Amogjar Pass

The Amogjar pass carries the old route from Atar up onto the Adrar plateau toward Chinguetti, a climb through broken rock with the plain falling away behind, and in shelters below it are prehistoric paintings of cattle, giraffe and human figures made when the Sahara was grassland. A ruined French colonial fort stands near the top. The newer sealed road bypasses the pass, so the old route is now the quieter one.

Background

The pass cuts through pink-brown sandstone on the Adrar Plateau, in the centre of the Adrar region, worn down by repeated cycles of severe drought broken by torrential rain. Scree loosened by that rain covers the foot of its steep valley walls. Few plants grow here apart from acacias, which resist drought. The pass carries a partly sheltered road that links Nouakchott with Ouadane and Chinguetti. The Neolithic rock paintings close to it are known as Agrour Amogjar and lie northeast of Atar.

Source: Wikipedia, "Amojjar Pass"

Highlights

• The rock paintings - cattle, giraffe and figures from when the Sahara was grass.
• The climb - the old route up onto the Adrar plateau.
• The colonial fort - the ruined French post near the top of the pass.
• The plain below - the view back over the ground the road climbs from.

When to go

November to February is the cool season. Summer heat is extreme with no shade. Morning light is best in the painted shelters.

What to expect

The paintings are faded and some have been damaged; a guide is needed to find them. The old route needs four wheel drive. There are no facilities anywhere on the pass.

Nearby

Atar is west, and Chinguetti is east.

Key facts