Niger holidays

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• Overview
• Country info
• Holiday ideas

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Destinations » Africa holidays » Niger holidays

"The Niger, as has been well observed, is not a lottery in which men may win fortunes, but a field of labour in which they may earn them." Richard Burton, 1863

Taken from The Traveller's Handbook.

Niger holiday experts at WEXAS will tailor-make all aspects of your itinerary to create a Niger holiday, personal to you.

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Niger tailor-made holiday highlights

The River Niger
Flowing for over 500 kilometres through the country, this mighty waterway is one of landlocked Niger's few bodies of water and a major transport route.

Parc National du 'W'
Part of a reserve that spreads into Burkina Faso and Benin, named after the double u-bend in the River Niger. It may not have the same profusion of animals as parts of southern or eastern Africa, but visitors can still spot a large variety of species and many aquatic birds, particularly between the months of February and May. Keep your eyes peeled for herds of elephant in the Tapoa valley area and buffalo on the wooded savannah. Various species of antelope, baboon, warthog and hippo are common, while lions and leopards are also known to roam the national park.

Agadez
Beautiful old Tuareg stronghold in the heart of the Nigérian Sahara, and historically a key stop-off on the trans-Saharan trading routes. While some Tuareg tribes continue to work the traditional camel caravan routes to the Bilma salt mines, others have been forced to seek employment in towns. The region's festivals are also a highlight.

Niamey
Cosmopolitan capital, which draws an intriguing mix of local and regional traders, together with international aid and business workers. It has some pleasant gardens and bustling markets - the Grand Marché is one of the biggest in the Sahel. For a timeless spectacle, catch a pirogue and watch the sparkling sunset over the River Niger.

People & place

Niger facts

Capital: Niamey
Language: French.
People: Hausa, Djerma and Songhai, Fulani, Tuareg.
Religion: Muslim (95%), Christian and Animist minorities.
Size (sq km): 1,267,000.
Population: 13,272,679.
Population density/sq km: 10.40.

Etiquette

Casual wear is widely suitable, but women should avoid wearing revealing clothes. Traditional beliefs, together with Muslim customs, should be respected. Permits are required for photography and filming in Niger, obtainable from police stations.

Shopping

Multi-coloured blankets, leather goods, engraved calabashes, silver jewellery, swords and knives.

Food & drink

Local dishes usually based around millet, rice or niebé, a type of bean. Beef and mutton supplement these staples. Brochettes of meat are commonly sold on street stalls. Alcohol available but restricted.

International Airports

Niamey (NIM) 10 km from the city.

Internal travel

Some domestic flights, and charter planes available. Only major roads are all weather, and others are impassable during heavy rain. Government and private buses operate widely. Bush taxis are ubiquitous but slower. Petrol stations are infrequent. Car hire available with a licenced guide.

Red tape

Visas

Required.

Vaccinations

BCG, Cholera, Diphtheria, Hep. A, Hep. B, Malaria, Meningitis ACWY, Polio, Rabies, Typhoid, Y. Fever1.

Driving requirements

International Driving Permit, Carnet de Passage. Drivers must be at least 23-years-old.

Reps in UK/US

UK: n/a, nearest 154 rue du Longchamp, 75116 Paris, France, tel (1) 4504 8060, fax (1) 733 685. US: 2204 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, tel (202) 483 4224, fax (202) 483 3169, email ambassadeniger@hotmail.com.

UK/US reps in Niger

UK: The British Embassy in Abidjan (see Côte d'Ivoire) deals with enquiries relating to Niger. US: BP 11201, Rue des Ambassades, Niamey, tel 733 169, fax 753 107, email niamy@dfait-maeci.gc.ca.

Currency

Communauté Financiaire Africaine franc (CFAfr) = 100 centimes.

Finance

Credit cards and traveller's cheques accepted on a limited basis.

Business hours

0730-1230, 1500-1800 Monday to Friday, 0730-1230 Saturday.

Safety & life expectancy

Safety information

Border areas with Chad, Algeria and Mali should be avoided due to banditry. Corruption is rife. Ongoing and increasing risk of violence in the Agadez region.

Life expectancy

Life expectancy: M 44.3, F 44.26.

Useful websites for travel

www.nigerembassyusa.org, http://niamey.usembassy.gov/, www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/niger.

Local media

No newspapers in English.

Tourist boards

n/a.

Niger tailor-made holiday ideas

The River Niger
Flowing for over 500 kilometres through the country, this mighty waterway is one of landlocked Niger's few bodies of water and a major transport route.

Parc National du 'W'
Part of a reserve that spreads into Burkina Faso and Benin, named after the double u-bend in the River Niger. It may not have the same profusion of animals as parts of southern or eastern Africa, but visitors can still spot a large variety of species and many aquatic birds, particularly between the months of February and May. Keep your eyes peeled for herds of elephant in the Tapoa valley area and buffalo on the wooded savannah. Various species of antelope, baboon, warthog and hippo are common, while lions and leopards are also known to roam the national park.

Agadez
Beautiful old Tuareg stronghold in the heart of the Nigérian Sahara, and historically a key stop-off on the trans-Saharan trading routes. While some Tuareg tribes continue to work the traditional camel caravan routes to the Bilma salt mines, others have been forced to seek employment in towns. The region's festivals are also a highlight.

Niamey
Cosmopolitan capital, which draws an intriguing mix of local and regional traders, together with international aid and business workers. It has some pleasant gardens and bustling markets - the Grand Marché is one of the biggest in the Sahel. For a timeless spectacle, catch a pirogue and watch the sparkling sunset over the River Niger.