The Hoggar peaks
Volcanic plugs above the valleys.
Btsrbss — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rachid Hamatou — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Btsrbss — CC BY-SA 4.0 · IssamBarhoumi — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sofiane mohammed amri — CC BY-SA 4.0 · sofiane mohammed amri — CC BY-SA 4.0
Assekrem is a high plateau in the Hoggar Mountains of southern Algeria, rising above 2,700 metres in the Ahaggar Cultural Park. It is famous for sunrise over sharp dark volcanic peaks, one of the most powerful scenes in the Sahara, and trips come up from Tamanrasset. Most Hoggar rock is about two billion years old, and its dramatic peaks are the plugs of extinct volcanoes, left when erosion removed the rest. Its highest summit, Mount Tahat at 2,908 metres, is the highest point in Algeria. The French priest Charles de Foucauld built a small hermitage at the top in 1911, and a few monks still live there. People of the region are Tuareg. A rough road climbs through valleys and rocks, then you walk a short way to the top, with the stone hermitage and an orientation table naming the mountains. A sea of peaks lies before you, and most visitors come for sunrise and sunset, when colours move from violet to gold. Visitors mention a simple refuge near the top for overnight stays. The plateau is 100.3 km in a straight line north-east of Tamanrasset. The road is rough and needs a four-wheel drive and driver. Foreign visitors to the south generally have to travel through an accredited Algerian agency and may have a police escort, so confirm current rules with the agency and the consulate. Winter nights are very cold and can fall below freezing, so bring heavy clothes. The hermitage is a place of worship, so keep quiet. October to March is the best time.
Volcanic plugs above the valleys.
Violet moving to gold.
A small building from 1911.
Hoggar Mountains, Ahaggar Cultural Park, Tamanrasset Province
No, the road is rough and needs a four-wheel drive and driver.
Many do, to see sunrise, so check the refuge with your agency.