Annaba accompanied by our tour leader, including the ruins at Hippo Regius (the ancient name of the modern city of Annaba). The settlement served as an important city for many dynasties including the Phoenicians, the Romans, Berbers and the Vandals. The complex today includes residential quarters with rows of columns with paved streets, a large rectangular forum and foundations of numerous public buildings. We'll visit the museum which houses several well preserved examples of mosaics and relics.

Moving on, our next stop is the imposing Basilica of Saint Augustine, which sits on top of a hill overlooking the city and the ruins of Hippo Regius. Construction of the basilica began in 1881 and took almost 20 years to complete. Much of the material used in its construction was imported from France.

We'll then drive to the Cap de Garde, 15 minutes from the city. Offering fine views of the city and the coastline, the Ras Hamra Lighthouse is a historic landmark standing at the edge of the cape, serving as a guiding light for the Bay of Annaba; from here on a clear day it is possible to see far out to sea.

Lunch will be taken back in the city centre after which we'll have time to explore the elegant French colonial-era architecture along the wide boulevards that cross the centre. The rest of the day is free.

At the time of publication, we plan to take a morning flight back to Algiers departing at 8.30am, the exact timing depends on flight schedules. Our aim is to spend the last afternoon in the capital to explore some more.

Our tour ends today at our hotel in Algiers. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight departs later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Algiers International airport, also known as Houari Boumediene International Airport (ALG), which is around 30 minutes from the hotel depending on traffic.