Dunes and a dead tree - This tiny dead tree contrasts with the immense and sensual sand dunes caressed by the wind. - Tenere - Niger

Objective Arakao - At the edge of the Aïr and the Ténéré, the Arakao mountains become visible on the horizon, setting the goal of a long day's march for the caravan. Caution: Bring enough water! - Niger / between Aïr and Tenere / 1999

Dunes in Arakao - The Arakao region is part of the Aïr Massif, which is still one of the most wooded areas in the Sahara. However, at the border of the Ténéré and its dunes, the already sparse vegetation disappears abruptly. - Niger / between Aïr and Ténéré / 1992

Exploring - Like a Scout leader, Abakaoua explores the narrow passage that leads to the top of the dunes of Ifiniyane.

Color variations - Only green is missing, the rarest color in the desert... and symbol of life.

Traces of the wind - Foot and hoof prints withstand only for a short time against the endless impressions the wind traces in the sand. - Niger / Ténéré / Erg Izane / 2001

The great outdoors… - The caravan moves southeast, towards the endless Ténéré. - Niger / Ténéré / 2000

The dunes and the bird - A picture puzzle: Where is the bird? With a magnifying glass, one can see the black and white Moulay-Moulay (white-crowned wheatear from the Sahara, Oenanthe leucopyga), which is traditionally regarded as a lucky charm for travelers.

Dunes at Temet - In the dry season, the Wadi Temet consists only of a red-hot riverbed featuring the silhouette of a dead tree, which the dunes protect and threaten at the same time. - Niger / between Aïr and Ténéré / 2003

Marble and wood, a still life - A composition of desolate eternity in the land of Kel-Kédélé.

Dusk over the Arakao - The dead tree in backlight is reminiscent of a fallen figure by Giacometti. - Niger / between Aïr and Ténéré

Light and Shadow - The sun rises on Arakao. Nothing will disturb the silence of the shadows or the stillness of the light. - Niger / between Aïr and Ténéré / 1992

The great crossing - Through rippled sand waves and immense dunes, the way of the caravan seems to be without end. - Niger / Ténéré / Erg Izane / 2001

Draw me a shadow - Shadow of life, shadow of death in the solitude of the desert. - Niger / Between Aïr and Ténéré / 1999

Balance - The sculptor god has chosen a huge space under the sky for the exhibition of his work. Admission is free for all who endeavor to come here. - Niger / between Aïr and Ténéré / 2000

Silent sands - Listen to the song of the dunes, a mysterious symphony of souls and bodies. - Niger / Ténéré / Arakao / 1992

At the edge of the Ténéré (Niger), the wind avidly shapes the beautiful dunes of Temet. This sea of sand is only limited by the high mountains of the Aïr in the distance.

Niger - salt caravan (Azelaï) between Bilma and Agadez

The caravan crosses the desert near the Crab’s claw - in the background the Oued Arakao - Niger

March through the dunes of Erg Izane in the area of Chiriet - Niger

Crossing the almost endless desert of Erg Izane - Niger

Dunes at Saoura in the Grand Erg Occidental

Bunch of grass - Enneri Blaka - Niger

Caravan of donkeys - Food supplies near Gabr'acun

Dunes at Erg Issaouane - near Fort Polignac - Algeria

The "Submarine" in the Wadi Enneri Blaka got this name thanks to its form. In this region there are many objects of rock art.

Dead tree in a landscape of dunes of Tehouak - Niger

Dunes in Erg Issaouane near Illezi at Fort Polignac, at the background Tassili n'Ajjer - Algeria

Between the Aïr and the Ténéré (Arakao, Niger), it is dusk in the Sahara and the “crab pincer” of the mountains suddenly forms one of the most beautiful dunes in the world.

At the edge of the Ténéré, Chef Abakaoua leads the way.

Last efforts in the Ténéré before arriving at the well - Erg Izane / Ténéré / Niger

Arakao, dunes and dead tree - between Aïr and Ténéré / Niger

Dunes in the region of Tagueït - Aïr / Niger

Landscape of Tin-Kani, Rock art archaeological site - Tassili n´Ajjer / Algeria

The fuming dune - Moul n´Aga / Tadrart / Algeria

Dead tree at Tagueït - Aïr / Niger

Grand Erg Occidental in the morning - Algeria

Dune and single tree - In-Djaren / Tadrart / Algeria

Climb to the guelta d'Agamgam - Aïr / Niger

Aïr / Descent to Adrar Chiriet At the end of a long and beautiful day in the desert, the tired caravan will set up camp in the pasture, between dunes and mountains. Tomorrow will be another day.

Aïr / Dunes near Tezirzek / To the next well In the labyrinth of dunes, the guides know how to find the way to the well where they can get water for men and camels.

Erg Izane / Departure into beauty When the shadows are getting longer, they highlight the beauty of the last dunes before reaching the "blue mountains" in the Erg Izane.

Erg Izane / Getting into another world The caravan is about to enter a mineral universe that is no longer the world of men but that of an intact nature where only the nomads know how to survive.

Ténéré / The long walk Beyond the dunes of Izane, the massif of Tahmert will be the point of arrival in the evening of a long and beautiful day sailing through the Sahara.

Arakao / The reward Nestled in the heart of the desert, the site of Tchin-Taborak is a jewel like no other. Here is the image of eternity and peace of soul.

Erg Izane / Waking up in the heart of the world Immense, mystical and intimate at the same time, the deep Sahara reveals itself to those who show themselves worthy. Patience, humility and respect are the keys.

Ruban de dunes
Belles dunes près d’Illizi, qui s’appelait Fort-Polignac pendant la période de la colonisation française. Elles sont situées au sud-est de l’Algérie, à une centaine de kilomètres de la frontière libyenne.
Algérie – Illizi – 1969

Getting into another world
The caravan is about to enter a mineral universe that is no longer the world of men but that of an intact nature where only the nomads know how to survive.
Niger - Aïr - Erg Izane - 2002

Sea of dunes
At the western border of Grand Erg Occidental, near the village Erg Tarouzi.
Algeria - Saoura - 1993

Sand pyramid
This tree has to feel quite lonely in this mineral universe.
Algeria - Tadrart - In-Djaren - 1993

Dunes and monoliths
Dunes of Tarka on the border between Niger and Chad.
Chad - Tibesti - 1967

Entering another world
The caravan is about to enter a mineral universe that is no longer the world of men but that of an intact nature where only the nomads can survive.
Niger - Aïr - Erg Izane - 2002

Caravan
In the Aïr, the guide searches on foot for the best passage for his caravan through the dunes. Niger - Aïr - Erg Izane - 2000

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Le littoral péruvien est un immense désert dominé par des collines de faible hauteur. Le vent qui monte de la mer favorise la formation de dunes. Entre Ica et Pisco — 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
La route du littoral, la Panamericana, est souvent recouverte de sable ce qui entraîne de sérieuses perturbations dans les transports des passagers et des marchandises. Des équipes d'ouvriers sont chargées d'ôter le sable qui s'accumule sur l'asphalte. – Entre San Pedro de Lloc et Paiján - 1969

Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) - competition for folk groups in the stadium of Cuzco. - 1976

The Panamericana crosses many desert stretches of the peruvian coast. In places it is blown with sand by the strong winds, as here near San Pedro de Lloc in the province of Pacasmayo in the department of La Libertad. - 1969

The Laguna de Huacachina is located in an oasis a few kilometers west of the city of Ica. Because of the increased water consumption due to tourism, the lake fell dry in 1988. As a result, pipelines were laid to supply additional water from Ica. - 1969

The real sea, the Atlantic - at Cap Juby, rich in memories of Saint-Exupéry - barely stands out against the sand so familiar to the camels. - Western Sahara - 1966

The dune will make nature lovers dream for a long time to come. The wind has wrinkled it, like the waves wrinkle the sand at the bottom of the sea. But when the sun goes down, it is a delicious feeling to lie on its still warm, blonde surface (Puerto Cansado, Tarfaya, Cap-Juby). - Western Sahara - 1966

Dunes at Chinguetti, a historic trading post in the Adrar region in north-western Mauritania. - 1970

The well-preserved ruins of the Chinguetti trading post (Ksar in Arabic) amidst the sand dunes. The former centre of several trade routes running through the Sahara attracts tourists and Islamic scholars who continue to admire the architecture and the old libraries. The vernacular architecture of the older parts of the city is made up of stone and mud houses with patios, each of which huddles along narrow streets around a mosque with a minaret. - Mauritania - 1970

Sunset at Tichitt, an old oasis town in the Tagant region at the foot of the Tagant Plateau in eastern Mauritania. Tichitt is known for its traditional stone houses. The main source of income is date cultivation. - Mauritania - 1970

The Oued Saoura in the region of Béni Abbès on the western edge of the Western Great Ergs. - Algeria - 1971

Béni Abbès is an oasis town in western Algeria inhabited mainly by Berbers. It is located on the Oued Saoura, which only has water in winter and spring and forms the western border of the Western Great Erga, the second largest sand sea in the Sahara. The new town of Béni Abbès is situated on a rocky plateau above the valley floor. The plain is surrounded by sand dunes that rise almost 40 m above the surface of the plateau in the immediate vicinity of the town. Other dunes reach a height of more than 80 m. - Algeria - 1971

Béni Abbès is an oasis town in western Algeria inhabited mainly by Berbers. It is located on the Oued Saoura, which only has water in winter and spring and forms the western border of the Western Great Erga, the second largest sand sea in the Sahara. The new town of Béni Abbès is situated on a rocky plateau above the valley floor. The plain is surrounded by sand dunes that rise almost 40 m above the surface of the plateau in the immediate vicinity of the town. Other dunes reach a height of more than 80 m. - Algeria - 1966

Béni Abbès, in the north-western Algerian Sahara, is the prototype of a Saharan oasis. Here, the roots of the palm trees are bathed by the waters of the Wadi Saoura, but the immense dunes of the western Great Ergs loom menacingly in the background. In a country where the sand is 75 degrees Celsius in summer, the main architectural problem is to create shady and cool zones. - Algeria - 1971

Sand dunes in the Western Great Erg near the small oasis town of Taghit on the - only in winter and spring water-bearing - Oued Zousfana. - Whirlwind on the sand dune. - Algeria - 1971

Sand dunes in the Western Great Erg near the small oasis town of Taghit on the - only in winter and spring water-bearing - Oued Zousfana. - Note the swirl of sand above the dune. - Algeria - 1971

Sand dunes in the Western Great Erg near the small oasis town of Taghit on the - only in winter and spring water-bearing - Oued Zousfana. - Algeria - 1971

Dunes of the Great Eastern Erg near El Oued. - Algeria - 1966

A lone palm tree peeks out from among the dunes of the Great Eastern Erg. - Algeria - 1966

Dunes of Erg Issaouane in the vicinity of Fort Polignac, today's Illizi. - Algeria - 1969

Dunes of Erg Issaouane in the vicinity of Fort Polignac, today's Illizi. The Tassili Mountains rise in the background. - Algeria - 1969

Dunes of Erg Issaouane in the vicinity of Fort Polignac, today's Illizi. - Algeria - 1969

Dunes of Tahort in the area of Djanet, Tassili n'Ajjer. - Algeria - 1966

On the edge of the Erg Admer, with the Tassili Mountains to the west of Djanet in the background. - Algeria - 1966

Years have passed since the last rain. Only in the evening, when the shadows of a rare plant finally lengthen on the pale-multicoloured carpet of soil, does the immense panorama show its true face. The rock, lost on the edge of the Adrar Tin-Amali somewhere southeast of Djanet, is reminiscent of an island. Don't we also have an ocean in mind when we call the camel a "desert ship"? - Algeria - 1969

Stone and sand desert between Ghat and Serdeles, today's Al Awaynat - Libya - 1964

The Tadrart Acacous Mountains are a desert landscape in Libya. The desert itself is characterised by mountains, rocks, sand and dunes. Rock monuments can be found, comparable to those in Arches National Park in the United States. In caves there are early historical engravings of elephants and water buffaloes dating from around 4000 BC. They are similar to those in the Algerian Tassili Mountains. The paintings document periods when the region was much wetter and thus offered a much more fertile landscape. - Libya - 1969

In the Acacous Mountains, on the way to Teshouinat. In caves there are early historical engravings of elephants and water buffaloes from around 4000 BC. They are similar to those in the Algerian Tassili Mountains. The paintings document periods when the region was much wetter and thus offered a much more fertile landscape. - Libya - 1969

Large sand dunes of Iguidi oua-n-Kasa in the east of Acacous. - Libya - 1969

Our journey has taken us to the sandy deserts and to Djebel, through the gorges of Tassili and into the tall grass of the steppe. Everywhere we met people who were able to build their lives and even laugh and sing. But it is to the sand that our minds and, why not, our hearts are drawn. This single man leading his camel across the hot, soft sand represents the triumph of the will over the most hostile matter. Sure, at the end of the journey, palm trees await him again, similar to those here in the valley of Adjahl; but even these exist only thanks to the will of other people, if the sand is not ultimately to win the day. - Libya - 1964

The Edeyen or dune massif of Oubari with Lake Gabr' Aoun in the foreground, one of the seven lakes around which live the Daouda, people of dark complexion whose existence is one of the most miserable in the whole Sahara. Eight ridges of high, hard-to-walk dunes, some 50 kilometres, separate them from the fertile Adjal valley, which is dotted with rich oases. - Libya - 1964

In Fezzan, in the Edeyen of Oubari, a strange people lives near the lakes surrounded by high dunes. They are the Daouda. The word Daouda comes from "doud", which means worm in Arabic. In fact, the Daouda eat "worms", which they fish in the lakes fed by underground springs. Only the women are authorised to devote themselves to this task. Their net resembles the plankton net used by biologists. The worms - in reality crustaceans - are dried and then buried for several months before being eaten. - Libya - 1964

The Daouda of Gabr Aoun need their donkeys for food supplies, which they have to transport from far away over several dunes. - Libya - 1964

Dunes in the Edeyen of Murzuk, a Saharan sand desert (erg) in the southern Libyan province of Murzuk and has an almost circular shape with a diameter of about 250 km. - Libya - 1969

Dunes in the Eyden of Murzuk, a Saharan sand desert (erg) in the southern Libyan province of Murzuk and has an almost circular shape with a diameter of about 250 km. - Libya - 1969

Detail of a sand dune in the Borkou area, west of Faya-Largeau - Chad - 1967

The dunes of Tarka, with their strange rock formations, are located on the edge of the Tibesti River in Chad, near the border with Niger. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

Evening mood over the Enneri Blaka. View from the base camp at the submarine. - Niger - 1968

View from the base camp at the submarine. - Enneri Blaka - Niger - 1975

There is no more water flowing in the Wadi Enneri Blaka. Instead, the steady wind has shaped the sand into waves. - Enneri Blaka - Niger - 1969

The Sahara is a desert in the true sense of the word only for those who have never seen it. The slightest rain, the poorest humidity and the smallest water hole already allow for a vegetation that never ceases to amaze the traveller. And how much life then develops around the freshly sprouted plant .... Even the wind compels the weak stems of the "gazelle grass" to mark its all too constant direction, using them instead of a compass. - Enneri Blaka - Niger - 1975

Sand dunes and rocks in Enneri Blaka - Niger - 1968

Sand dunes with waves and rocks in Enneri Blaka - Niger - 1968

Landscape between the Enneri Blaka and the Djado - Niger - 1968

Témet is a dry valley in the Agadez region. It runs from Mont Gréboun (1944 m) in the high mountains of Aïr to the Ténéré desert to the east. In Témet are the highest sand dunes of the Ténéré, which can reach a height of 300 metres. - Témet - Ténéré - Niger - 1975

Témet is a dry valley in the Agadez region. The only water source in the valley, which often dries up in the dry season, is located in the upper part at Mont Gréboun. In rainy years, a diverse flora with a Mediterranean flavour can develop. - Témet - Ténéré - Niger - 1975

Rock arch of Tikoubaouine, near Essendilène. Algeria - Tassili n'Ajjer - 1993

Tin-Kani is an archaeological site in the Tassili N'Ajjer region in southeastern Algeria, home to impressive geological formations as well as numerous rock paintings. Algeria - Tassili n'Ajjer - 1993

The Ti-Sfad area is located southeast of the famous Sefar site on the Tassili-n-Ajjer plateau. It is an impressive landscape with stone forests and standing rocks. The visitor will find here a labyrinth of deep passages (Ti-Sfad means "The Passages" in the Tamahaq dialect) into which the sunlight never penetrates at any time of the day. Undoubtedly one of the most magnificent landscapes of the Tassili National Park. Algeria - Tassili n'Ajjer - 1993

Dunes in the morning light at Jabbaren. Algeria - Tassili n'Ajjer - 1993

Impressive landscape n the region between El Beridij and Moul n'Aga. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Impressive landscape with the dunes of Moul n'Aga. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

In the dunes of Moul n'Aga... Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Sparse plant growth in the dunes of Moul n'Aga. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Impressive landscape with the dunes of Moul n'Aga. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

The mysterious island mountain of Moul n'Aga. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Impressive landscape with the dunes of Moul n'Aga. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Dune Carousel in the Tadrart. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

A "smoking dune" in the Tadrart. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Rocky desert and dunes in the Tadrart. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Typical landscape with the orange sand, Bou Ediane region. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Dune in the morning light at Ouan Zouaten. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Animals have left traces in the red sand. Region between Bou Ediane and the Grotto of the Viper. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Landscape near Tin-Merzouga. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Weathered rocks and dunes in the Tin-Merzouga region. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Landscape between Tin-Tehak and Ouan Zouaten. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Tufts of grass, sand and rocks at Tan-Ekli. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Desert landscape near Tan-Ekli. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Pyramid of sand. How lonely this tree must feel in this mineral universe. Algeria - Tadrart - In-Djaren - 1993

Dune in the Ouan Zouaten region. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Tufts of grass, sand and rocks at Tin-Inabaden. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

Late afternoon in Erg Brousset. - Niger - 2000

The sand dunes at the entrance to Wadi Tagueït. - Niger - 1992

Landscape with tree, bushes and dune near Tagueït. See next photo. - Niger - 1992

10 years later! Landscape with tree, bushes and dune near Tagueït - Niger - 2002

Landscape near Tagueït - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Descent to the Oued Tanakom - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Still life in the dunes of Tanakom - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The caravan in the Oued Agamgam - Aïr - Niger - 1999

Landscape in the Oued Agamgam - Aïr - Niger - 1999

Balance - The sculpting god has chosen an immense open-air space for the exhibition of his works. Admission is free for all who make the effort to come here. - Tideloukoumt between Aïr and Ténéré - Niger - 1999

Dunes in Arakao - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Arakao dunes and the remains of a dead tree - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Afternoon in the Arakao. The shadows trace the majesty of the dunes on the sand - Tideloukoumt - Aïr - Niger - 1999

Dunes at Tideloukoumt - On the border between Ténéré and Aïr, the Arakao mountains mark the horizon and are the destination of a long day's march for the caravan. - Aïr - Niger - 1999

Shadows of life, shadows of death in the solitude of the desert. - Near Tideloukoumt in the Arakao region - Aïr - Niger - 1999

Lone tree in the area of Tineken in the Arakao. - Aïr - Niger - 1999

The day's hike is coming to an end. We soon reach the camp site for the night. - Tineken - Arakao - Aïr - Niger - 1999

Landscape with tree and dunes in Arakao - Aïr - Niger - 1992

In the Arakao dunes, the approaching darkness drives the gold of the sand into the arms of a cobalt-coloured sky. - Aïr - Niger - 1999

Crossing the Crab Claw on the edge of the Ténéré - Aïr - Niger - 2000

Sand wind in the Crab Claw at the edge of the Ténéré - Aïr - Niger - 2000

The caravan crosses the Crab Claw at the edge of the Ténéré - Aïr - Niger - 2000

The dunes of Tchi-n-Taboûrak rise on the north side of the Crab Claw - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Dune ascent at Tchi-n-Taboûrak - The dromedaries took the route around the outside of the dunes - Aïr - Niger - 2002

After the crab claw, you follow the Oued Takarit before reaching the large Erg Izane. - Aïr - Niger - 2002

On the threshold of the entrance to Erg Izane, a large sea of sand dunes. - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Camp in the dunes of Lérouanan - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2000

On the way in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2001

On the way in the Erg Izane - Abakaoua is lost in silent prayer - Air - Niger - 2001

Dunes in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2000

Tracks in the sand of the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2000

On the way in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2001

The traces of the caravan in the Erg Izane will soon be erased by the wind - Air - Niger - 2002

On the way in the Erg Izane to the camp of Elik-Ouan-Aggan. In the background, the Taghmert Mountain. - Air - Niger - 2001

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2001

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane - In the background, the mountain Adrar Chiriet - Air - Niger - 2002

On the way in the sand sea of the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

In the late afternoon in the sand sea of the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane - In the background, on the left the mountain Adrar Chiriet, on the right in the distance a marble hill - Air - Niger - 2002

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane - In the background, the mountain Adrar Chiriet - Air - Niger - 2002

In the late afternoon in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

In the late afternoon in the Erg Izane - The hour of prayer - Air - Niger - 2002

In the late afternoon in the Erg Izane - In the background, the mountain Adrar Chiriet - Air - Niger - 2002

In the middle of the Erg Izane rises an imposing hill of white marble - Léouanan - Air - Niger - 2002

The march continues through the dunes of the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

The march continues through the dunes of the Erg Izan - In the back left the Adrar Chiriet - Air - Niger - 2002

The wind is the sculptor of the desert - Air - Niger - 2000

The caravan on the march through the sand sea of the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2000

The scout always goes ahead, looking for the best way through the dunes - Aïr - Niger - 2000

The Adrar Chiriet, a huge volcanic massif in the middle of the desert, is home to a small population of Barbary sheeps, the wild sheep of North Africa that resembles the ibex, and blocks the path of caravans that have to bypass the mountain range in the middle of the Ténéré. - Aïr - Niger - 2000

During the night, the Dromedae search for food on the plain in front of the Adrar Chiriet - The camp has been set up on the right behind the dunes - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The caravan approaches the plain in front of the Adrar Chiriet - Aïr - Niger - 2001

This tree can no longer live without water. Now it still serves as firewood - Aïr - Niger - 1992

The caravan leaves the Adrar Chiriet area - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The caravan travelling through Erg Izane towards Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Under the full moon shining in the sky, the caravan marches through the endless dunes of Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2001

A dromedary carries the tarahuit, the traditional women's saddle - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The caravan on its way towards Taghmert - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The caravan on the way to Taghmert - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Imposing dune - the Taghmert Mountains on the horizon - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The caravan on the way to Taghmert - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2000

Travelling from Adrar Chiriet to Tamgak - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

And on we go, even when the sun is burning - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The march continues in the direction of Tamgak - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The march continues towards Tamgak - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The caravan continues southwards - Temet region - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Dune spectacle in the Temet region - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan before arriving in Bous - Temet region - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Dunes at Temet - In the dry season, the Wadi Temet consists only of a scorching hot riverbed, at the edge of which a lone tree struggles to survive - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan travelling in the dry riverbed of the Wadi Temet - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan in a dry valley with sparse vegetation in the Temet region - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan follows the Oued Temet, which is lined with imposing sand dunes - In the background the mountain Ti-n-Galene - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan continues south towards Tchioulmas - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Travelling in the dunes between Tezirzek and the Oued Tchioulmas - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan travelling through the dunes on the edge of Erg Izane - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan travelling through the dunes on the edge of Erg Izane, between Tezirzek and Oued Tchioulmas - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Nature in detail - Dunes near Tebet - Niger - Aïr - 1992

Dune in the Oued Aouï - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Chapter 4: MAGHREB - Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania Sand dunes in the morning in the Western Great Erg near the small oasis town of Taghit on the Oued Zousfana, which only carries water in winter and spring.

The Thar Desert stretches largely across the Indian state of Rajasthan and parts of Pakistan, and is known for its combination of various desert landscapes. The eroded, rocky hill in the background (Bhakars) is characteristic of the foothills and isolated ridges that repeatedly break through the sandy plains of the Thar. The pronounced wind ripples on the undulating dunes in the foreground reflect the sandy habitats that characterize large parts of the region. The sparse shrubs and grasses in the sand represent the typical xerophytic (drought-resistant) flora of the Thar, such as thorny shrub species (Capparis decidua or Acacia). These deep-rooted plants also serve as important soil stabilizers against wind erosion. – 1990

Much of the Thar Desert consists of flat sandy plains and dune landscapes, some of which are covered with thorny shrubs. In areas without vegetation, such as the famous Sam Sand Dunes near Jaisalmer, one can find striking, untouched ripple structures like the one in the photo. The sand ripples and shifting dunes in the Thar Desert change primarily during the hot summer months due to the strong southwest monsoon winds. The winter winds play a rather minor role. – 1990

Perhaps camels laden with spices once passed through here on their way across the Thar Desert in Rajasthan. In the distance, you can see a caravanserai where the camel drivers would rest at nightfall before continuing their long journey toward the Middle East the next morning. - 1990

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