A Unique volcanic field in Algeria-The Hoggar Mountains

The Hoggar Mountains are a highland region in the central Sahara region, in Algeria, along the Tropic of Cancer. It is a real stone desert consisting of granite formations that take on beautiful red colors at sunrise and sunset. The mountains cover an area of approximately 550,000 square km and are located about 1,500 km south of the capital, Algiers. The area is a largely rocky desert with an average elevation of more than 900 m above sea level. The highest peak, Mount Tahat, is at 2,908 m. Assekrem is a famous and often visited place where Charles de Foucauld built a hermitage in 1911. The nearest town to the Hoggar Mountains is Tamanrasset, a dusty oasis mainly populated by Algeria’s Tuareg people. This nomadic tribe has lived in the Sahara for millions of years.  A Tuareg guide can show you the most interesting areas of the Hoggar Mountains.

The Hoggar Mountain range typically experiences hot summers, with a cold winter climate and Temperatures fall below freezing in the winter. Rainfall is rare and sporadic year-round. because the climate is less extreme than in most other areas of the Sahara, the Hoggar Mountains are a major location for biodiversity, including a number of relict species. What makes the mountains unique is the rocky and arid landscape that somewhat reminds Argentina’s moon valley and Mars’ landscape, even though there is some vegetation in some places and several rivers that cut through the landscape, among which there is only one oasis town, Tamanrasset, which is built in a desert valley.

The mountains are primarily composed of metamorphic rock approximately 2 billion years old, although there are areas where more recent volcanic activity has laid down the much newer rock. Many dramatic peaks of the area, such as Ilamen, are the result of erosion wearing away extinct volcano domes, leaving behind the more resistant material that plugged the volcanic cores. The parts of their jagged, volcanic columns tower some 3,000m above sea level. The most prominent feature of the mountains is the Atakor volcanic field, where lava flows make a jaw-dropping scenery. The volcanic nature of Atakor began a whopping 20 million years ago and today its vents, exceeding 400 in number, emit steam and gases from the vents. the highlight of the Hoggar Mountains is Tassili du Hoggar, a vast landscape of eroded mesas, buttes, and arches that bears a strong resemblance to Utah’s Monument Valley.

A place to visit around Hoggar mountain