Curonian Spit

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Curonian Spit is 98km long and separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. It varies in width from 400 m to 4 km. The southern part of it lies in Kaliningrad, Russia, the rest is in Lithuania, which is where we spent a couple of days.

Kissama National Park

Kissama National Park or Quiçama National Park is an Angolan natural park, situated in Bengo province in the northwest. It occupies an area of 9.600 km² and is situated 75km away from Luanda.

It is the only functioning national park in all of Angola, with the others being in disrepair due to the Angolan Civil War.

The Park is limited in the north by Kwanza river; south, by Longa river; west, by the coast line between Kwanza and Longa rivers; and east, by the road.

Kissama National Park was established as a hunting reserve in 1938 and became a national park in 1957.
The park once was home to an abundance of large game animals such as elephants and Giant Sable, but after wide-scale poaching during 25 years of civil war, the animal population was virtually eliminated.

In 2001, the Kissama Foundation, a group of Angolans and South Africans, initiated 'Operation Noah's Ark' to transport animals, especially elephants, from neighbouring Botswana and South Africa. These animals, who were from overpopulated parks in their home countries, adapted well to the move. Noah's Ark was the largest animal transplant of its kind in history and has given the park momentum to be restored to its natural state.

Expect a to see elephants, elands, ostriches, zebras,blue wildebeests, kudus, giraffes, bushbucks, grey duikers and dik diks. The wildlife isn't very concentrated so you might need to travel some distance to see them all.

The Park provides facilities for visitors, 'pousada' and bungalows.

Ahaggar National Park

Algeria's Ahaggar National Park covers an area of approximately 450,000 square kilometers in the Saharan Algeria Region in the extreme south of the country. The closest populated area near the park, which lies in a desert mountainous zone, is the oasis city of Tamanrasset. The Ahaggar Mountains, also known as the Hoggar, dominate the park, with the highest peak being Mount Tahat, measuring 3,003 meters above sea level.
The Ahaggar Mountain range consists mainly of jagged volcanic rock, and rainfall in the area is sporadic. Nevertheless, the biodiversity in the area is excellent, with a number of animal species that have died off in other parts of the Sahara still being found in the Ahaggar National Park. This is thought to be due to the fact that the climate in the park is less extreme than that experienced in most other areas of the Sahara. The park forms part of the West Saharan montane xeric woodlands – an ecoregion of isolated refuges where plants and animals survive the otherwise harsh conditions of the Saharan desert. This ecoregion extends across the Tassili-n-Ajjer, Ahaggar and Air massifs in Saharan Algeria.
Interestingly, the Cheetah Conservation Fund, which monitors populations of the globally threatened species, conducted a survey of the Ahaggar National Park in 2005 to in an attempt to find out whether cheetahs still inhabited the park. Although it proved difficult to establish exact numbers, it was confirmed that Saharan cheetahs were living in the park, a fact that was backed up by nomadic herders who complained that cheetahs were a problem for their livestock. Other internationally important species resident in the Ahaggar National Park include the Dorcas gazelle and Barbary sheep.

(Text from www.algeria.com)

Belezma National Park

The Belezma National Park is located around 25 kilometers north-west of the town of Batna in the North East Region of Algeria. Incorporating the Belezma Mountains, the park covers an area of more than 262 square kilometers and has a climate ranging from cool sub-humid to dry semi-arid, providing a variety of habitats suitable for the more than 300 resident species of wildlife. The park also has more than 440 species of flora, many of which are endemic to the area.
Of the animals living in the Belezma National Park, 59 species are considered to be endangered. Among these are the Cuvier’s Gazelle and the Dorcas Gazelle, both of which were once plentiful in the wild, but are now only found in North African nature reserves, including Algeria’s Belezma National Park. Atlas Barbary Sheep, a species of goat-antelope, were once a common sight in north Africa but are now only seen in reserves. These sure-footed animals have the advantage of being able to find food and water in seemingly inaccessible places that other grazing animals cannot reach, and visitors to the Belezma National Park have a good chance of spotting one of these illusive and solitary animals in the semi-arid areas of the park.
Another endangered resident of the Belezma National Park is the Serval – a slender, long-legged feline with dark spotted, tawny colored fur. Although these attractive medium-sized wild cats are masters of camouflage, visitors may very well see one in the savanna-like habitat of the park. While spotting one of the endangered inhabitants of the park is a thrilling prospect, with the stunning scenery and so many interesting birds and other animals to see, a visit to Algeria's Belezma National Park is always a richly rewarding experience.

