Eco region – Hoggar Mountains travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises, spa and resorts

Hoggar, large plateau in the north center of the Sahara, on the Tropic of Cancer, North Africa. Its height is above 3,000 feet (900 m), culminating in Mount Tahat (9,573 feet [2,918 m]) in southeastern Algeria. The plateau, about 965 miles (1,550 km) north to south and 1,300 miles (2,100 km) east to west, is rocky desert composed of black volcanic (basalt) necks and of flows rising above a pink granite massif. The highest peak, Tahat Mountain, is 3,003 metres high, and may have snow at any time of the year. The landscape is rocky and arid, with only occasional vegetation. A couple of seasonal rivers cut through the landscape, and give room for a few settlements, among which there is only one town, Tamanrasset.

The Ahaggar Mountains are essentially constituted of volcanic rocks. The climate is very hot in the summer and temperatures fall below 0°C in the winter. Rainfall is rare and sporadic. However, since the climate is less extreme than most other areas of the Sahara, the Ahaggar Mountains are a major location for biodiversity and host relict species. The ecology of the Ahaggar Mountains is best described in the article West Saharan mountain woodlands, the eco region to which this area belongs.
Moving ever further south one comes to the Hoggar Mountains, an impressive, jagged range reaching as far as Lebanon and surrounded by desert on all sides. It consists of a plateau made of volcanic rock. Eroded cliffs and granite needles form fascinating shapes in pink, blue or black basalt. At the top of the Assekreu nestles the famous refuge of Charles de Foucault at 2800m (9259ft).
Meet the Tuareg nomads, explore hidden canyons, gaze at the fascinating rock formations, discover the Neolithic art paintings and camp under the stars.Eexperience the incredible tranquillity of the desert, the brilliant starry nights and the warm welcome of the nomadic hosts. Conditions are quite basic, but the simplicity of life in the desert has a calming and revitalising quality.
UNESCO sites from the Kasbah of Algiers to Tassili N’Ajjer deep in the Sahara, Algeria has everything for the adventurous traveler. Explore the historic sites of the north before flying south for an epic desert crossing through some of the Sahara’s most incredible landscapes – from the dramatic plateau and rock art of Tassili to the huge sand dunes of Tin Merzouga and the Hoggar mountains.