Algeria

       

Algeria Destinations in the Sahara

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Tamanrasset Once a remote outpost for the French Foreign Legion and to this day an important staging point for desert crossings Tamanrasset is a friendly remote desert town with great character. Located at an altitude of 1400m it is not too hot in the summer and can be quite cold in the winter months. The 2000km bus journey from Algiers takes at least two days, most prefer to take one of the daily flights from either Algiers (Air Algerie or Point Afrique). This is our base for trips to the Hoggar Mountains, Tassili Hoggar, Tassili Ghero, Tefedest, Imidir and Ahnet. Hoggar (or Ahaggar) Mountains Just north of Tamanrasset this extensive area of volcanic mountains culminates at the summit of Tahat almost 3000m high. The area is classified as a national park and it is a unique island of high mountains in nthe heart of the Sahara. The most popular summit for walkers, Assakrem, is one of the most popular viewpoints offering stunning nviews over a sea of towers, particularly impressive at sunset. The crystalline rock of many of these towers offers excellent, often bolted, rock-climbing. To the east the village of Tazrouk is the highest in Algeria and home to a Tuareg festival held on the 1st Thursday in August. 8 Day Tassili & Hoggar Mountains Programme Tassili Hoggar Located 1 days drive to the SE of Tamanrasset this area resembles the Tassili n'Ajjer and offers many possible routes for 4x4 exploration and trekking. The name Tassili means plateau, here the plateau has been eroded away to leave an extensive landscape of superb rock formations, sand dunes, gheltas (water holes) and wadis. Petroglyphs are mainly found as rock carvings, some almost 8000yrs old and of a good quality. 8 Day Trekking Programme | 8 Day Tassili & Hoggar Mountains Programme Tefedest This area lies to the north of the Hoggar and is composed of mountains cut by canyons and wadis with oasis, nomads and paintings. 4x4 and camel supported trekking is recommended to explore this area. 15 Day Trekking Programme Imidir-Ahnet Similar to the Tefedest but involves a 2 day drive to reach the area from Tamanrasset. Imidir is a good location for camel supported treks. Tassili Ghero A long day's drive to the SW of Tamanrasset this area of mountains dunes offers another beautiful and more remore area to explore. Djanet This famous desert outpost town is more a string of big villages lying along a broad wadi. It has lost little of its charm and it lies surrounded by beautiful dunes, mountains, canyons, rock towers and several fine petroglyph site including the famous crying cow. On the 10th day of each lunar (Islamic) year the Ghat Tuareg festival takes place. This takes the form of two teams from different areas of Djanet competing in marshal displays accompanied by the women chanting. There are regular flights to Djanet from Paris and Algiers. It is the sensible base for visiting Tassili Ajjer or the Tadrart. Tassili n'Ajjer This range of mountains stretches past Djanet for over a hundred kilometers much designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name means "Plateau of the Rivers" aptly describes the severely disseccted remnants of a once great plateau. Spectacular canyons, rock formations, dunes, gheltas and a variety of cave art make this a fascinating area to explore. 4x4 trips with short excursions allow the range to be visited at most points however a camel or mule supported trek is the best way to visit some of the less accessible areas. 8 Day Camel Trekking Programme Tadrart Tadrart is the feminine (refering to size) form of Adrar which means mountain. The dissected remnants of this great plateau are a complex area of wadis with beautiful dunes, rock towers and wadis, steep-walled mountain blocks. The area is rich in ancient cave art and can be explored on foot with 4x4 or camel support. Other Areas It is possible to enjoy longer trips into the desert based using 4x4 transport or even camels. Region Name Airport / Time From Ideal Trips Season Hoggar Mountains Tamanrasset / 5 hours 4T 4E CT RC Year Round Tefedest Tamanrasset / 1 day 4T 4E CT October-April Tassili Hoggar Tamanrasset / 1 day 4T 4E October-April Tassili Gherho Tamanrasset / 1 day 4T 4E October-April Imidir / Ahnet Tamanrasset / 2 days 4T 4E CT October-April Tazrouk Festival Tamanrasset / 1 day   5th Aug 2010 4th Aug 2011 Tassili n'Ajjer Djanet / 1 hour 4T 4E CT DT October-April Tadrart Djanet / 2 days 4T 4E CT October-April Djanet Festival Djanet   16th Dec 2010 4th Dec 2011 Key 4T=4x4 supported treks, 4E=4x4 tours + optional walks, CT/DT=camel or donkey supported treks, RC=rock climbing

Djanet Festival Tassili n'Ajjer Tassili n'Ajjer Dunes Tassili Hoggar Tassili Hoggar