(Text from www.algeria.com)

Chrea National Park

Taking its name from a nearby town, the Chréa National Park is located in the Blida Province of the North West Region of Algeria. The park incorporates the mountainous area of the Blidean Atlas, part of the Tell Atlas range, where the grotto of Chiffa and the snow skiing station of Chréa are situated. The Chréa skiing station is one of the few in Africa that can offer skiing on natural snow.
Although the Chréa National Park is one of Algeria's smallest protected areas, it has varied terrain and abundant flora, providing suitable habitats for a variety of animals and birds, including a number of magnificent raptor species. The ancient Atlas Cedar forests of the park are home to a population of Barbary Macaque (commonly, and mistakenly, referred to as Barbary Apes), an Old World monkey species that is rated as endangered on the IUCN Red List (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources). A distinguishing feature of the Barbary Macaque is its short stump of a tail, which is believed to have come about as a result of centuries of disuse.
There are numerous walking trails within the Chréa National Park that have been designed for visitors to enjoy the rich natural beauty of this charming Algerian national park which is well worth visiting.

(Text from www.algeria.com)

Djebel Babor National Park

Located within the Djebel Babor Mountains of northern Algeria, the Djebel Babor Nature Reserve consists primarily of Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests, an eco-region found in the high North African mountain ranges, as well as in southern Spain. This unique eco-region is home to the Barbary Macaque, an Old World monkey species which is considered to be endangered, as well as the Atlas Deer, and visitors to the reserve may be fortunate enough to catch sight of one or more of these rare animals.
The Djebel Babor Mountains form part of the Petite Kabylie Mountains, which together with the Grand Kabylie, form part of the extensive Atlas range of mountains running parallel to the Mediterranean coastline. Fast flowing streams and mountain springs occur throughout the Djebel Babor Nature Reserve, and the scenery is breathtaking. The abundant birdlife in the reserve has made this protected area of Algeria a prime destination for birding enthusiasts. Birds which may be spotted in the reserve include great spotted woodpecker, wood pigeon, rock dove, nightjar, jay, spotted flycatcher, pied flycatcher, jay, hawfinch and the endemic Kabylie nuthatch.
Due to its bio-geographical value as one of the few remaining primeval Algerian forests, the status of the Djebel Babor Nature Reserve was changed from a national park to a nature reserve in 1985. Entry is controlled and the area is patrolled by wardens to prevent timber extraction, hunting and grazing. Those who are there to enjoy the natural beauty of the area will find a visit to Algeria's Djebel Babor Nature Reserve to be a memorable experience.

(Text from www.algeria.com)

Djurdjura National Park

Taking its name from the Djurdjuran massif that lies within its boundaries, the Djurdjura National Park in the North West Region of Algeria consists of three main sections – eastern, western and central - extending into the districts of Bouira to the south, and Tizi-Ouizou to the north. With its many dense forests, deep gorges and unusual grottoes, the park is widely considered to have some of the most beautiful scenery in Algeria. It is also home to varied flora and fauna, including the endangered Barbary Macaque.
The outstanding physical features of the Djurdjura National Park include the mountain peaks of the Djurdjuran massif of the Grande Kabylie, part of the Tell Atlas Mountains of Algeria. At a height of 2,308 meters, Lalla Khedidja is the highest part of the Djurdjuran massif, and one of Algeria’s highest mountains. The north escarpment face of the massif contains deep valleys, potholes, fissures and gorges, with ancient glacial action having left its mark on a number of the cliff faces. The park is well watered by springs and streams and has a number of glacial lakes within its boundaries. On the south-eastern slopes of the Djurdjuran massif there are dense Atlas cedar forest groves, while at lower altitudes there are endemic pine and juniper trees.
The Djurdjura National Park is a refuge for a wide variety of fauna including hyena, wild boar, crested porcupine, hare, wild cat, jackal, mongoose, weasel, red fox and the Barbary Macaque, sometimes referred to as the Barbary Ape, although it is in fact not an ape, but a member of the Old World monkey species. Birding enthusiasts will appreciate the variety of birds in the park, which include a number of raptors such as the black vulture, booted eagle, long-legged buzzard, kestrel, golden eagle and peregrine falcon.
The main visitor center for the Djurdjura National Park is located at Tikjda, along with hotels and campsites. The park was created in September 1925 under the French colonial government of the time, and following the independence of Algeria it was re-established as a national park to protect this unique ecosystem for the people of Algeria, and for visitors to this fascinating country to enjoy.

(Text from www.algeria.com)