Chrea National Park

Blida, Blida Province, Algeria

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Chréa National Park is a mountainous protected area in Blida Province, Algeria, located about 50 kilometers southwest of Algiers in the Blidean Atlas range (part of the larger Tell Atlas), renowned for hosting one of Africa’s few natural snow ski stations and ancient Atlas cedar forests.

Founded in 1997 and covering roughly 37,000 hectares, the park is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (designated in 2002), playing a vital role as a water reservoir for Algiers and surrounding cities while safeguarding rare ecosystems unique to the northern Atlas Mountains. It is home to over 1,200 plant and animal species, including the endangered Barbary macaque (a tailless Old World monkey) that thrives in the park’s cedar woodlands, alongside Barbary stag, wild boar, striped hyena, red fox, and numerous raptor species.

Visitors can enjoy hiking on marked trails, picnicking among Mediterranean cedar trees, skiing or snowboarding in winter at the Chréa ski station, and exploring the nearby Grotto of Chiffa, making it a popular destination for nature lovers, ecotourists, and those seeking fresh mountain air.