Termit Massif

The Termit massif rises out of the desert in eastern Niger, a line of dark rock in an enormous reserve, the Termit and Tin Toumma, which at nearly ninety-eight thousand square kilometres is one of the largest protected areas in Africa. It holds what is left of the wild addax, along with dama gazelle, Barbary sheep and a small population of Saharan cheetah, animals almost gone everywhere else.

What you actually see

• The addax - one of the last wild populations of the desert antelope.
• The dama gazelle - among the most threatened antelope in Africa.
• The massif - dark rock rising out of flat desert.
• The reserve scale - nearly ninety-eight thousand square kilometres protected.

When to go

November to February is the cool season and the only practical window. Summer heat is extreme. Wildlife concentrates near what water there is in the dry months.

Honest expectations

This is a serious desert expedition needing permits, guides, a convoy and full self-sufficiency arranged far in advance. Wildlife is scarce and scattered and sightings are not likely. There is no infrastructure of any kind.

Nearby

Zinder is southwest, and the Ténéré is northwest.