Camel trek from Tamanrasset to Assekrem via Wadi Tanget and Arechoum

Early in the day, you take your flight from Paris to Tamanrasset. Late morning, you depart by 4x4 and cross the plains of Tamanrasset then Tizelaïn, dominated to the south by Tin Amor (2138 m). You then cross a small pass that allows you to reach the Tackecherwet wadi. You pass the volcanic peak Adaouda (Pic Jacquet), then skirt to the south the tabular mountain Ahounahamt (1887 m). You then continue eastward to Takecherwet, where you meet your caravan.

In the early afternoon, you begin your camel trek and take to the road with the caravan.

This first stage takes you to Egnawen, where you set up your first bivouac.

You start the day by helping load baggage onto pack camels. After about an hour of walking, you get into the saddle for the first time and continue your journey through a region of hills. You cross the wadis Aha n'Fezouan and Tifarfara, where engravings are visible, among imposing granite boulders.

You then reach Tisset n'Ouazen, a small valley located between the volcanic plateau and Mount Aleheg. Smooth slabs and significant granite scree compose the landscape, where numerous acacias grow (tamat and abser). You also discover rock engravings before setting up your camp in the valley.

You bypass the Aleheg massif by taking the gorges of the oued Amezegin. You then cross the oued In Dalag before reaching the plain of Téhé n'Oudi, whose name means "the Butter Pass".

The mountains temporarily recede as you progress through the wide Isigen wadi, bordered by tamarisks. You reach the surroundings of Aguelzam, a volcanic complex whose mass stands out in the landscape.

In the afternoon, you set off to climb Aguelzam, without major difficulty. From the heights, you enjoy a viewpoint over the region covered during your itinerary as well as over the basin of the oued Tanget.

Always on foot, you reach the wadi near the water point of In Egreoual. You discover gardens, palm trees and abandoned huts there. It is also here that you find your caravan again to continue your camel trek.

You enter the Tanget basin, where numerous peaks come into view: Oussouk (1626 m), Tarara (1860 m), Ekneouen (The Twins), Tetaqaout and Tin Sanen.

Following the Isigen wadi, you reach the Tanhart wadi, then the Tan n'Manri corridor. It was in this gorge that the Kel Ajjer defeated the Kel Ahaggar around 1875, while the latter were ambushed on the slopes overlooking the track. Several tombs still bear witness to this battle, which remains famous among the Tuaregs. The route is also bordered by several peaks, including Materey (2414 m) to the north and Eferi Ouan Tioufatin to the east. The track gradually gains altitude and the camels cross several small passes.

You cross a gorge before discovering some rock engravings at In Tifinar, witnesses to the region's past.

You finally reach the foot of the Tezouiag (The Bustards, 2750 m), two emblematic peaks of the Atakor that dominate the landscape. Bivouac setup

You temporarily leave the caravan to climb the Tezouiag South, accessible without particular difficulty, crossing the pass located between the two peaks. From the summit, you enjoy a clear view of the Assekrem, the main peaks of the Atakor and the Taroumout wadi.

You rejoin the caravan on the other side of the Tezouiag and reach the Taroumout wadi, then the Seguika wadi, where you set up your bivouac. From the bivouac, you can explore the Amezeroug mountain. It is home to a vast cirque where Mediterranean vegetation grows, composed of olive trees, lavender and wormwood (Artemisia herba-alba).

In a small shelter, you also discover a rock painting.

This day is entirely on foot, as camels cannot access the Assekrem plateau. You climb up to Assekrem (2726 m), then visit the Hermitage of Father de Foucauld and meet the Brothers who maintain his presence there. From this Hoggar viewpoint, you can walk across the plateau and continue to the summit of Engh'Akli, located opposite Assekrem, to the south. From the summit, you enjoy an overall view of Assekrem and the surrounding reliefs.

In the afternoon, you rejoin the caravan at the camp set up in the oued In Fergan, where you spend the night.

You cross a small pass located west of the Assekrem plateau and reach the foot of Mount Tahat, the highest point in Algérie at 2,908 m altitude. Around you stretches a mineral and austere landscape. The afternoon is dedicated to climbing Tahat via its south ridge. Without particular difficulty, the ascent crosses large slopes of scree and boulders and lasts approximately 3 hours. From the summit, you enjoy a wide panorama. In perfectly clear weather, you can see to the north the granite domes of the Téfédest, dominated by In Oukoulmou, which reaches 2,336 m altitude.

You travel north of the Ilaman mountain, which peaks at 2,739 m altitude. You follow the wadi of the same name, first wedged in narrow gorges dominated by the mountain. Gradually, the wadi widens before you leave it by crossing a small pass. You then join the Tameslozent wadi, where some tabarakat and azawa grow, two types of tamarisk.

Above you stands the Amgar mountain. According to legend, Amgar was said to be the rival of the Ilaman to win the beautiful Tahat…

You cross a pass between the two small peaks of the Infaf, which reach an altitude of 2,007 m, before joining the Tafosest wadi. The track, often clinging to the mountainside, opens up wide views over the vastness of the desert. The camels advance slowly, under the careful watch of the camel herders during the most delicate passages.

By crossing several successive small passes, you cross the wadis Tiloq, Talat Mellet and Amoulal.

After the Amoulal wadi, you reach the In Tékadé wadi, where many acacias grow. A fairly rapid descent for the animals then leads you into the narrow gorges of the Ilaman wadi, which you had left two days before. The landscape gradually softens. You cross large plains punctuated by rounded granite peaks, while the imposing Taessa massif stands out to the east. You then cross the wide bed of the Terhenanet wadi, occupied by a blue basalt flow that you follow to the great Essouf Mellen plain. You discover there many gueltas set in the rock as well as a few palm trees, in the midst of a vast landscape of ridges and small rounded granite domes.

You pass at the foot of the summit with smooth sides of Tesselit Lehet, which reaches 1,751 m in altitude. After crossing a succession of wadis and granitic thresholds, you reach the cirque of the Tesselit of Tagmart.

After your midday break, you can climb one of the domes of Tissalatin Tin Tagmart. This easy ascent offers a clear view of the Atakor mountains, as well as the plains and the Essouf Mellen wadis, nicknamed the White Solitude. If you prefer a more accessible walk, other easily reached summits also allow you to discover the surrounding landscapes.

After crossing the Tagmart wadi, you reach the foot of the volcanic peak of Aharar, which reaches an altitude of 1,753 m. This is where you set up your last bivouac.

You enjoy this last morning of camel trekking to cross a succession of rocky thresholds and plains: Iguenda Wan Tassa, Wan Tataït and Wan Bouzin. Your camel trek ends in Iguenda Tarzaghana, just before the Tin Irlalen gorges, which still separate you from the Tamanrasset plain.

After thanking your Tuareg companions and saying goodbye to them, you drive to Tamanrasset, approximately 15 km away. Upon arrival, you settle in at the inn Le Caravansérail.