Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
I travelled on a press visa, which is very difficult to obtain (even for journalists), but apparently it is possible to obtain a tourist visa for most of the Sahara.
You can fly from Europe or neighbouring North African countries to Algiers, Oran, Annaba or Constantine, and from there with a connecting flight to the desert towns. Air Algerie operates an extensive, reliable and rather cheap network to all oases, but most flights radiate from Algiers, so there are few direct connections between the southern cities. For Djanet, the most convenient flight is a Boeing 737 which flies on Thursday night direct from Algiers and back later the same night. Other stop-over (with overnight stay) connections go via Ghardaia, Illizi or Ouargla, and there is also a weekly flight to/from Tamanrasset with further connections to Agad in Niger. Those flights are on well-used Fokkers.
If travelling by road, the best (maybe the only) way to go is from Tunisia, crossing from Tozeur to El-Oued. Tourist visas should be available in Tunis, and you can also cross into Algeria in your own car. If you are on a trans-African trip, you can continue to In-Guezzam and cross into Niger. It appears that the crossing at Bordj-Mokhtar into Mali is also open, but don't count on it. Crossing the Algerian Sahara is now possible. There has been no GIA terrorist attacks in the desert regions of Algeria for years, which has been the main reason for not travelling in Algeria. You might face problems finding an insurance company that will cover any part of Algeria, though, as it is still considered high risk territory. This is true for France, but not for Denmark.
From Djanet, a good track takes you to Ghat in Libya. You may enter Algeria this way, but I am not sure you can exit this way. The border crossing from Djanet into Niger is closed.
Jan Ewens, Denmark (Jan 99)
Although it is not forbidden, alcohol is not available in shops or restaurants. The nearest available beer is in Tamanrasset.
Rock paintings are, for most tourists, their main reason for visiting Djanet. About 30 tourists visit each year, most with a professional interest in cave paintings, but before the conflict in Northern Algeria, tourists were counted in the hundreds per month. Like other African highlights, such as visiting the gorillas in the Congo or going on Masai Mara safari, this costs money. You are not allowed into the park area without a guide, and in most cases you need donkeys to carry food, water, and luggage. A few interesting places can be visited on day tours; the excellent Jabbaren on an overnight trip. But for the best stuff you need more time. A visit to the highlights of Tamrit and Sefar will take you two days climbing/walking, three days visiting and two days back. A good organiser is Tenere Voyage. The former state-owned ONAT can also arrange trips.
Jan Ewens, Denmark (Jan 99)
I have been recommended the Oued Djerat (a dry wadi) near Illizi, with 30 kilometres of splendid gravures rupestres. It can be visited on foot or camel, but you will need a local guide. Down the road from Illizi, you will find Iherir, with excellent prehistoric paintings. In Dider, before the pass crossing at Tin-Taradjeli more paintings are on the ground.
Djanet is a lovely oasis built on the edge of a dry river bed, with plenty of sources of good, clean underground water. It is surrounded by low, heavily-eroded mountains. The centre is a small town with most facilities like post office, bank, tourist office, a couple of hotels, shops, market, and a National Park's office, customs and police. The airport is 30 kilometres south; you should endeavour to share a taxi.
The oldest paintings in Djanet are 8000 years old; most are 5000 years. They show you that this part of the Sahara was inhabited by people coming from both north and south. Some have pale skin, others resemble the black Peulch people living in the savannas south of the Sahara today. They have herds of cattle. They are hunters. They fight other people. There must be plenty of water, because there are paintings of hippos. It is assumed that in those prehistoric days a road was connecting today's Tripoli with West Africa. On some of the paintings you see horse-drawn vehicles. The pictures are not only informative, providing information about prehistoric times; some of the paintings are decorative art, and some of them are definitely masterpieces.
Jan Ewens, Denmark (Jan 99)
ALGERIA
