Bargaining is not the way of life here, and most day-to-day products have a fixed price. It is might be worth trying to bargain for tourist souvenirs, tours or other tourist services, though there's no guarantee you'll get one.
Hotels might negotiate a little on room rates during quiet periods. Algeria has improved in safety immensely in recent years and for much of the country there are no significant safety issues. However, the lack of foreign visitors means that you will stand out in a crowd and so it still pays to exercise caution. While Algeria is now generally a safe country, check the latest situation when finalising your itinerary.
All travellers to the Sahara beyond In Salah must, by law, be accompanied by an official guide and need to show a copy of an authorised invitation upon arrival. This can also extend to western towns such as Timimoun and Taghit. Currently all borders apart from those with Tunisia are either closed or considered dangerous. Canadian Embassy Also provides consular assistance to Australians. Before we go any further, sit down, take a deep breath and prepare yourself to enter the labyrinth and endlessly time-consuming world of Algerian visas.
A valid passport with at least six months left before expiry is required by all visitors. Nationals of Israel are not allowed into the country, and if you have a stamp in your passport from Israel your application may be rejected. Everyone except nationals of Morocco, Tunisia and Malaysia needs a visa, and getting one can be a frustrating experience. Visas are not available on arrival. The exact list of papers you will be required to submit alongside the visa application depends upon your nationality and the embassy or consulate you're applying through.
For tourist visas, though, you will always require an 'invitation' to visit the country from an Algerian contact or tourist agency. This can take the form of a signed and stamped letter from a local or international tour operator confirming a booking on an organised tour of Algeria. This letter will need to include a list of places to be visited in Algeria, complete with dates. If you're travelling independently then you will need to provide hotel bookings certified by the local authorities in Algeria normally the town hall where the hotel is located.
