Desert Highlands

Hot, hot highlands

The intrepid photographer who trekked to this out-of-the-way Saharan highland could have hogged the beauty all to themselves, so we're thankful they chose to share. These are the Hoggar Mountains, a dramatic desert skyline of pitted peaks and volcanic spires sculpted over time by wind and erosion. The range is home to Mount Tahat, the highest point in Algeria, and the remote Assekrem plateau, long used as a retreat for hermit monks. Despite their harsh, hot conditions, the Hoggars support desert-adapted wildlife and nomadic Tuareg communities who've traversed these lands for ages.