Niger Tourist Places to Visit in Niger, Western Africa, Africa

Niger Tourist Places to Visit in Niger, Western Africa, Africa

Niger is a western African country, sharing its borders with Chad to the east, Algeria and Libya to the north, Mali and Burkina Faso to the west and Nigeria and Benin towards the south. It is the largest country in West Africa, spanning over an area of 1,270,000 sq. km. Niamey is the capital and largest city of Niger, situated in the southwestern part of the country. Niger is a developing country, following the unitary semi-presidential republic system. The tourism of Niger is characterized by its Mountain ranges and desert region. The geographical coordinates of Niger are 16.1833° N, 9.6167° E.

History of Niger:

Before falling under the French rule in the beginning of 20^th century, Niger had come under the reign of many powerful empires, including the Songhai Empire and the Dendi Kingdom. Following the independence from France on 3 August 1960, Niger fell under the control of single-party civilian regime led by the president Hamani Diori. Niger has turned as a democratic country in 2010 after the military revolution.

Getting Niger:

The Diori Hamani International Airport is the gateway to Niger, situated around 10 km southeast of the centre of the capital city, Niamey. The airport handles flights from and to Istanbul, Casablanca, Algiers, Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Ouagadougou, Paris and many other African cities. Niger has no railway transportation but buses are accessible to travel between the major cities of the country.

Cars can be rented in the capital city Niamey and Agadez, which is not recommended as it is not safe.

Culture, Shopping and Food in Niger:

Islam is the predominant religion of Niger, covering around 95% of the total population of the country. Although French is the official language, People in Niger speak their own dialects like Hausa, Fulfulde, Gourmanchéma and Kanuri.

The shopping of Niger is concentrated in Grande Marche in Niamey, which is the largest market in Niger. It is especially famous for sports apparel and baby clothes.

The cuisine of Niger is diverse, different from region to region and some specialties of Niger are kilishi, fari masa, dumbou, koudagou and chichena.

What to do in Niger?

Desert tour
Trade fair
Traditional shopping

What to see in Niger?

Grande Mosquée in Niamey:

The Niamey Grand Mosque is situated along Islam Avenue, featuring a minaret that holds 171 steps. This landmark mosque is the largest in Niamey, built with the financial aid of Libya.

The National Museum of Niger:

The Niger National Museum was constructed during the French colonial period in 1959. It is one of the top tourist attractions of Niger, showcasing the history and culture of the country with a large collection of traditional instruments, costumes and artifacts. There is also a zoo adjoining museum.

Cathedral de Maorey:

The Cathedral de Maorey is frequented by both locals and visitors. The structure of the cathedral is a blend of the local and European architectures, which can be seen in both lively interior and exterior designs.

Grande Marché:

Being the largest market place of the country, the Grande Marché is one of the identities of Niger, holding around 5000 different stalls, of which around 1500 are covered. The market is very much colorful and vivacious. This market is located in Niamey.

Centre Culturel Oumarou Ganda:

The Centre Culturel Oumarou Ganda is a renowned cultural centre in Niamey, featuring a large library, a bar and around 5000 spectators holding amphitheater.

What remained to see in Niger?

Centre Culturel Franco-Nigerien
Palace of Sultan
Mosque of Agadez
Aïr Mountains
W National Park
Aïr and Ténéré National Nature Reserve

When to travel Niger?

The climate of Niger is classified as a subtropical, with very hot and dry weather year round. The best months to visit Niger are January, February, March, November and December.

Where can stay in Niger?

Niger holds a moderate hospitality industry and most of its large scale hotels are in the capital city, Niamey and apart from top end hotels, Niamey houses many camping and vacation rentals that are on the outskirts of the city. Some standard hotels in Niamey in Niger include: