Tassili Cultural Park, Nature reserve in Illizi Province, Algeria
Tassili Cultural Park is a large protected area with sandstone plateaus, narrow canyons, and rock formations spread across a vast highland in southeastern Algeria. The site contains thousands of rock paintings and has an unusually diverse landscape made up of different geological layers.
The area received protected status in 1972 and represents one of the world's most important sites of prehistoric rock art. The paintings come from different periods and show how human settlement in the Sahara developed over many thousands of years.
Rock art throughout the park shows hunting scenes, herds of cattle, and hand prints that represent different periods of human settlement in the Sahara. Local people view these artworks as windows into the daily lives of societies that existed here thousands of years ago.
Visitors must obtain permission and join guided tours from Djanet, as navigation in this area is challenging. The best time to visit is October to November or February to March, when temperatures are more moderate.
Saharan cheetahs and Barbary sheep live in the rock crevices and beneath rock overhangs, perfectly adapted to extreme heat and water scarcity. These rare animals are a major reason this site is recognized as a protected area.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
