The latest issue of the esteemed National Geographic magazine has turned its focus to Tassili N’Ajjer National Park.
Tassili N’Ajjer National Park, despite being Africa’s largest national park, remains relatively unknown and remote, as highlighted by National Geographic.
Nestled in the southeastern corner of Algeria, the park encompasses the remnants of an expansive Precambrian sandstone plateau, spanning an area of 2,780 square miles within the heart of the central Sahara, adjacent to Libya and Niger. This region showcases a geological wonderland, characterized by distinctive rock formations set amidst vibrant orange dunes. The passage of time has meticulously carved the sandstone into towering pinnacles, sculpted openings through lofty cliffs, and etched outcroppings into mesmerizing and zoomorphic shapes. It is widely believed that the park harbors more than 300 natural arches.
Renowned French archaeologist Henri Lhote, who meticulously documented thousands of rock art pieces within Tassili during the 1950s, acclaimed the area as “the world’s largest museum of prehistoric art.”
These al fresco galleries serve as a vivid ethnological testament to the diverse peoples who have been drawn to this locale throughout the ages. Notably, many of the most significant and intricate petroglyphs depict sizable mammals more commonly associated with sub-Saharan Africa, including elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses, and hippopotamuses.