Temet Dunes

The Temet dunes run in a long line at the foot of the Greboun massif in the northern Aïr, some of the highest sand in Niger, pale ridges piling against dark volcanic rock in a contrast that is the reason photographers came here when the route was open. The dunes shift constantly and the whole field moves. It lies inside the Aïr and Ténéré World Heritage property.

What you actually see

• The dune line - very high sand running along the foot of the massif.
• Greboun - the dark volcanic mountain the dunes pile against.
• The colour contrast - pale sand meeting black rock.
• The moving field - dunes that shift and reform continually.

When to go

November to February is the cool season and the only practical window. Summer heat is extreme with no shade. Wind reshapes the dunes at any time.

Honest expectations

Reaching it means a multi-day desert trip with a guide, permit and full self-sufficiency arranged in Agadez. There is no water, shelter or facility of any kind. Sand movement changes the route constantly.

Nearby

Iférouane is southwest, and Arakao is east.