Air and Ténéré

The Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserves together form one of the largest protected areas in Africa, covering approximately 77,360 square kilometers in the Agadez Region of northern Niger. The complex encompasses the Aïr Mountains—an ancient crystalline massif rising sharply from the surrounding Sahara—and the Ténéré Desert, one of Earth's most remote and spectacular sand sea landscapes. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, the reserves protect extraordinary geological formations, endemic species, and important Tuareg cultural heritage. The protected area is home to one of the world's last populations of addax antelope and critical herds of Saharan cheetah.