Things to see and do Sahara

Pahéry is a painter and head of works in the tomb of his grandfather, Ahmnose, son of Abana, a war hero. He becomes governor of Elkab and Esna. His status as a nomarch enabled him to build his own tomb. The theme of the artistic copies served as a basic documentation, to express his artistic talent. The tomb he occupies with his wife has well-preserved paintings of scenes from agricultural life and the funeral rite rendered to the deceased. At the back is a niche housing a statue of Pahery, his wife and his mother.

Taba Heights is a picturesque, year-round resort ideally located in this beautiful region of the Sinai Peninsula. The resort's village and hotels blend into the natural backdrop of wild desert, cinnamon mountains and vibrant sea. Taba Heights offers four- and five-star luxury hotels. Experience relaxation and recreation at every hotel in the range. Innovative facilities designed for travelers who simply want to sit back and enjoy.

After a beautiful cruise to reach the island, you can visit the ruins of a Crusader defensive castle built in 1116 by Baldwin ^I of Jerusalem. The castle passed into the hands of Salah el-Din in 1170, then the Mamelukes in the ^13th century. Artifacts from the ^2nd century BC have been found, as well as traces of foundations from the Hellenistic and Byzantine periods. Another attraction of this excursion is the opportunity to swim and snorkel away from the crowds, in transparent waters.

The mosque was built in the ^mid-16th century and restored in 1850. The prayer hall is supported by 24 columns in 4 rows. The shafts are reused from older monuments, as is the case in many buildings in the Delta. The ceiling of the prayer room features a central cupola. The entrance portal is comparable to that of the Hassan Nasr Allah mosque. The minaret is 23 m high and overlooks the nearby Nile.

The building is named after a high-ranking Mamluk dignitary who received his religious education in the mosque of Sultan Hassan in Cairo. He was buried in 1424 in the capital's northern Mamluk cemetery. The mosque was built during his lifetime and restored in 1703. The main portal, formed of three brick arches, is typical of the religious architecture of the Nile Delta region. The minaret is the only element of its architecture in the Mamluk style.

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Gafsa can be proud to host in its land the largest snail farm in Tunisia. It is an artificial mound of about ten meters high, from an accumulation of ash, tools, human and animal bones, and especially snail shells, dating back to 7000 years BC. These piles are traces of human presence, when our ancestors lived in camps. They are found mainly in the south of the country, another one is found in a shelter under the rock located in the region of Oum El Araies.

In this nice museum, you will learn a lot about the part of the Sahara located in the Douz region. With a rather pleasant museology, you will understand the natural (fauna and flora) and cultural heritage of the Grand Erg Oriental, as well as the traditional life of the five tribes that historically populated the Douz region. You will learn a lot about the camels, these inescapable animals of the region. In the center of the museum stands a large nomadic tent. An interesting stop before going to really survey the desert!

Daly, who is at the origin of this meeting place, is a painter. The décor is original: at the Café des Arts, pallets and colored tires serve as tables. Daly exhibits some of his works and organizes musical evenings and philosophical debates. A recent and rare initiative for the city of Nouadhibou. You can also order brochettes, grilled chicken, kebabs, hamburgers, for 200 to 350 MRU. A place to see, to try, for its variety, and to support Daly, whose namesake makes you smile in the middle of Mauritania.

Born into a prestigious family, he was Third Prophet of Amun during the ^20th Dynasty. His large sepulchre is poorly preserved and has lost most of its decorations, but his first room remains interesting. Large statues of the deceased are carved into the rock. The preserved wall decorations, depicting scenes of banquets and members of Amenenope's influential family, or Amenenope being presented to Osiris, are of exceptional quality and enhanced by the white of the walls.

Resident of the Royal Nursery, chief treasurer and supervisor of public works during the reign of Tuthmosis III. Benia's tomb, small and quite simple, with a classic T-shape, is quite complete. In several scenes Benia is depicted in front of tables on which offerings are piled up. The mouth opening ritual ceremony is also painted there. In a niche at the bottom of the tomb are statues, carved directly into the rock face, representing the deceased sitting surrounded by his parents.

This tomb belongs to an official named Khonsu, a theophoric name modeled on that of the son-god of the Theban Triad (Amen-Mut-Khonsu). He was also called To, the first prophet of Thutmes III, during the reign of Ramses II. Preceded by a courtyard, the tomb has a classical inverted-T plan. Among the many paintings, most depict the cult of the god Montu and of Thutmes III, but there are also scenes of worship of the god Ra by the deceased and his family and of funerary scenes. Ducks in flight adorn the ceiling.

A passage in the tomb of Nefersekherou leads to that of Dhutmosi, which is in poor condition. But by chance, the ceilings of these two tombs have been very well preserved. Beautifully coloured ceilings can be seen. Each has one or more central motifs, which take on geometric forms. Five different patterns are repeated, three of which are in the main room. The painted motifs are separated from each other by coloured stripes and, in the case of the main ceiling, by text stripes.

The small tomb of Nefersekheru, scribe of the divine offerings and officer of the Treasury during the reign of Ramses II, is quite similar to its neighbour. It would be conceivable that the latter succeeded his neighbour Neferrenpet. Despite its small size, it represents a characteristic ensemble of the period. It is very complete and its paintings have retained vivid colours. The ceilings are finely decorated with various geometric motifs in very well preserved colours. The monument consists of two separate underground complexes.

During the reign of Ramses II, Nefferenpet or Kenro was chief scribe of the Treasury of the domain of Amun-Ra, one of the highest offices of the time. The tomb is decorated with refined paintings. The deceased's wife, Moutemouia, is present at his side. The scenes are essentially religious: praise and adoration of the gods, a funeral procession, but there are also less formal scenes depicting Neferrenpet supervising the work carried out by the men at the treasury. The beautiful ceilings of this tomb are adorned with elaborate motifs.

A beautiful place to bivouac: many trees, surrounded by beautiful dunes. In fact, it is rather the only place to bivouac! You will even find a well, which is rare in the surroundings. The GPS coordinates of this site are: 21°07'34" N, 11°22'41 "W. Now, take a little height, go up again, and imagine your tent, planted in the area of Guelb er-Richat... For this reason alone, the bivouac is worth it at this place! It is said that it is in the wooded camp that Théodore Monod joined his wife, after having explored the crater and its secrets.

In the middle of the desert, under a hut, Yeslem collected hundreds of pieces of the Neolithic, such as bifaces, elephant teeth, weights for fishing nets... We must encourage him in his initiative of safeguarding, because these are so many pieces that will not go into the luggage of unscrupulous collectors. One cannot help but have a thought for Theodore Monod, the scientist and explorer, who in his time surveyed the Mauritanian relief in search of such pieces. Coordinates : 21°29'36 "N,11°19'53 "W

It is 30 km northwest of Tan-Tan that the Draa flows into the Atlantic Ocean when it is not dry. The bed of this wadi winds its way between cliffs and sandbanks. The ocean can rise about 10 kilometres inland during high tides. Remarkably beautiful, the mouth provides shelter and food for flamingos, cormorants and other migratory birds. Its fragile ecosystem attracts jackals, hyenas and wild cats, but also hares, partridges and bustards.