Pure and Al-doped ZnO were synthesized in supercritical isopropanol using zinc acetate dihydrtate, aluminum nitrates and methanol as precursor, dopant source and solvent, respectively. The atomic ratio [Al]/[Zn] was fixed to be 0.03 (3%). The aerogels were characterized without any chemical or heat treatments. X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible spectrophotometry, photoluminescence spectroscopy and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the aerogels.  XRD results showed a single phase with hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO.  The introduction of 3% at.Al-doped ZnO ameliorates the crystalline quality of the doped ZnO aerogel by the occupation of Zn2+ sites by Al3+. The crystallites size increases from 31 nm in undoped to 50 nm in doped aerogel. FT-IR results show the bands intensity decreases after Al-doping. UV-visible measurements show the increase of the absorption band intensity and a slight shift towards long wavelength side after the introduction of Al atoms. Room temperature photoluminescence spectra show that Al-doping increases the emissions bands intensity. SEM images reveal the spherical grains morphology of pure ZnO aerogel and random forms of the grains of the doped aerogel. The grains have the same size in pure ZnO and different sizes for Al-doped ZnO grains were observed.