HIKING IN HIGH KABYLIE — In the footsteps of Berber women — From Djurjura to olive villages

First day of hiking. Early departure from the guesthouse. The trek begins with a crossing of the Bou Djurjuraa state forest — a stand of Atlas cedars, some specimens of which are over three centuries old. The morning light filters between the branches, Barbary macaques watch from above, the air is already remarkably clear.

The climb towards the Haizer plateaus is gradual. Vegetation becomes sparse, the first alpine meadows appear, the panorama gradually opens onto the southern slope of the massif. The Tachgagalt ridge, with the Lion's Tooth (2,123 m) as a visual landmark, dominates the progression.

Arrival at Lake Tamda Ouguelmin — Goulimine — early afternoon. This high-altitude lake perched at 1,745 m is one of the only natural lakes in Northern Algérie. A vast body of water surrounded by meadows and limestone rocks. The silence is complete. Bivouac camp set up by the lake. Evening under the stars, meal prepared on the camp stove. At this altitude, the night can be cool — sleeping bags essential.

Wake up at first light on the lake. Bivouac breakfast, breaking camp. The day opens onto the north side of Djurjuraa — a world different from the south side: greener, softer, carved into alpine meadows where a few herds still graze in season.

The descent is made by ancient shepherd paths, traced through grass and rock, lined with springs and fountains. We cross several alpine pastures in succession, we come across shepherds' huts often abandoned for decades due to rural exodus, we glimpse below the first roofs of the Kabyle villages on the north side.

Arrival in Timeghras in late afternoon — the southernmost village of the wilaya of Tizi Ouzou, directly overlooked by Mont Thaletat, the Grand Doigt in Kabyle. The Gîte du Capitaine welcomes the group: an authentic Kabyle house, equipped, in a quiet family neighborhood. Well-deserved rest, shower, evening Kabyle meal.

The big day of the circuit. Departure at dawn from Timeghras — the summit of Lalla Khedidja (Tamgut in Kabyle) is visible from the village, and it's waiting.

The ascent via Talahat first follows an exposed ridge before engaging with characteristic limestone scree fields of the high Djurdjura mountains. The last hundred meters are the most demanding — irregular terrain, possible wind, altitude felt acutely. But nothing insurmountable for a hiker in good condition. At the summit: 2,308 meters. The roof of the Algerian Tell. The panorama is 360 degrees: to the north, the Mediterranean which can be glimpsed in clear weather from the ridges; to the south, the high plateaus of Bouira and Sétif stretching to the horizon; to the east and west, the entire Djurdjura range in its details — each summit, each pass, each forest you have crossed or will cross. A moment that is worth the entire journey.

Descent to Iboudraren and check-in at Cairn Mountain — guesthouse and educational farm dedicated to ecotourism, in a serene mountain setting.

The last great day of hiking — and perhaps the most beautiful in its diversity. It begins with crossing the Ait Ouabane forest from the Tizi N'Kouilal pass: 1,100 hectares of primary forest classified as an integral nature reserve, bordered to the west by the Tizi N'Kouilal pass and to the east by the Tirourda pass. This forest is exceptional for its composition: century-old Atlas cedars, maples, holm oaks, yews and pseudo-alpine grassland. In spring the maples burst in every shade of green; in autumn they turn red and gold — hence its name: the Forest of Colors. Hikers progress under tunnels of branches, the air is fragrant with resin, Barbary macaques watch them pass.

We emerge from the forest at the Tirourda pass (1,750 m) — a historical crossroads between the three wilayas of Tizi Ouzou, Bouira and Bejaia.

Then the climb to Azrou N'Thor (1 883 m): a limestone peak with a white marabout visible from afar, a site of ancestral pilgrimage for all of Kabylie. The view from the summit is circular and vertiginous — the Soummam valley on one side, the entire Djurdjura massif on the other.

Bivouac on the plateau at the foot of the summit — soft alpine terrain, moderate wind. Dinner under the stars with a view of the illuminated villages of the valley below. The night here is of rare intensity.

Sunrise over the ridges. Last bivouac coffee, breaking camp. The descent to the Chellata pass takes two to three hours — easier terrain than the previous days, north-facing slope green and wooded. Vehicles await at the pass.

Route towards Bouzghène and the village of Aït Said. Leaving the mineral world of Djurdjura, we re-enter agricultural and rural Kabylie: olive trees on terraces, fig trees, white stone houses, tajmaats in the shade. Aït Said is a living, dynamic village that has managed to preserve its traditions without making them rigid.

The afternoon and evening are entirely free — in the truest sense of the word. A stroll through the olive groves, tea under the fig tree, conversation with the elders on the tajmaat, Kabyle cuisine prepared by the village women. For some group members, this may be the strongest moment of the journey — after all the beauty of the mountains, the gentleness of a Kabyle village and its people.

Night at a local home, in the village houses.