"Djanet, entrance into Tassili N'Ajjer... " a Djanet Travel Page by JLBG

Djanet is a large oasis in the southeastern part of Algeria, 2,300 km from Algiers. It has now 15,000 inhabitants living in several hamlets such as El Mihan, Azeluaz or Zelouze. It is the entrance into the "Parc National du Tassili" and its rock paintings. I will build a page on our camel trek and the rock paintings, unfortunately, it should not be before late August or early September.

An excellent page on Djanet has been built by the teenagers of Djanet, working in the "Médiathèque de la Maison des Jeunes". It is still in progress but already very informative.

At the time of our visit (1974), the only accommodation was the camping ground equipped with reed huts (zeribas). It seems that it has not changed since then and is still the same. You can also have a drink or a meal in the camping.

Djanet is on the Cancer Tropic and has a desert climate. It is situated at 1,000 m elevation. It is laying at the foot of Tassili N’Ajjer (the Plateau of the Ajjer Touaregs), on the northeast. On the southeast, it is lined by the sand dunes of Erg Admer.

Most of the population of Djanet are Kel Ajjer Touaregs. (more to come on Touaregs)

Djanet is the place to prepare for excursions to the rock paintings of Tassili N'Ajjer. Our travel was a 10 days camel trek a small group of 9, lead by a French guide that had lived for many years in Djanet, a Touareg guide for some of the stages, a Haratin cook and several cameleers hired together with their camels.