Tourism in Algeria: Marvelous caves of Jijel, most visited tourist attraction- Photos, video

By: Hana Saada

ALGIERS- With a splendid coastline, eye-catching landscapes, as well as golden sand beaches, the province of Jijel has become one of the most courted cities in the country. It includes a variety of tourist attractions represented by high mountains, green forests, exotic caves, and sparkling beaches with pure blue water and soft golden sand, among others, and this is what made Jijel one of the most important tourist destinations in Algeria, as it is visited by tourists from all over the world to spend the most beautiful recreational vacations with family and friends.

Jijel is the capital of Jijel Province in north-eastern Algeria. It is flanked by the Mediterranean Sea in the region of Corniche Jijelienne. Jijel is the administrative and trade centre for a region specializing in cork processing, leather tanning and steelmaking. Local crops include citrus and grain. Fishing is also of great importance. Tourists are attracted to Jijel for its landscapes and fine sand beaches. Being a resort town, there are many hotels and restaurants.

Impossible to evoke the city of Jijel without speaking about the marvelous caves of Jijel. The wonderful caves, located in the cliffs of the cornice, were discovered at the time of the drilling of the tunnel by which passes National road 43 in 1917. Their walls were decorated with impressive limestone concretions, stalactites and stalagmites on which played the light…Splendid. These caves are getting popularity from year to year, nationally and internationally.

This site is located in the town of Ziama Mansouriah, about thirty five kilometers west of the capital of the Wilaya of Jijel, on the edge of the old national road RN 43, connecting the Wilayas of Bejaia and Jijel. The Ziama wadi, nearby, leads to the sea a little more than a hundred meters to the east of these caves.

This touristic site has attracted from the beginning of last July until the first week of August, more than a million visitors, according to the figures put forward by the director of the Taza national park, Leïla Boudouhane, quoted by media. “A record”, welcomed the same manager.

Besides the Algerians, these marvelous caves have welcomed Tunisians, Libyans, Italians, Spanish, French, Russians, Czechs, Germans and Saharawis.

Discovered during the construction of the road between Jijel and Bejaia (NR-43), the marvelous caves of Jijel have been classified as a protected natural site since 1948. The protection and preservation of the site has been provided by the Taza National Park since 1992.

The marvelous caves of Jijel are an integral part of the territory of the National Park of Taza, classified as a biosphere reserve since 2004. It also belongs to the karstic system of the ârk, according to a ministerial decision of November 18, 2008.

Situated around 30 kilometers away from Jijel, the Taza National Park, noteworthy, is a biosphere reserve recognized by UNESCO. Its features include the caves with archeological importance, sand beaches, cliffs and grottoes. Established in 1985, the park is especially noted for the endangered monkey species, Barbary Macaque. The park has a total area of 3,807 square kilometers.

Description of the cave

The cave consists of a large room whose ceiling reaches a height of about 40m, extending into a few shallow secondary chambers, separated by large pillars. The room is completely covered with calcite concretions and you can admire very beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, as well as gours in the middle of the puddles.

The marvelous caves of Jijel, dug by Mother Nature as it was formed by natural factors in a strategic area overlooking the Mediterranean and offering the eye the striking beauty of the shapes of their stalagmites and stalactites, display a fixed temperature throughout the year with 18 degrees Celsius and a rate humidity ranging from 60 to 80%.

The cave is dry in winter; and humid in summer; it works by a system of water vapor condensation, favored by the proximity of the sea. This complex process, which remains to be studied, is affected by the closing of the entrances to the cave (by large doors), which prevents moisture supply and pollution, due to car traffic.

“This site includes 850 meters of galleries, of which 650 m are accessible to visitors. It contains several rooms: the Glaciers room, the Great room and the “Paradise” room, which is not accessible. These rooms are home to many stalactites, stalagmites and calcite waterfalls…”, further explained the official.

The limestone concretions of the caves reflect different statues….You will find wonderful sculptures on the cave rocks, such as; the Kremlin Palace in Russia, the Italian Leaning Tower of Pisa, the majesty of God, the statue of freedom and many wonderful statues.

When to visit the exotic caves?

The caves are a haven for tourists from all over the world to discover this strange magic. The caves are characterized by a constant temperature, as mentioned before, and therefore can be visited at any time of the year, especially during the summer months between May and September.

Visit times:

The caves are open for visitors from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Entry ticket:

The price of an entry ticket to visit the fantastic caves is 50 dinars.