© Lonely Planet Publications Tamanrasset, Djanet 179 & the Sahara ﺗﺎﻣﻨﺮاﺳﺖ، ﺟﺎﻧﺖ، اﻟﺼﺤﺮاء
If you thought that the Sahara was all about sand and camels then you’d better think again. While you’ll get your fix of unwieldy dromedaries and undulating dunes, this part of the Sahara is also home to an alien landscape of twisted stone forests, stark volcanic mountain ranges, endless black gravel plains and deep dark canyons. It’s the trump card of Algerian tourism and, now that the security situation has stabilised, thousands of visitors are heading back to marvel at its eye-popping natural beauty.
Stretching from In Salah right down to the Mali and Niger borders is the Ahaggar (Hoggar) National Park. Created in 1987 to safeguard the considerable riches of this part of the country, it’s one of the largest protected areas in the world. At its heart is the laid-back town of Tamanrasset, resting at the foot of the brooding Hoggar massif.
The craggy plateau that surrounds the sleepy oasis of Djanet is known as the Tassili N’Ajjer. Also one of Algeria’s protected areas, its caves and canyons hide an abundance of engravings and paintings illustrating the once-blooming plant and animal life of the Sahara.
This is the Algerian heartland of the Tuareg, traditionally a nomadic people, who have roamed the desert regions of Algeria and its neighbouring countries for many centuries. You’ll see beautiful women swathed in brightly coloured fabrics and refined silver jewellery and plenty of veiled ‘blue men’ (as Tuareg men are sometimes called, after the traditional colour of their robes) zipping through the streets of Tamanrasset and Djanet in burly jeeps.
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