Niger - Cultural Routes of the Sahara Desert: Salt Road

The Salt Road runs from the Air through the Ténéré Desert and finally arrives at Bilma where are the salt works, a place of extraction of salt essential for transactions. This route has been the subject of a caravan trade for several centuries. At the heart of the transaction: the exchange of millet for salt and dates. The Kel Ewey Touaregs are the most attached to this activity. So caravans leave always grouped, bringing together between 3000 and 20000 dromedaries to face the desert and looters, but especially to face the raids of the Toubou from Tibesti. The Salt Road is extremely dangerous because of 2 elements: the desert of Ténéré and attacks and other raids of all kinds.