The rest of North Africa

[netllama]

Continuing my periodic series of trips to the world's deserts, I spent time in February in North Africa (specifically Libya and Algeria). This trip was my third attempt to visit Algeria, after failing back in 2022 (failed to get a visa) and again in 2024 (tour was cancelled). This trip brought my African country count to 36 and global country count up to 85 (I'm hoping to visit all 54 African countries, there's no chance of getting to all 193 UN identified countries).

Libya was fascinating and amazing, and I really enjoyed my time there a lot. I will admit that Libya still has some fairly serious internal security issues (the country is still split/run by two governments). I was only in Libya for 6 days, and spent half that time in or near the capitol, Tripoli, and the remainder out in the (Sahara) desert. 
Algeria is basically a police state, with a ton of issues.  It was a decent experience, but often frustrating due to government/military created problems. I was in Algeria for 13 days, spending 10 of them in the far south (near the small city of Djanet), exploring & camping in Tassili n'Ajjer National Park (the Sahara), and the remainder in/near the capitol, Algiers.

Let's start in Libya...


Ghadames, ancient caravan city


Tarmisah, Berber cliff top village


Narrow alleys of Ghadames


Nalut, the largest Berber city in Libya


the heart of Ghadames 


the old grainery of Kabaw


the desert slowly reclaims


the old grainery of Qasr al Hajj 


Magnus Lepta


overlooking the Mediterranean 



Now onto Algeria...


heading to the park


endless dunes until Niger 


the eye


dbl arch


Tadrart Rouge


the bone pit


turn left for Libya, right for Niger


the oasis of Indaren


lots of rocks


dbl arch #2


sunset


good night


good morning


choices


alone


the slot


the pig


Essendilene Canyon


caravan


take a break


into the canyon


For anyone wanting to read more of my words, a detailed, day by day trip report is available here.  Way way more photos are posted here.

thanks for reading!

[netllama]

But wait, there's more...

Tassili n'Ajjer is actually most famous for its rock art.  Rock art that is as old as 10,000 years (paging Beardilocks )


beware of scorpion


moooo


camel time


my pet giraffe


lots of creatures


its a party


more moo


sheep


so many giraffes


sleeping antelope


spear


textured cows


conga line


white and red


side rock


elephants


abstractions


crying cows

There were honestly a huge number of additional places scattered all over the desert with tons more art.  Its all just out there, thousands of years old. And yes, some people have tried to deface or steal it. 

The Sahara is a huge place.  So many wonders.

[Brice]

Wow! Incredible desert and photos. The pig is awesome, but is it just me or a trick of the light or something, but the rock immediately behind the pig looks like it eroded into an exact replica of Big Bird's leg and foot.

[netllama]

Wow! Incredible desert and photos. The pig is awesome, but is it just me or a trick of the light or something, but the rock immediately behind the pig looks like it eroded into an exact replica of Big Bird's leg and foot.

Ha ha, no its really a full pig, no illusions. Although my guide was insisting that it was a hedgehog instead.

[TacoLand]

What a great trip to read about ... though it almost seemed TOO easy to be one of your trips. Lots of gorgeous photos throughout, but the first part through Libya was really intriguing. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.

[netllama]

What a great trip to read about ... though it almost seemed TOO easy to be one of your trips. Lots of gorgeous photos throughout, but the first part through Libya was really intriguing. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.

Thanks. It was a fairly easy trip, all things considered. Perhaps I was lucky.

[MojaveGeek]

I loved the Sahara but you saw SO SO much more of it than I did, in my travel from Algiers to Zinder (Niger) and on south across the Sahel. The rock art is outstanding. Much it is so much more refined than what we find in the SW US. Age? Different materials (metal for carving?)

I'll have to read the long form now!

[netllama]

I loved the Sahara but you saw SO SO much more of it than I did, in my travel from Algiers to Zinder (Niger) and on south across the Sahel. The rock art is outstanding. Much it is so much more refined than what we find in the SW US. Age? Different materials (metal for carving?)

I'll have to read the long form now!

Yea, its striking how different the art is down there from the US. Plus the combination of painted art and rock carvings. All of the art that I saw was between 4000 & 10,000 years old.