Nomade Sahara Expedition

Aïr Mountains in 9 days

Agenda

• Day 1: Arrival in Niamey, transfer from the Niamey international airport to a hotel in town.
• Day 2: Early departure from Niamey by jeep, arrival in Agadez at the end of the evening; over night in a hotel in town.
• Day 3: Departing from Agadez we will head toward Azzel, Dabaga and Elmecki; over night at the oasis of Timia.
• Day 4: Departing from Timia we will visit the ruins in Assodé, the village of Tchintoulouss where the explorer Henri Barth stayed during his expedition in Sahara; over night in Arakao.
• Day 5: Departing from Arakao toward Illakane, we will pass by Izane; over night in Adrar Chiriet.
• Day 6: Departing from Adrar Chiriet toward Tezirzeït, the site of rock engravings; over night in Temet, the highest dune in the Ténéré.
• Day 7: Departing from Temet toward the village of Iferouane, evening arrival in Agadez; over night in a hotel in town.
• Day 8: Visits to various sites in Agadez: palace of the sultan of Aïr and meeting with the sultan himself; livestock market, Tuareg artisans et blacksmiths. Afternoon departure for Niamey, late evening arrival in Niamey; over night in a hotel in town.
• Day 9: Various visits in Niamey: Grand Marché, National Museum and zoo, Wadata artisanal center. Late evening departure for the airport.

Once outside the walled city of Agadez, heading east in 4 x 4 Land Cruisers, the silhouette of the Aïr Mountain range can be seen in the distance. Crossing beautiful villages inhabited by sedentarized Tuareg farmers and pastoralists offers a stunning succession of gardens, verdant river valleys and volcanic peaks. Encounters with the people you will meet along the way will be as moving as discovering their ancient way of life in which an impressive symbiosis between man and nature has been acheived over millenia, as gazelles trot alongside our path, acacia trees in bloom and wild goats who observe you without your knowing it. Experienced guides, proud of their heritage, will make your journey a special combination of cultural and natural discovery. This mass of granite, which is intimidating at first, creates a relaxing ambiance far from the bustling life in villages. This peaceful atmosphere suddenly gives way to the oasis of Timia where the greenery contrasts sharply with the black lava of the surrounding mountain range. Kel Ewey gardeners grow wheat, corn and vegetables in this apparently hostile soil with an irrigation system using ancestral pulleys. Water from river valleys and sand have dug large crevices in the rock from which beautiful cascades fall. Along the way, you will discover some of the most impressive mountain scenery in Africa. A natural river spring has carved giant pools in the rocks from which water flows year round. In the middle of this otherwise arid landscape the presence of waterfalls is as astonishing as it is soothing. We'll camp here for the night.

Assodé was the former capital city of the Aïr region and an important commercial center on the caravan route linking sub-Saharan Africa to the north African coast. There remains of this once-flourishing city only a cluster of ruins, but the city's past lives on in Tuareg tales and legends that recount the history of Assodé, the former capital of Aïr. Passing by Tchinteloust, the last village at the threshold of the desert, we will enter the valley of Zagado which leads to Kogo and then on to Arakao. The descent into the valley known as Zagado and the encounter with the first dunes is a moment of intense emotion. En route, we cross a string of dunes that meet part of the Aïr mountain range offering a stunning contrasts of green countryside where desert flowers mix with black rock formations and blue and white marble. Gigantic pink, white and beige sand dunes are the home to a varied fauna whose extraordinary adaptation to the desert never ceases to amaze. Blue Men of the desert appear out of nowhere as if a never ending miracle of life in the desert, mysterious and fascinating. The most breath-taking region of the Sahara begins with Arakao-a photographer's paradise! This area known as the famous "crab claw" opens onto the spectacular Ténéré desert in all of its splendor. A dreamy place and ideal camp site for the second night in the desert.

From Arakao, a vast expanse of pink, white and beige dunes extends as far as the eye can see, intercut with mountains of blue and white marble and verdant river valleys, where gazelles and fennecs run wild. Further along, in the middle of all this sand emerges a kind of volcanic island: it is the Adrar Chiriet. A place where desert sand storms have created the most astonishing shapes. Adrad Chiriet is certainly one of the most stunning sites on our journey, where powdery dunes of various colors embrace islands of volcanic rock. This setting will be our camp site where the starlit nights are unsurpassed in such an exceedingly tranquil setting.

At the well of Tezirzeït, in the middle of a verdant valley, one finds rock engravings of animal species that are extinct today which testify to times when the desert was verdant, humid and more populated. At the foot of mount Gréboun, the verdant valley of Temet is surrounded by a string of giant dunes some of which are more than one hundred feet high. These are some of the highest dunes in the desert. The astonishing encounter between dunes and mountains gave birth to the name "Temet," which means "family tie" or "link" in the Tuareg language, Tamachek. Our last night in the desert will be spent here in Temet.

After our journey into the silence the vast Ténéré desert, arriving in Iférouane will feel like a return to earth. In the village of Iférouane, we will encounter populations whose principal activities are gardening, pastoralism and artisanry. Late evening arrival in Agadez, where we will spend the night in a hotel in town.

Visits to various sites in Agadez: palace of the sultan of Aïr and meeting with the sultan himself (his schedule permitting); livestock market where all manner of animals are bought and sold (camels, donkeys, goats, sheep, cows, etc.), Tuareg artisans and blacksmiths who make crafts according to ancient traditions and of an exceptionally high quality. They make wonderful souvenirs and gifts! Afternoon departure for Niamey, late evening arrival in Niamey; over night in a hotel in town.

Tour Prices

These prices include:

• Hotel accomodations and three meals a day
• Full lodging while during the desert expedition
• All entrance fees to museums, zoo, etc.
• Gratuities

These prices do not include:

• Airfare
• Airport taxes
• Travel or health insurance