At the nexus of Sudan, Libya and Egypt, where the borders meet at a point in the Eastern Sahara, a large rocky outcrop known as Jebel Uweinat peaks at an elevation of nearly 2,000 metres. The massif consists of a large, ring-shaped granite mass in the west, with sandstone plateaus in the east divided by deep valleys. Jebel Uweinat is so isolated that, until 1923, the proliferation of rock art around it had never been documented.
This rock art comes in the form of paintings and engravings, commonly of animals and overwhelmingly of domestic cattle.
While cattle are ubiquitous, there are also frequent depictions of humans in various styles, as well as other domesticates, including goats and dogs. The herds of cattle clearly reflect a pastoralist existence for the artists, but there are also indications of hunting taking place, through engravings of wild antelope and dog figures, as well as many engravings of camels.
South Uweinat
South Uweinat is a camp at the entrance of Wadi Wahesh in southern Uweinat. It makes for a good base to visit numerous sites along the southern parts of Uweinat and Jebel Kissu, some 30 kilometers away.
The climb up to the sites in the Upper Wadi Wahesh is a fairly difficult trek and might not be suitable for everyone.
You can also see a number of sites between Wadi Wahesh and Wadi Wadda or visit Jebel Kissu and the springs of Karkur Murr.
Karkur Talh
Karkur Talh is another camp where you can base yourself in to visit the prolific number of rock art sites, all within a relatively short walking reach.
Some other sites in the South Branch of Karkur Talh, within walking distance of the camp are: the two ‘rock islands’ in the main valley, the sites of the south-western branch and the sites along the northern edge of the main valley.
You could also spend a day walking up to the amazing set of paintings discovered by the Belgian expedition in 1968.