Adrar to Timimoun

We travelled from Adrar to Timimoun by car. Because we were in an official convoy (with members of the Ministry of Environment, Equipment, and Tourism), we were not allowed to travel at more than 80 kph, which is very very slow in the vast emptiness of the desert. In fact, the most surprising thing about the ‘vast empty desert, is that whole stretches of it are not empty at all. There are palm trees, villages, electrical poles, green houses, and, indeed, whole cities!

So, the vast empty desert has stretches of vast empty emptiness, but it has other things as well. Some of which are portrayed below. Most taken from the car, which explains while they are not very good. In truth, the scenery along the road is not exceptionally beautiful, and I haven’t managed to take a good picture of Timimoun, where the view from the hotel and over the salt flats is absolutely staggering.

The vast empty emptiness. This is mostly the view from Adrar to Timimoun, until you get close to Timimoun.

Greenhouses just north of Adrar. Adrar prefecture is well-known for its produce (that’s right), which is grown using fossil water from below the Sahara. The amounts involved are very small compared to the overall volume of the aquifers, but the real problem is how to ship tomatoes 1800km north to Algiers.

Palm trees behind a mud-brick wall.

Sand flying over the road

On getting close to Timimoun, the scenery changes and becomes a lot more interesting, with sand dunes, rock formations, etc…

Palm trees, dunes, and grass

Arrival in Timimoun

A poor attempt at capturing a grandiose view. I’m told the view’s even better in the winter, when the sky is much more blue.