At the top of a massive conglomerate of sandstone boulders, rising from the scrubby Sahara desert at a site called Dabous, are two immense life-sized giraffes — a large male and a smaller female — the distinctive markings on their hides exquisitely and deeply incised into the rock by ancient artists’ hands. These are Niger’s flagship rock art treasures, dating back some 6000 to 8000 years, and seen by few except their creators and the wandering Tuareg, but nevertheless accessible if you know with whom to travel.
Niger was not my intended destination. I had wanted to go to Egypt, to the Cave of Swimmers featured in the film The English Patient. I contacted Nairobi-based David Coulson, founder of TARA (Trust for African Rock Art). He wasn’t going to Egypt, but he sent me his Niger itinerary for February 2022. I was hooked and booked forthwith.
I met our group of 13 — led by David — in Niger’s capital, Niamey. Ages ranged from late teens to
