Niger — Where to Go
Top Things to See
• Explore the sprawling city of Niamey. The Small and Great markets are worth a visit, as are the Great Mosque, the National Museum (including botanical gardens and a zoo) and the Hippodrome, where horse and camel races often take place.
• Take a tour of the famous ‘W’ National Park, outside Niamey, with its abundant wildlife including buffalos, elephants, lions, hyenas, jackals and baboons. The birdlife is also prolific.
• Visit the town of Zinder, which was capital of Niger until 1927. The old town is a compact maze of alleyways, typical of a Hausa town. Near the center are the Sultan’s Palace and the mosque, which offers a good view from the minaret.
• Take a turn around the town of Dosso, founded in the 13th century by the Zarmas after the fall of Gao. It has an exceptional palace, a lively village square and celebrates many festivals with parades and official ceremonies.
• See Niger’s economic center at Maradi, where the people are engaged in various activities from agriculture to diverse crafts. The Sultanate and the Mosque are well worth viewing.
• Trawl the Sunday market at the old trading station in the Ayorou region on the Mali frontier or keep your eyes peeled for giraffes in the region around Tillabéri. Two-day tours are available from the capital.
Top Things to Do
• Take a canoe or motorboat along the Niger River to the Mali border of the ‘W’ Game Park. Fishing is possible throughout the year, the main season being from April to September. Big-game hunting is outlawed.
• Catch a festival. Celebrate the end of the rainy season with the Peulh people’s lively knees up, or witness the Cure Salée, when the nomads gather their cattle to go to new pastures and the Wodaabé tribe hold the gerewol festival.
• Climb the mosque minaret at sunset for a spectacular view of Agadez: This beautiful old Tuareg capital is still a caravan trading city: it also has a thriving tourist trade. Beautiful silver and leatherwork can be bought in the back streets.
• Venture into the Aïr Mountains, which were, until recently, home to many species not generally seen at this latitude, including leopards, lions and giraffes. However, the recent droughts have caused animal populations to dwindle rapidly.
• Arrange an expedition through the mountains to the springs at Igouloulef and Tafadek or the prehistoric site at Iferouane and beyond the Ténéré Desert and the Djado Mounta.
