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ALG-6, Top Pass Arch, Akba Tafilalet Area. 2 meter span and 2 meter height (estimated). From
main street in Djanet, turn right on paved road just before the bridge and drive 400 meters to
the fire station. Take the 4WD road east and drive about 16 km to the turnaround (shelter) at
the bottom of the huge cliff of Tassili-n-Ajjer. From there climb up the ravine on the cairned
donkey trail to the flat bowl with some acacia trees (about 45 minutes). Cross the bowl straight
ahead 300 meters and turn right into the canyon. Walk 500 meters through the canyon and take the
ascending pass on the left to a pass. Then go down the trail to a rocky wash (oued) into the
upper Akba Tafilalet Canyon. Once on the canyon floor you can see a slot canyon on the right and
a high spire perched on the left. Proceed in the canyon upstream for approximately 2 km and turn
right at a cairn. Climb up the strenuous ravine (hard part of the trail) to the top of the pass
(there is a pour off on the right). Find this arch on the left of the pass on the rocks above
it. So far I have described the donkey trail, but several short cuts exist. All are shown on
Map 1. For example, at the cairn described above where you
turn right, an alternate route is to continue on the trail straight ahead and ascend a hard
chimney into a side canyon before arriving at the plateau top (for strong hikers only). This way
saves 30 minutes of hiking.
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Next Arch ALG-70
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