Djanet Oasis

Djanet lies in a valley below the western escarpment of the Tassili n'Ajjer, a long palm grove with three old ksour built on the rock above it, El Mizan, Zelouaz and Adjahil, their mud and stone houses stacked in terraces. It is the base from which almost everything in this corner of the country is reached: the Tassili plateau and its rock art, the red sandstone of the Tadrart, and the desert routes south and east. The town is Tuareg and the language of the streets is Tamahaq. The Sebeiba ritual is held here. Rock engravings, including a much-photographed carving of a crying cow, are found within a short drive of the town.

History

People have lived around Djanet since the Neolithic, in periods of up to ten thousand years when the region was not desert, and the rock paintings of the Tassili n'Ajjer around the town show the rich plants and animals that hunter-gatherers lived among then. The Tuareg founded Djanet in the Middle Ages, and the Ottoman Empire, which had nominal authority over the Fezzan, strengthened its presence here at the start of the 20th century in reaction to the European colonisation of Africa (Wikipedia, Djanet).

The landscape

• Three ksour above the palm grove - El Mizan, Zelouaz and Adjahil.
• The Tassili escarpment - the plateau wall rising east of the valley.
• Nearby rock engravings - carvings within a short drive of the town.
• A Tuareg town - Tamahaq spoken and the base for southern travel.

When to go

November to March; a desert festival is held in the cooler months. Two to three days as a base. Summer heat is extreme. Flights are the practical way in and are irregular.

Things to know

Access requires permits and travel beyond the town requires licensed guides. Flights are infrequent and cancellations happen. Accommodation is limited and simple. Nothing about travel in this region can be organised at short notice.

Nearby

The Tadrart Rouge lies south; the Tassili plateau rises east.