Southern Algeria Explorer

# Dates Nov 1-14, 2008
# Dec 6-19, 2008
Duration 14 days
Land Cost $3,350-$3,450 Details
Lodging 1 star-2 stars
Grade II
Group Size: 4-16

Day 1 Djanet

On arrival in Djanet, after passing customs, you will be met and transferred to the Hotel Tenere (or similar), for your overnight stay. Djanet is situated on the foot of the Tassili NÇƒÙAjjer on the edge of Erg Admer, a vast Çƒ?sea of sand dune.Çƒ? It is exactly what you might imagine an oasis village to be. It is a pleasant and calm village with large, shady palmeries. Daily life follows the slow rhythm of the desert, a rhythm that is adapted to the desert temperatures, where 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 (turbans) buy and sell fresh vegetables, fruit, tea, sugar, and of course, fresh dates. The small shops around the market sell beautiful Touareg jewelry and colorful cheches and are worth the time to explore. Djanet also has a nice museum that displays examples of prehistoric relics from the surrounding areas.
Day 2 Djanet / Issouad

In the morning you will have free time to visit Djanet. This will be your only opportunity for exchanging money before setting off into the desert. On your way to Tadrart you will visit the Touareg camp and beautiful rock engravings of the Tanaout where ancient carvings of cattle and giraffes decorate the rock walls. In the afternoon, you will drive through the empty landscape navigating between the low mountains of rock. You will camp overnight.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 El Biredj

El Biredj is a wide canyon-like valley that will take you to the fascinating landscape of the Tadrart. The further into El Biredj you go, the more paintings and engravings you will encounter. You will see wonderfully preserved paintings of cattle, people, and hunting scenes. Like the Tassili NÇƒÙAjjer, the Tadrart region is like an open air museum. You will camp overnight again.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 - 5 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 a very scenic landscape. The ride over the sand dunes is exciting and after passing some spectacular wind sculpted arches you will arrive at the highest dunes of the Tadrart, the Tin Merzouga. From the foot of the dune a huge orange wall rises steep into the air. The climb to the top is not easy but is well worth the effort. Experiencing the stillness of the air during the amazing desert sunrise or sunset is unforgettable and something not to miss. From Tin Merzouga you will follow Oued In Djared where you will continue to see numerous rock paintings and huge engravings. Camp overnight for the next two nights.

Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Day 6 Alidema

The Oued In Djaren will take you from the Tadrart through a vast empty landscape to Alidema, an area of orange sand and black rock formations. Camp overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 Alidema / Djanet

You will cross the trail of the famous Berliet expedition of 1960 and experience the true heart of the desert. Arrive back in Djanet in the early afternoon, and transfer to your hotel for a nice shower. Overnight at the Hotel Tenere (or similar).

Note: If you are only doing Segment 1: On arrival in Djanet you will have time to shower before transferring to the airport for your flight home.

Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 Djanet / Erg Admer

In the morning, visit the market, the old part of town, and the oases. In the afternoon, depart for Erg Admer, and the vast sea of sand dunes to the east of Djanet. You will cross the vast white sand and camp at the edge of the dune. Throughout the day you will notice how the sunlight plays with the constantly changing shadows that contrast the geometric lines and colors in the sand. Overnight camping.

Note: If you are only doing Segment 2: You will be met at the airport this morning and you will transferred to the city for a tour before departing for Erg Admer. Or for an extra cost you may arrive in Djanet on Friday and overnight at the Hotel Tenere (or similar).

Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 Tadent

Oued Tafassasset is a very wide, shallow river bed and the Oued Tadent is narrower and runs between the rocky hills. You will follow the dry riverbed of Oued Tafassasset and head for Oued Tadent. Here you will visit a small Touraeg camp and the well of Tadent. Overnight camping.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 Tin Agoula

Travel through the low rocky mountain landscape with piles of rock and small rolling sand dunes and head for the Tin Agoula Mountains. Overnight camping near the mountain range.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11 Youfihakit

The beautiful area of Youfarlal and Youfihakit make it worth all the days of driving through oueds. Huge rock formations and mushroom shaped boulders are all surrounded by soft, rolling sand dunes. This is a great area to explore with lots of photo opportunities. The spectacular needle shaped rocks point to the sky and can be seen from a great distance and make clear landmarks in a landscape mainly of rocky boulders. Overnight camping.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12 Tamekrest

You will follow an oued and cross a vast lunar-like landscape with piles of dark rock to arrive at the miraculous guelta (natural spring) of Tamekrest. Here in the parched desert terrain is a small waterfall that runs down and polishes the pink and purple granite. The Touraeg from the surrounding camps bring their goats and camels to here to drink. On top of the granite rocks, you will find a small oasis with surprisingly lush, green vegetation. Overnight camping.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13 Assekreme

After a two-hour drive through the Hoggar Massif you will pass Tamenrasset and then continue on to the Assekreme, one of the highest peaks in the spectacular Atakor Mountains. It is a tough ride through rough and impressive terrain but on top of the Assekreme you will find the Father Foucault Hermitage. This French priest built a chapel here in 1911. He came to the Hoggar to study the Touareg culture but was killed in Tamanrasset in 1916 during a revolt against the French. Overnight camping.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 14 Tamenrasset / Onward

You will return to Tamenrasset in the afternoon. Situated in the heart of the Sahara Desert, Tamenrasset used to play a key role in the Trans-Sahara trade between northern and Sub-Sahara Africa. Even today it remains a meeting place for Touaregs who traverse the Hoggar. Tamenrasset is full of life and character. You will overnight here in a hotel, with a late airport transfer.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch