About your Guide
David Coulson
Founder and Chairman, Trust for African Rock Art

David Coulson is a photographer, writer, and African explorer as well as being a specialist in African rock art. He is the founder and Executive Chairman of TARA (the Trust for African Rock Art). His home is in Nairobi, where he lives with his wife Deborah. They have two daughters, Daisy and Alice.

In the earlier part of his career (‘80s and early ‘90s) David worked as a professional photographer and writer, and his books and articles were published across the world. It was during the many travels for these projects that he became aware of the richness, diversity and antiquity of Africas rock art heritage to which he became increasingly became aware of the richness, diversity and antiquity of Africas rock art heritage to which he became increasingly drawn. Many of his travels took him to deserts, and having initially published illustrated books on the Kalahari and Namib deserts of Southern Africa he began traveling extensively in the Sahara desert, mainly by now, in pursuit of rock art.

In the mid-1990s, David founded TARA with the help of Dr Mary Leakey and Sir Laurens van der Post. Since its inception TARA’s work has been supported by a number of well known international institutions such as National Geographic, and the Getty, Ford and Andrew Mello Foundations. Realizing that the biggest threat to this remarkable heritage was ignorance, David used his photography and international network to create a greater global awareness of the importance and endangered state of this art. His book, with the late Alec Campbell, African Rock Art, was the African countries and its work has been internationally recognized. In 2004, David received a letter recognized in a filmed statement by former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan.

In 2014 the British Museum acquired a digital copy of David’s (TARA’s) digital archive of 30,000 rock art images, with metadata, which now form part of the Museum worldwide online collections. This extensive rockart collection from 20 diffErent countries has already opened numerous windows onto Africa’s rich past.

 

Arrive Niamey airport
Stay Radisson Blu Hotel, Niamey Radison Blue Hotel, Niamey
Visit markets & cruise on Niger River Geerewohi Ceremony (Wodaabe)
Visit historic mosque and town Stay Auberge d’Azel Tuareg welcome ceremony
Visit to famous big giraffe engravings Camp on ancient lakebed Drive to Iferouane - Adobe town
Camp near recently discovered rock engraving south of town Possible camel race near Iferouane
Drive north to Iwellene in the northern Air Camp in mountains next to major art site Drive south east to Tezirzek site via the Blue Mountains & the Tenere desert Continue to Mt Chiriet volcano
Camp in the dunes Drive into the crator of Chiriet and then west to a small site before driving into a spectacular dune area
Camp Visit the great dune of Arakaou. Explore area
Continue pm to Kogo. Camp Drive south to Timia oasis Visit palm groves & orchards
Camp near rock pool Drive south west to Agadez
Overnight at Auberge d’Azel Fly to Niamey
Overnight Radisson Blu Hotel Depart Niger

€10,000 Per Person (provisional)

This safari is based on a group of approx 10 people plus guide.

• This cost includes:
• Internal flights Niamey/Agadez
• Full board accommodation
• (Hotels in Niamey & Agadez)

• This cost excludes:
• International flights
• Visa
• Passport fees
• Gratuities in Niger

For more information contact: david@africanrockart.org

→ Discover more about the Rock Art Network
→ Members and affiliated institutions of the Rock Art Network