Hodna Mountains

The Hodna Mountains are a semi-arid mountain and plateau region in northeastern Algeria that overlooks the Hodna basin and salt lake. The range and its basin form a distinctive steppe and wetland landscape in Bordj Bou Arréridj Province.

Low, rolling massifs, rocky plateaus and the central salt basin create a mix of steppe, sparse scrub and seasonal marshes. The area is noted for its dryland vegetation and the central salt lake and marshes which support seasonal concentrations of waterbirds.

Local people have used the Hodna area for grazing and low-intensity agriculture for many generations, and the salt basin has been a regional landmark for trade and local economies. Over time the landscape has remained largely rural with limited industrial development.

The Hodna Mountains sit in northeastern Algeria within Bordj Bou Arréridj Province, surrounding the Hodna basin and salt lake. The range lies inland from the northern coastal Tell Atlas and forms part of the transition to Algeria’s interior plateaus.

• Wildlife seasons: Best visited in spring and autumn when migratory waterbirds and shorebirds concentrate on the wetlands.

What to See #

• Chott el Hodna: A large seasonal salt lake and associated marshes occupying the basin at the centre of the Hodna Mountains; important for steppe and wetland bird species and for local salt extraction in some areas.