Oursi Dunes and Lake

At Oursi in the far north a large sand dune rises above a shallow lake, an unusual pairing that gives the place its look: pale sand on one side, water and green fringe on the other, with cattle and camels brought down to drink. The lake fills in the rains and shrinks through the dry season, and migratory waterbirds use it. Archaeological mounds nearby have produced material from settlements a thousand years old.

What you actually see

• The dune - the large sand ridge rising above the water.
• The seasonal lake - the shallow body that fills and shrinks with the year.
• The herds - cattle and camels brought down to drink at the shore.
• The archaeological mounds - the settlement sites nearby from around a thousand years ago.

When to go

November to February is the cool dry season and the lake still holds water. It shrinks sharply from March. The rains from June refill it.

Honest expectations

The lake can be almost dry late in the season. There is no infrastructure and the track in is rough. Sahel heat outside the cool months is severe.

Nearby

Gorom-Gorom is east, and the Malian border is north.