UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed via list ref 179) in Tassili, Algeria.
- Region
- The Great South
- Located in
- Djanet
- Coordinates
- 24.500, 9.500
- Status
- UNESCO World Heritage
Knowledge hub
Algeria Sahara
Most of Algeria is Sahara — the great sand seas, the volcanic Hoggar, the rock-art plateau of the Tassili, and oasis worlds like the M'Zab, the Souf and the Saoura.
Quick answer
Algeria Sahara on Algeria Compass brings together 13 mapped entities — unesco sites, national parks, desert regions and more — with the destinations, experiences and guides that connect to them.
Most of Algeria is Sahara — the great sand seas, the volcanic Hoggar, the rock-art plateau of the Tassili, and oasis worlds like the M'Zab, the Souf and the Saoura.
Key entities in this hub
UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed via list ref 188) in M'Zab, Algeria.
- Region
- Northern Sahara & Oases
- Located in
- Ghardaïa
- Coordinates
- 32.491, 3.674
- Status
- UNESCO World Heritage
Vast desert national park protecting the Tassili plateau and its rock art.
- Region
- The Great South
- Located in
- Djanet
Volcanic desert highlands park around Assekrem and the Hoggar.
- Region
- The Great South
- Located in
- Tamanrasset
A desert region of the Algerian Sahara in the sahara-north area.
- Region
- Northern Sahara & Oases
- Located in
- Algeria
A desert region of the Algerian Sahara in the sahara-deep area.
- Region
- The Great South
- Located in
- Algeria
A desert region of the Algerian Sahara in the sahara-deep area.
- Region
- The Great South
- Located in
- Algeria
A desert region of the Algerian Sahara in the sahara-north area.
- Region
- Northern Sahara & Oases
- Located in
- Algeria
A desert region of the Algerian Sahara in the sahara-deep area.
- Region
- The Great South
- Located in
- Algeria
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Plan around this topic
Provinces
Destinations
sahara
Djanet
Djanet is an oasis town in south-east Algeria, the gateway to the Tassili n'Ajjer plateau (UNESCO) and the red dunes of the Tadrart Rouge — Algeria's premier Sahara destination.
sahara
Tassili n'Ajjer
Tassili n'Ajjer is a vast sandstone plateau in south-east Algeria, a UNESCO World Heritage Site holding around 15,000 prehistoric engravings and paintings that record a once-green Sahara. Reached from Djanet, it is one of the world's greatest open-air galleries of rock art.
Tour programs
2 days
Bou Saada Oasis Escape
Two days in the City of Happiness — a palm oasis on the edge of the Sahara, ochre gorges, an old ksar, and the light that drew painters south.
8 days
The Tassili Odyssey
Eight days into the prehistoric heart of the Sahara — rock art, red dunes and nights under 3,000 stars.
Guides
Sahara Travel
Algerian Sahara Travel Guide: Djanet, Timimoun and the Tadrart
Algeria holds the largest slice of the Sahara of any country on earth — and almost no crowds. Here is how to actually experience it.
Mozabite Culture
The M'Zab Valley: The Desert Cities That Astonished Le Corbusier
Five fortified desert cities, an 11th-century blueprint for living, and an urban design so radical the 20th century's most famous architect kept coming back to study it.
Frequently asked questions
What can you see in the Algerian Sahara?
Rock art at Tassili n'Ajjer, the red dunes and arches of the Tadrart, the Hoggar highlands, and oasis towns such as Ghardaïa, Timimoun and Djanet.
When should you visit the Algerian Sahara?
October to March, when the desert is cool; summer is dangerously hot for desert travel.