Kabylie: villages, the Djurdjura, crafts and stays

From the Mediterranean to the ridges of the Djurdjura, Kabylie (Kabylia) is one of Algeria's most endearing regions. Many know it through family; others discover it as travellers, for its hilltop villages, its mountains and its crafts. Here is how to explore it: what to see, the best-known villages, the crafts to look out for, and where to stay, in Tizi Ouzou or Béjaïa.

Greater and Lesser Kabylie

Kabylie is a region of mountains and coastline in northern Algeria, east of Algiers. It has two main parts:

• Greater Kabylie, around Tizi Ouzou, stretching from the Mediterranean coast to the ridges of the Djurdjura;
• Lesser Kabylie, around Béjaïa and the Soummam valley, as far as the Babor mountains.

Tizi Ouzou is the handiest base for the villages and the mountains. Béjaïa lets you combine the sea, the old town and mountain outings.

Hilltop villages

The large mountain village built along the ridges is Kabylie's traditional form of settlement: tightly packed houses, steep lanes and views over the valleys. Many villages can be visited by car on a day trip from Tizi Ouzou.

Ath Yenni (Beni Yenni). About 35 km south-east of Tizi Ouzou, at the foot of the Djurdjura, the municipality of Ath Yenni brings together several hilltop villages. The best known is Taourirt Mimoun, birthplace of the writer Mouloud Mammeri, author of La Colline oubliée (The Forgotten Hill). Ath Yenni is above all famous for its handmade silver jewellery set with coral and enamel. From the villages, the view opens onto the peaks of the range.

Etiquette. These are lived-in villages, not museums. Say hello, ask before photographing people, park without blocking the way and keep your voice down near homes. You will often be welcomed with great kindness.

The Djurdjura, Kabylie's mountain range

The Djurdjura closes off Greater Kabylie to the south. Its highest peak, Lalla Khedidja, rises to 2,308 metres. The range is protected by Djurdjura National Park, a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1997, with its Atlas cedar forests and its Barbary macaques, a protected species: please do not feed them.

Two gateways to the mountains:

• Tikjda, on the Bouira side, the best-known resort, for snow in winter and hiking the rest of the year: read our guide to Tikjda in winter.
• Tala Guilef, on the Tizi Ouzou side, another mountain resort in the range, also open to visitors all year round.

North-east of Tizi Ouzou, near Azazga, the Yakouren forest is a classic cool-air outing: see our article on Yakouren. On the coast, Tigzirt combines a beach with Roman ruins. For an overview of the country's mountains, read the Atlas Mountains in Algeria.

Kabyle crafts

Kabylie has long been a land of craftsmanship. Three traditions to know:

• Ath Yenni jewellery: silver, coral and enamel. The Ath Yenni jewellery festival is normally held in summer, between late July and early August; dates are announced each year and can change, so check before you travel.
• Pottery: Kabyle pottery, decorated with traditional signs and patterns, is still made today. Maâtkas, in Tizi Ouzou province, hosts a pottery festival.
• The Aït Hichem rug: this woven rug takes its name from its village, which holds its own festival.

In summer, Tizi Ouzou province holds many village and craft festivals: the best time to meet artisans and buy directly from them.

When to go

• In summer, for village and craft festivals, and to combine with the sea in Tigzirt or on the beaches of Béjaïa.
• In winter, for snow on the Djurdjura, on mountain roads to be driven with care: check the weather and road conditions before you set off.
• For the other seasons, read our article on the best time to visit Algeria.

Where to stay in Kabylie

In Tizi Ouzou, to explore the villages, the Djurdjura and Yakouren:

• Hôtel Ittourar, on the Nouvelle Ville boulevard, bookable on Nreservi: enter your dates on its page to see rooms and rates;
• Hôtel Lalla Khedidja, a well-known address in the town centre;
• all our addresses on the hotels in Tizi Ouzou page.

In Béjaïa, for Lesser Kabylie and the sea:

• in town, below Gouraya National Park, Hôtel Saldae & Spa or Cap Carbon Hotel; on Boulevard Colonel-Amirouche, Hôtel du Nord;
• near the airport, Atlantis Béjaïa Aéroport; inland, Atlantis Akbou;
• for the beach, Tichy and the east coast: our guide to the beaches of Béjaïa, and all our addresses on the hotels in Béjaïa page.

In the Djurdjura, Hôtel Djurdjura in Tikjda, or a hotel in Bouira, down in the valley.

Booking from abroad

On Nreservi you book your hotel online. In Algeria you pay in dinars without a bank card: BaridiMob, bank transfer or cash at our Telemly office. Living abroad? You can also pay online by bank card, and your voucher is sent to you after payment. Couples should read our article on the family record book at hotels before travelling. Booking for your parents in Algeria? See our guide on booking a hotel for your parents.

Before you go

Visa. Most foreign travellers in principle need a visa to enter Algeria, and the rules depend on your passport. Check the current requirements with the Algerian consulate that covers your area, and see our Algeria visa page.

Safety. Read your own government's travel advice. Our article Is Algeria safe for travellers? explains where to find it.

See our hotels in Tizi Ouzou

Sources: Routard (Beni Yenni); Wikipedia (Kabylie, Mouloud Mammeri, Djurdjura National Park, Atlas Mountains); Encyclopædia Britannica (Kabylie, Atlas Mountains); UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (Djurdjura); Algérie 360 (2018, 2023); Algérie Eco (5 August 2025); Radio Algérie; Echorouk (accessed 13 November 2026).

Nreservi, online travel agency — 1st floor, 116 boulevard Colonel Krim Belkacem (Telemly), Algiers Centre — +213 540 28 40 40.