Journey to the Heart of Hoggar: From Algiers to Tuareg Lands, Discovery and Trekking

Upon arrival in Algiers, welcome and airport assistance.

Depending on arrival time, departure for a short visit of central Algiers.

After a snack, return to the airport to board the domestic flight to Tamanrasset.

Upon arrival in Tamanrasset, you will be welcomed by the team and transferred to the hotel Le Caravansérail.

Early in the morning, we leave Tamanrasset by the paved road that bypasses the Hoggar massif to the south. We quickly leave the road heading towards In Guezam and Niger to head east. The Adriane mountain, which marks its presence on the city of Tamanrasset, is now behind us. We drive through a landscape formed by granite boulders, characteristic of the geological belt that surrounds the volcanic region of Atakor.

We reach the Tuareg village of Tahifet and leave the paved road to venture due north into the heart of the Atakor. Lava peaks begin to shape our landscape and we climb a canyon that can be narrow in places. A surprise—water emerges and the river flows amid gorse, surreal amid this austerity.

A cluster of palm trees awaits us for our midday stop. It is an idyllic spot with crystal-clear water flowing at our feet. However, this place has become—quite rightly—a weekend outing for people from Tamanrasset. Unfortunately, the site can be soiled and our daily battle is to raise awareness among people about respecting this fragile environment.

We continue our 4x4 track to reach the heart of the Tanget wadi. This vast amphitheater is composed of volcanic peaks bristling in an immense grandiose chaos: Oussouk (1626 m), Tarara (1860 m), Ekneouen (The Twins), Tetaqaout, Tin Sanen… We pass through the heart of a volcanic chimney and set up our bivouac in this stunning place.

For history's sake, the Tan n'Manri corridor is the defile where the Kel Ajjer defeated the Kel Ahaggar (around 1875), despite being ambushed on the slopes overlooking the track. Several tombs remind the traveler of this battle famous among the Tuaregs.

Rock carvings are present, witnesses to a much more favorable past for pastoralism. We take advantage of late afternoon to take a walk and, why not, admire our first Saharan sunset from a high vantage point.

After enjoying this singular place, we resume the track in the direction of Tahifet, which allows us to exit the Oued Tanget basin. We quickly abandon this track to turn west. We leave behind us the immense volcanic neck of Aguelzam, which, like others in this area, is a remnant of past volcanic activity and contributes to the unique and impressive beauty of Hoggar.

A neck is a residual volcanic landform, often cylindrical or conical in shape, like a butte, a peak or a needle. It is the conduit of an ancient volcanic chimney that solidified at the end of an eruption and was subsequently exposed by erosion. These formations can vary in size, ranging from a few tens to several hundred meters in diameter. Often, we can observe very beautiful basalt columns.

Gradually, we gain altitude to reach the gardens of Ezarnene, located in a depression where the wadis from the southern part of the Atakor massif flow. The horizon is dotted with volcanic peaks, some of which are very well-known in Saharan literature, such as Daouda and Akar-Akar.

We reach the track coming from Tamanrasset and running on the high plateaus of the Hoggar. At midday, we arrive at the Afilal gueltas. Water flows through a basalt fissure, offering a beautiful place to have our lunch in the shade of an acacia tree. The Afilal gueltas are permanent watercourses in a totally desert environment, rich in vegetation and wildlife, notably the desert barbel.

We resume the trail, which is very damaged at the moment due to heavy summer rains in 2024. We are now driving between the most beautiful peaks of the Atakor: Tezouiag (the Bustards, 2702 m), Asaouinan (2637 m), Oul (the Heart, 2602 m), Taridalt (the Hyena, 2422 m).

We access by car the pass located below the plateau of Assekrem. On foot, we climb the hundred meters and what a reward when we arrive at the Hermitage of Father de Foucauld! Often, a cold wind blows over the heights. The hermitage, built in 1910, offers a spectacular view over the Hoggar mountain range and today serves as a meteorological station.

After visiting the Little Brothers of Jesus, guardians of the Hermitage of Father de Foucauld, and witnessing the sunset over the mythical mountains of the Atakor, we rejoin our camp. It is at this moment that we leave the vehicles, which will return to Tamanrasset. We meet up with the camel caravan which will accompany us over the coming days.

After loading the camels, we begin our hiking in the Atakor mountains. The caravan can take different routes than ours to avoid difficult passages for loaded animals.

We head towards a magnificent mountain named Imezeroug. We venture into the Imezeroug mountain to discover some fascinating rock paintings. This site is very curious, as the mountain contains a vast cirque where vegetation grows composed of olive trees, lavender and Artemisia herba-alba.

The Hoggar olive, also known as Laperrine's olive (Olea europaea subsp. laperrinei), is a species of olive tree endemic to the Hoggar massif. This tree is particularly remarkable for its ability to survive in extremely arid and hostile conditions.

Laperrine's olive is found mainly in the beds of wadis. Close to the European olive, it is however adapted to the desert conditions of the Sahara. It is threatened with extinction due to habitat degradation and climate change.

These olive trees play a crucial role in the local ecosystem, providing shade and habitat for various animal and plant species. Their presence testifies to the resilience of Saharan flora and the importance of conserving endemic species in extreme environments.

We continue our hike to reach in mid-afternoon our camp site in the Tin Eguefes wadi or in the Ihasseyen wadi.

A few words about the fauna of the Hoggar

The large animals, such as the gazelle and the bighorn sheep, tend to disappear due to hunting, although the bighorn sheep resists better by hiding in the mountains. The carnivores, such as the jackal, the fennec fox, the fennec and the wildcat, are still present. The cheetah, meanwhile, is becoming very rare.

