Bagzane Plateau

The Bagzane plateau rises to over two thousand metres in the middle of the Aïr and is the highest ground in Niger, a tilted table of dark rock reached by a steep track, with Tuareg villages, terraced gardens and wheat plots on the top where the altitude brings enough moisture to farm. Nights are cold. It lies inside the Aïr and Ténéré World Heritage property.

What you actually see

• The plateau top - over two thousand metres, the highest ground in the country.
• The terraced gardens - cultivation the altitude makes possible.
• The Tuareg villages - settlements living on the high ground.
• The climb - the steep track up onto the table.

When to go

November to February is the cool season; nights on the plateau are genuinely cold. Summer heat below is extreme. The track is difficult after rare rain.

Honest expectations

The track up is steep and rough and needs four wheel drive with a driver who knows it. A guide and permit are required. Facilities on the plateau are none beyond village hospitality.

Nearby

Timia is north, and Agadez is southwest.