Iférouane

Iférouane sits in a wide valley in the northern Aïr where palms and gardens run along a watercourse that flows underground most of the year, and it is the administrative centre of the Aïr and Ténéré reserve, which at 7.7 million hectares is among the largest protected areas in Africa. Low mud-brick buildings spread along the oued with volcanic peaks standing behind them on every side.

Background

Iferouane, also spelled Iferouan, lies at 660 metres in the Ighazar valley of the northern Aïr, northeast of Arlit and close to the Tamgak Range. The commune stretches over 120,288 square kilometres, and in 2012 it counted 13,655 people, 2,486 of them urban. Rain comes in a few heavy summer downpours, with a yearly mean of 58.2 mm from 1940 to 1989 and 76.1 mm between 1990 and 2004. Recorded temperatures range from -1 °C to 52 °C. Besides the reserve headquarters, the town hosts a conservation project for the natural resources of the Aïr-Ténéré, with the IUCN and the WWF among its partners. Iferouane Airport serves the town.

Source: Wikipedia, "Iferouane"

What to look for

• The oued gardens - palms and cultivation along the watercourse through the town.
• The volcanic peaks - the Aïr summits rising around the valley.
• The reserve headquarters - the administrative base for the protected area.
• The mud-brick town - low buildings spread along the water.

When to go

November to February is the cool season and the practical window. Summer heat in the Aïr is extreme. The Air Festival, when it runs, falls around December.

What to expect

Access requires a guide, a permit and four wheel drive arranged well in advance in Agadez; this is not independent travel. Facilities amount to basic guesthouses. Fuel and water must be carried for the whole trip.

Nearby

Temet is northeast, and Timia is south.

Key facts