Saharan uranium town in northern Niger, serving as a rough waypoint on the Algeria route.
Arlit is a Saharan boomtown built on uranium. The French mining company Areva has operated here since the 1970s, and the town owes its entire existence to the ore beneath the surrounding desert. It has a recently-thrown-together look and feel that's entirely appropriate for what it is.
For travellers, Arlit matters primarily as a waypoint on the overland route between Niger and Algeria. When the road north is open, this is where you stock up, sort out paperwork, and brace yourself for the Sahara crossing. When the road is closed — which happens — you'll be waiting here whether you like it or not.
The town has banks (though they don't always have money), bars (that don't always have beer), a tourist office, and a lively trade in goods moving between West Africa and North Africa. The hustlers who work the border economy are hard to miss and will find you before you find them.
When you arrive, head to the police station first and surrender your passport. You'll get it back when you're ready to leave.
Guide
Getting There
Arlit is roughly 1,200 km north of Niamey by road — a long haul on rough tracks through the Sahel before the tarmac improves approaching Agadez. From Agadez, the main staging point south, the road to Arlit is around 250 km and takes the better part of a day depending on vehicle and driver. Bush taxis and occasional lorries cover this route.
The border crossing north into Algeria (In Guezzam on the Algerian side) has been periodically closed due to security conditions. Before planning this crossing, check the current situation carefully — the Sahara borderlands of northern Niger and southern Algeria are a zone of genuine risk. When the crossing is open, it requires a registered convoy guide and multiple permits; the tourist office in Arlit or the police can help arrange the paperwork. Do not attempt the crossing independently.
There is a small airstrip at Arlit used for mine operations, but no scheduled passenger service.