The rodents remain numerous, including jerboas, gerbils, meriones, gundis, as well as various species of rats and mice. Rock hyraxes, belonging to the family of procaviids, live in small colonies in the rocks near the wadis, where they find their food, notably acacia leaves.

The family of lagomorphs is represented by the Cape hare.

We walk across the stunning granite massif of the Taessa, where several routes are possible. This massif is characterized by its impressive rock formations and its breathtaking landscapes.

We find the caravan in the Ilaman wadi for the midday stop. This wadi offers a striking contrast with the surrounding aridity. We follow the sunken course of the wadi to the bivouac, crossing small centers of life where the Tuareg Kel Ahaggar cultivate gardens and raise livestock.

The Tuareg, known for their semi-nomadic way of life and their rich culture, have been the guardians of these lands for centuries. Their in-depth knowledge of the terrain and local plants, used for medicinal and food purposes, is invaluable. At the end of the day, we set up our bivouac under a starry sky, ready to explore further this fascinating landscape tomorrow.

The legend of the Tuareg Kel Ahaggar

Several elements of oral history and popular legends, notably about the origin of the tribes, confirm this. The Kel Rela, the last reigning family, claim to descend from a Berber queen who came from Tafilalet with her servant. Their tombs are located near Abalessa, 80 km northwest of Tamanrasset.

Tin Hînan, this queen, nearly died of hunger before reaching the Ahaggar and settled peacefully in this region which she found almost deserted. A few pagans, the Isebeten (or Issebetènes), inhabited the Taessa massif, the most inaccessible part of the Atakor. Tin Hînan is said to have given rise to the Kel Rela, while her servant Takama would be the ancestress of three important tribes: the Dag Rali, the Aït Loaien and the Kel Ahnet.

Whatever the veracity of this legend, oral tradition mentions the existence of the Issebetènes, very primitive and pagan people, not very combative, few in number and completely isolated. Some individuals among the Dag Rali still discreetly claim today to descend from the Issebetènes.

We find historical connections with the Almoravid epic where the grouping of tribal groups allowed them to enter Spain. In this ensemble, a small tribe established not far from Sijilmasa, in Tafilalet, was named the Targat. We are therefore in the twelfth century. When the Almohads of the Rif gained ascendancy over the Almoravids, this small group departed towards the southeast, into the desert, led by a queen.

We leave the Ilaman wadi to cross a basalt plateau, from which we can see, to the east, the village of Terhenanet, belonging to the Dag Rali tribe. This village is located in the wadi of the same name, which we descend into. Along the way, we admire the spectacular rock formations.

We follow the Terhenanet wadi, whose bed is occupied by a curious flow of black or blue basalt winding through the hills. This basalt flow, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions, creates a striking contrast with the surrounding landscape. Abundant vegetation, composed of oleanders and tamarisks, grows there, offering touches of greenery in this arid setting. The oleanders, with their bright pink-red flowers, add a note of vivid colour, while the tamarisks provide shade and coolness.

In the afternoon, a steep and delicate track leads us to the deep guelta of In Outer, surrounded by reeds. This guelta, a rare source of permanent water in the desert, is a true oasis of life. The reeds surrounding it harbour a varied fauna, notably birds and small mammals, attracted by this precious water resource.

We set up our bivouac at Essouf Mellen, also known as "the white solitude". This place, with its vast white expanses and imposing rock formations, offers a peaceful and isolated setting for spending the night.

We continue heading south through the Taessa massif, surrounded by numerous granite domes. The walk is easy and the horizons are clear, offering breathtaking panoramic views. The valley floors are carpeted with superb acacia forests, whose branches provide welcome shade and shelter a variety of birds and insects.

At midday, we reach the Tissalatin Tin Tagmart region. We have lunch in this idyllic setting, surrounded by impressive rock formations.

Our vehicles join us in the early afternoon. After saying goodbye to our travel companions, we head towards Tamanrasset.

We leave behind the majestic massifs of Taessa and Atakor, as well as our camel team with whom we shared these few days outside of time. These moments spent together, in the heart of grandiose landscapes and under a starry sky, will undoubtedly remain engraved in your memories.

Tamanrasset (located at 1400 m) has become an imposing city in just a few years. Only the town centre, with its streets shaded by tamarisks, has retained its original charm. We dine at the Caravansérail hotel. A room will be made available to you to drop off your luggage, rest and take a shower before the night transfer to the airport. Hotel departure approximately 23:30.

Airport reception and transfer to the hotel.

We have lunch in a typical restaurant (at your own expense).

Departure late in the morning for the Hamma Test Garden (botanical garden). Created in 1832, with the aim of reclaiming a marshy terrain in order to transform it into agricultural land, this garden becomes a "Central Government Nursery", which initially extends over 5 hectares and then expands to 18 hectares in 1837. Subsequently, it becomes an "Acclimatization Garden" and then a "Pleasure Garden" with the development of horticulture; the goal being to introduce various plant species in order to test their acclimatization and adaptability to the local climate. At the northern end of the dragon tree alley is the zoological garden which brings together specimens of North African fauna and some wild animals.

The El-Hamma Test Garden served as a natural setting for the filming, in 1932, of Tarzan, the ape man by American filmmaker Woodbridge Strong Van Dyke. The character of this jungle lord was portrayed on screen, in this feature film, by Johnny Weissmüller, an American actor of Austro-Hungarian origin. Tarzan, a fictional character known throughout the world, has inspired several writers, filmmakers and comic book creators. One only needs to close their eyes to imagine, emanating from a giant ficus, the very first cry of Tarzan.

At the end of the day, let's take time to stroll along the waterfront. You can dine in one of the many restaurants in the city center.

According to the flight schedule, we depart from Algiers airport for the international flight.