It is held annually near Essakane, an oasis some 40 miles north-west of Timbuktu, the ancient city on the Niger River.
The "Festival in The Desert" is a celebration of the musical heritage of the Touareg, a fiercely independent nomadic people.
The reward of navigating this rough terrain comes in the form of a three-day feast of music and dance.
.Reaching it tests endurance, with miles of impermanent sand tracks to negotiate