Cultural tour of Algeria - A Tour of Hoggar & Tadrart

The Tassilli area in southern Algeria offers some of the most fascinating scenery of the Sahara Desert with canyons, prehistoric rock-paintings, surprising shaped rocks formations and mesmerizing sand dunes. The marvelous labyrinth of Tadrart stretches out to the Liberian border. Our Toureg guide will take us on a tour through a rugged landscape with an overwhelming nature, which has remained inaccessible for a long time.

DATES

PRICES

INCLUSIONS

AIRFARE

Day 01 (SAT): Arrive Djanet
After flying over the dark brown rocks and deep canyons of the plateau Tassili
N'Ajjer, landing in Djanet is like landing in the middle of nowhere. Djanet is situated at the foot of the Tassili N'Ajjer, on the edge of Erg Admer, a vast 'sea of sand dunes'. It is exactly what you imagine an oasis village to be; it is a pleasant and calm village with large, shady palm trees where daily life follows the slow rhythm of the desert. This rhythm has adapted to the desert temperatures, and most activities take place in the early morning or in the late afternoon. In the center of the village there is a small, but lively market where people wearing traditional boubous and cheches (turban) buy and sell fresh vegetables, fruit, tea, sugar and of course fresh dades. The small shops around the market sell beautiful Tuareg jewelry and colorful cheches and are worthwhile rummaging about for a while. Djanet also has a museum that shows examples of prehistoric relics from its surroundings.
Overnight: Hotel, Djanet (1 night)

Day 02 (SUN): Djanet / Issouad
This morning we have the only opportunity to exchange money before setting off into the desert. We will leave Djanet by late morning. On our way to the Tadrart we will visit the Tuareg camp Amais and the beautiful rock engravings of Tanaout: a pile of rocks in the middle of a plain, covered with pretty engravings of giraffes and cattle. In the afternoon we will drive through an empty landscape between low mountains of rock.
Overnight: Camping, Issouad (1 night) (B, D)

Day 03 (MON): Issouad / El Biredj
El Biredj is a wide canyon-like valley that will take us to the fascinating landscape of the Tadrart. The further we go into El Biredj, the more paintings and engravings we encounter. These wonderfully preserved paintings depict scenes of cattle, people and hunting. Like the Tassili N'Ajjer, the Tadrart region is like an open-air museum.
Overnight: Camping, El Biredj (1 night) (B, D)

Days 04 & 05 (TUE & WED): El Biredj / Tadrart
At the end of El Biredj, the high orange colored sand dunes of Moul el Naga appear. The sharp edges and the shades of the dunes make this landscape very scenic. An exciting ride will take us over the dunes. After passing some spectacular arches, sculptured by wind, we will arrive at the highest dunes of the Tadrart: Tin Merzouga. Arriving at its foot, it is a huge orange wall that rises steep into the air. The climb to the top is not easy, but watching sunset or sunrise from it, while the wind is the only sound you will hear, is something you do not want to miss. From Tin Merzouga we will follow Oued In Djared, where we will see numerous rock paintings and big engravings.
Overnight: Camping, Tadrart (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 06 (THU): Tadrart / Alidema
Oued In Djaren leads us from the Tadrart through a vast empty landscape to Alidema, an interesting area of orange sand and black rock formation.
Overnight: Camping, Alidema (1 night) (B, D)

Day 07 (FRI): Alidema / Monts Gautiers / Mont Tiska
To reach Monts Gautiers we have to cross a vast open plain. We will cross the trail of the famous Berliet expedition of 1960. This is the desert in the real sense of the word. After the Monts Gautiers we'll continue to Mont Tiska, a triangle shaped mountain that can be seen from far.
Overnight: Camping, Mont Tiska (1 night) (B, D)

Day 08 (SAT): Mont Tiska / Erg Admer
From Mont Tiska we will head for Erg Admer, the vast sea of sand dunes to the east of Djanet. We will cross this area of huge white sand dunes and camp at its edge. Over the day, sunlight constantly changes the geometrical lines, the contrasts and the color of the sand creating a mesmerizing spectacle of shadow and light.
Overnight: Camping, Erg Admer (1 night) (B, D)

