Tassili N'Ajjer,
Algeria, October, 2027


Participants: 2 confirmed
  2 tentative
Trip Status: CONFIRMED

In March 2026 we visited a number of remote and seldom visited localities in the Tin Tazarift - Sefar area, this trip is planned as a follow-up to further explore the areas to the west. We will also spend ample time at the key known localities for photography, sometimes with the possibility to return in different light conditions. We will ascend the Akba Tafilalet, visiting the classic sites of Tamrit, In Itinen, Tin Aboteka, Tin Tazarift and Sefar recorded by the Lhote missions, plus a number of other areas over a 18 day camel-supported trek. While the terrain will not be particularly difficult, the ascent involves an altitude gain of about 500 metres, there are no trails, and on some of the exploring days we will do in excess of 15 kilometres in a day, so a reasonable degree of fitness and some trekking experience is required.

NOTE: the group size is limited to a maximum of 8 participants to avoid overcrowding the sometimes small shelters, and also to allow everyone a reasonable time for photography while not having to wait forever for the whole group to finish. Participants will be confirmed on a first come, first served basis. If you are contemplating this expedition pease CONTACT ME so I can put you on the mailing list, I expect to have firm costs and dates by mid-April.

 

Day 0. – Algiers - Djanet

Air Algerie departs around 22:00 to Djanet (sometimes direct, sometimes via an intermediate stop), arriving early next morning. This permits international arrivals up to late afternoon on this day, spending the afternoon and evening at the fine cafeteria of the Domestic terminal. If any of you elect to arrive a day or two earlier (to see Algiers or to get rid of the jetlag) I will help arrange a hotel in town or near the airport as preferred.

Day 1. - Djanet

We will need time to stock up on supplies and get our National Park passes, and in any case a lazy morning will be welcome after the night flight. I’ll do the necessary shopping in the morning, during which it will be possible to visit some rock art sites within Djanet itself, then drive to the foot of the Akba Tafilalet to camp there in the evening. Our camels will take a longer circuitous route, we will use donkeys to ascend (and descend) the pass.

Day 2. - Akba Tafilalet - Tamrit

At dawn our bags and supplies will be loaded on to the donkeys, and we will ascend the Akba Tafilalet (about 3-4 hours from bottom to plateau top at a slow easy pace). Our camp will be at Tamrit (where we meet the camels), on the way we will visit some of the upper Tamrit sites (and search for some still missing ones).

Day 3 - Tan Zoumeitak - Tamrit (Timenzouzine)

First timers may spend the day visiting the spectacular sites of Tan Zoumeitak and the valley of cypresses at Tamrit, while some of us will go to the nearby Timenzouzine locality to search for some still missing Lhote relevés.

Day 4-5 - Titeras n-Elias - In Itinen

Passing Titeras n'Elias we will continue to In Itinen, where we will spend two nights, allowing plenty of time to explore the locality. While in October 2022

we already located the majority of the sites recorded by Lhote, a number still remain to be found, hopefully a full day will be enough to locate them.

Day 6 - Tin Aboteka

From our camp at In Itinen we will continue to Tin Aboteka, spending the day visiting this classic locality before continuing to Tin Tazrift to camp for two nights.

Day 7 - Adaba

We will make a day-trip from our camp to the site of Adaba, a locality explored by Bernard Fouilleux. In March 2026 we already made a visit making many new finds, hopefully we will find more (as well as some of Bernard's still missing sites).

Day 8 - Tin Tazarift

The morning will be spent at the classic locality of Tin Tazarift, allowing for a leisurely visit of the main panels. In the afternoon we will move east towards Sefar, passing the area of Tin Teferiest. Bernard Fouilleux found a number of sites undocumented by the Lhote missions, we will visit these as well as try to find some missing Lhote relevés. Our camp will be at Sefar for two nights.

Day 9 - Sefar

Sefar is perhaps the most important and richest locality on the Tassili, a full day will be available to visit all the sites (possibly returning to some under different light conditions). While first-timers may enjoy the known panels, some of us will go to visit a cluster of enclosures about 1-1.5km to the north east which may have adjacent shelters with paintings.

Day 10-11 - In Kaokan

In Kaokan is another of the sites recorded by Bernard Fouilleux, in March 2026 we already made a fairly thorough vsit, but a number of sites remain to be found. It is a couple of hours' walk from Sefar to the the centrally located campsite near the Timbolezane guelta, where we will spend two nights.

Day 12 - In Kaokan South

There is a cluster of sites near the south eastern tip of In Kaokan, in March 2026

we missed quite a few, plus there are a number of potential shelters with enclosures along the way. Instead of a day-trip we will move camp to the area, checking sites along the way and thoroughly exploring the locality.

Day 13-17 - East of In Kaokan

There are numerous shelters with enclosures visible on satellite imagery broadly 7-8km to the east of the tip of In Kaokan. Probably the best course of action will be to make a base camp at a suitable spot, and make tay-trips to the various clusters. 5 days are allocated to the entire area, but probably we can cover all in about 3-4, so there is a reserve day that might be used for further exploration along the return jorney. At the end of the fifth day we need to have a camp in the Tin Kani - Tin Rassoutine area, this will be fine-tuned as we near departure.

Day 18 - Ouan Maket - Tafilalet

From our camp we will make the trek to the top of the Tafilalet pass via the sites of Ouan Maket (a fine chariot scene and others). The camels will need to take a longer circouitous route to descend, we will meet our donkeys again at the campsite above the pass.

Day 19 - Akba Tafilalet

In the morning we will pass by some sites at the top of the pass before making the descent. All things going well we should be at the bottom of the pass by midday, spending the afternoon at the Essendilene premises with a warm shower, packing for departure, and a fine dinner after all the freeze-dried food.

Day 26. Return to Algiers

Air Algerie flights to Algiers depart in the small hours, arriving early in the morning, connecting to onward international flights later in the morning & afternoon.

 

 

For information on expected costs, planned dates and any further questions, please send me an email.

 

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