The Ténéré is part of the Sahara Desert and is famous for being one of the emptiest places on Earth. For hundreds of kilometres there is almost nothing but sand — rippling dunes as tall as houses, shaped by the wind into perfect curves. Caravans of camels have crossed these dunes for thousands of years, carrying salt, gold and spices between distant towns.
Right next to the Ténéré, the Aïr Mountains rise up like a green island in the middle of the desert. Because the mountains catch rain that the flat desert misses, trees and shrubs grow in the valleys, and animals that could never survive on the open dunes find food and shelter here. Ostrich, dorcas gazelle and the rare addax antelope all live in these protected lands.
The reserves were given UNESCO World Heritage status in 1991, which means the whole world agreed they are too special to lose. Scientists, rangers and local Tuareg communities work together to look after the wildlife and the ancient rock paintings left by people who lived here thousands of years ago.