Day 09 (SUN): Erg Admer / Tadent
Following the big oued of Tafassasset, we'll head for Oued Tadent, where we will visit a small Tuareg camp and the well of Tadent. The oueds do not offer spectacular scenery. Oued Tafassasset is a very wide, shallow riverbed. Oued Tadent is narrower and runs between rocky hills. The Tuareg camp in this oued is small. It consists of a few tents and some brick buildings. Its inhabitants live from herding goats and camels. As soon as we arrive, the men will meet us, while the women and children bring small souvenirs they want to sell, like brass bracelets and colorful leather key rings. Around 5.00 pm we will pitch our camp around a campfire at a suitable place.
Overnight: Camping, Tadent (1 night) (B, D)

Day 10 (MON): Tadent / Tin Agoula
Through a landscape of low rocky mountains, piles of rock and small rolling sand dunes, we head for the mountain range of Tin Agoula, close to which we will spend the night. With a bit of luck we'll run into some camels, gazelles or one of the very rare leopards that live here. Although it seems that not many animals live in the Sahara, the tracks you'll find in the sand around the camp in the morning prove otherwise!
Overnight: Camping, Tin Agoula (1 night) (B, D)

Days 11 & 12 (TUE & WED): Tin Agoula / Yourfarlal / Youfihakit
The beautiful area of Youfarlal and Youfihakit awaits us after our two days of driving through oueds. Huge rock formations and mushroom shaped boulders are surrounded by softly rolling sand dunes. It is a great area to explore with lots of beautiful photo opportunities. The spectacular needle shaped rocks pointing to the sky can be seen from far and are clear landmarks in a landscape of mainly round boulders. We will visit a pretty little arch that manages to stand on two little feet. In Youfihakit we also find some pretty rock engravings.
Overnight: Camping, Youfihakit (2 nights) (B, D)

Day 13 (THU): Youfihakit / Tamekrest
Following the oued, crossing a vast plain and a lunar landscape with piles of dark rock, we arrive at the miraculous guelta (natural spring) of Tamekrest. It is a small waterfall that runs down polished pink and purple granite. The Tuareg from the surrounding camps bring their goats and camels here to drink. On top of the granite rocks you will find a small oasis with surprisingly lush, green vegetation. The best time of day to take pictures is early in the morning, when the sun glitters on the polished granite.
Overnight: Camping, Tamekrest (1 night) (B, D)

Day 14 (FRI): Tamekrest / Assekrem
After a two hours drive we’ll pass Tamanrasset, only to continue to the Assekrem, one of the highest peaks in the spectacular Atakor mountains in the Hoggar. It is a tough ride through a rough and impressive landscape. The cars will take us to the Refuge de l’Assekrem. From here it is a 20 minutes walk to the top. The view over the volcanic landscape with its chaos of black and forbidding rocks, basalt peaks, cliffs and mountains are breathtaking. On top of the Assekrem you’ll find the father Foucault hermitage. This French priest built the chapel in 1911. He came to the Hoggar to study Tuareg culture, but was killed in Tamanrasset in 1916 during a revolt against the French. Because of the altitude (2700 m) the nights at the Assekrem are cold. Therefore we will spend the night in a dormitory in the Refuge de l’Assekrem, a mountain refuge just under the top of the Assekrem.
Overnight: Refuge de l'Assekrem, Assekrem (1 night) (B)

Day 15 (SAT): Assekrem / Tamanrasset
We return to the charming town of Tamanrasset in the afternoon. Tamanrasset is often called the red city because of it red mud-brick houses. It is a city full of life and character. Though situated in the heart of the Sahara desert, it counts 40.000 inhabitants. It is the biggest of all Tuareg cities and is regularly visited by camel caravans of these 'blue men of the desert'. Tamanrasset used to play a key role in the trans Sahara trade between northern and sub-Sahara Africa. Nowadays it is still a meeting point for Tuaregs that traverse the Hoggar truck drivers on their way to Niger and Mali and tourists. Every day there is an afternoon market and in one of the many restaurants you can try local food, like roast meat and couscous with a vegetable sauce. In the center of the town you will find many souvenir shops that sell all kinds of Tuareg artisan work. You can even find an Internet cafe in town.
Overnight: Hotel, Tamanrasset (1 night) (B)

Day 16 (SUN): Depart Tamanrasset
Morning transfer to the airport for your departure flight. (B)

A TOUR OF HOGGAR & TADRART
A cultural tour of Algeria

Departure Dates

Inclusions

Tour Price

Estimated International Airfare - International airfare is NOT included in this tour

Participants

Notes

A TOUR OF HOGGAR & TADRART A cultural tour of Algeria