GUNUNG · Algeria

Djebel Chélia

جبل شيليا (Jabal Shīliyā)

Djebel Chélia (2.328 m) berselimut salju di Pegunungan Aurès, Aljazair — pemandangan gunung, foto Wikimedia Commons. Photo: source

Information

Elevation: 2.328 m
Country: Algeria (DZ)
Location / Range: Pegunungan Aurès (Atlas Sahara), perbatasan Provinsi Khenchela–Batna, Aljazair timur
Mountain type: Puncak lipatan batu kapur (non-vulkanik) — titik tertinggi Pegunungan Aurès dan puncak tertinggi kedua Aljazair setelah Tahat
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 35.3183, 6.6375
Difficulty: Sedang (non-teknis; trek berjalan kaki 4–5 jam melewati hutan cedar dan punggungan berbatu; berat & bersalju di musim dingin)
Best Season: Mei–Oktober (kondisi kering, aman dari salju). Musim dingin (akhir November–awal Maret) puncak tertutup salju tebal — lanskap indah tetapi berbahaya untuk pendaki tanpa perlengkapan
Permits & Rules: Tidak ada izin resmi khusus untuk pendakian harian; akses via desa Yabous atau Bouhmama (Provinsi Khenchela). Disarankan memakai pemandu lokal Chaoui dan memeriksa kondisi keamanan/cuaca terbaru sebelum berangkat
Hazards: Salju tebal & jalur licin di musim dingin (November–Maret); air terjun beku dan suhu di bawah nol; kabut dan angin kencang di punggungan; jalur sebagian tidak berpatok sehingga navigasi perlu perhatian; panas di lereng bawah pada musim panas

Description

Djebel Chélia (2,328 m) — whose main summit is named Ras Kelthoum — is the highest point of the Aurès Mountains and the second-highest peak in Algeria after Tahat in the Hoggar. Straddling the border of Khenchela and Batna provinces in eastern Algeria, it is a folded limestone summit of the Saharan Atlas system, not a volcano. Its slopes are cloaked in ageing Atlas cedar forest (Cedrus atlantica) and erosion-sculpted rocky ridges, making it one of the natural emblems of Khenchela Province (the cedar even appears on the provincial coat of arms). Chélia is the most regularly snow-capped peak in Algeria: from late November to early March its summit lies under thick snow, with frozen waterfalls and snow-laden cedars lending it a 'Siberian' feel in North Africa. The standard hike departs from the village of Yabous or Bouhmama along a moderate 4–5 hour walking trail that gradually opens up panoramas of the green Aurès valleys and Chaoui Berber villages on the lower slopes; on clear days the Sahara is visible to the south and the Constantine highlands to the north. The area is also steeped in history: the Aurès mountains were one of the flashpoints of the Algerian Revolution and a key theatre of the independence struggle.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Via Yabous → Ras Kelthoum (rute klasik)

Sedang (non-teknis; trek berjalan kaki melewati hutan cedar dan punggungan berbatu)

1 hari (pulang-pergi); ±4–5 jam berjalan menuju puncak

The most common route starts from the village of Yabous in Khenchela Province. The trail climbs gradually through Atlas cedar forest and rocky slopes over roughly 4–5 hours to the main summit, Ras Kelthoum (2,328 m). As you ascend, panoramas of the green Aurès valleys and Chaoui Berber villages open up; on clear days the Sahara is visible to the south and the Constantine highlands to the north. Difficulty is moderate in the dry season (May–October) but becomes far harder and hazardous when the summit is snow-covered (late November–March), requiring winter gear. Starting before dawn for the sunrise and carrying warm clothing is recommended, as temperatures drop quickly at altitude.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Climbing Djebel Chélia (2,328 m) is the 'roof of the Aurès' adventure — a 4–5 hour walking trek from the village of Yabous or Bouhmama, through Atlas cedar forest up to the Ras Kelthoum summit. Hikers and video-makers highlight the mountain's two faces: summer with green valleys, ancient cedars, and panoramas reaching the Sahara; and winter, which turns the summit into a 'Siberian' snowscape with frozen waterfalls and snow-cloaked cedars. The area is also heavy with the history of Algeria's independence struggle, adding cultural weight to the hike.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.