Aloba Arch

The Aloba arch stands in a side valley of the Ennedi, a span of sandstone cut by water and wind that is usually measured at around a hundred and twenty metres high with a span of about seventy seven, which puts it among the largest natural arches recorded anywhere and the largest in Africa. It is thin at the top and looks improbable from below. The Ennedi massif around it was inscribed by UNESCO in 2016.

Background

Large natural arches are fairly uncommon outside southern and western China and the Colorado Plateau in the American southwest. The Ennedi Plateau has geology much like the Colorado Plateau, and its rock has formed several arches and related landforms. Aloba is ranked 8th among known natural arches by span, and no arch outside China and Utah is longer. Because of its remote setting and its late recognition, its span of approximately 250 ft (76.2 m) is an estimate based on photography. Its height of 394 ft (120.1 m) is greater than that of Rainbow Bridge and places it among the tallest known arches in the world.

Source: Wikipedia, "Aloba Arch"

The landscape

• The arch - a sandstone span usually measured among the largest in the world.
• The thin crown - the narrow band of rock left at the top of the span.
• The side valley - the enclosed wadi the arch stands in.
• The UNESCO listing - the 2016 inscription of the Ennedi massif.

When to go

November to February is the cool season and the only practical window. March to May is extremely hot. The site is remote at any time.

Things to know

Reaching it requires a full desert expedition with guides, fuel and water carried; there is no infrastructure. Permits and arrangements take months. Sand and heat govern everything.

Nearby

Guelta de Bachikélé is nearby, and Fada is the region's town.

Key facts