Niamey and its surroundings in 7 days

In the morning, go to the national museum for a complete overview of Niger. Excellent ability to understand Nigerian culture and society: representations of different ethnic groups through traditional costumes, musical instruments, crafts.... This museum is at the same time a place of safeguarding, a craft workshop and a place of sale. Thus, you will meet jewellery craftsmen, shoemakers, weavers in full labour, you will see shops and high quality batiks. The commercial aspect is also a kind of heritage preservation, because it keeps Nigerian art alive, and you will see the younger generations rediscovering their culture. In this cultural site, several pavilions display major themes such as paleontology, a field that arouses curiosity, the exploitation of uranium, which is still in the news. In the afternoon, stroll through the small market, which is nothing small, between the displays of peppers, tomatoes, fruits and many other culinary surprises. Feel free to ask for the name of anything you don't know, without the guarantee of having the answer in French, experience the exoticism! Ali Baba's real cave, the large market offers a quantity and variety of remarkable items; there are modern and traditional clothes, sandals and shoes imitating "great brand", fabrics from all over the world, loincloths, basins... This labyrinth is full of surprises at every turn! And in the evening, the must is an aperitif on the terrace of the Grand Hotel for a sunset on the river and the city below.

In the "tiger bush" of Kouré, the last herd of free giraffes in West Africa graze: a striking sight as these heads so high perched in the nonchalant port; they are used to seeing people and let themselves be approached very closely since they are protected.

Ideal from December to April, it is only 2 hours drive south of the capital. After traveling with a forest guard in the savannah on the lookout for buffalo, elephants or birds, we can recover and spend the night in a tent tourist camp in the middle of the park and stand up to the aurora to surprise again the fauves or antelopes on the edge of the mares.

Continue your visit in the W National Park. Return to Niamey.

Visit of the market to flowers at the edge of the river, meeting with the tanners (even if it releases a strong "fragrance", their work is interesting). Discovery of the craft village of Wadata: work place of all kinds of craftsmen of leather, fabric, furniture, potters, weavers and large boutique of presentation and sale of objects. The object or furniture of its choice can also be ordered. Also reserve one afternoon walking in the rice fields upstream or downstream of Niamey where families are met in field or at harvest.

Take the road to Tillabéri. 15 km from Niamey is the place called Rio Bravo, on the banks of the river, a garden under the mango trees, with the possibility of barbecues, camel rides or canoeing. To spend the night there, there is the Kanazi relay which offers rooms, or under the stars or camping (bring a tent) on a fenced area along the river for a relaxing stay with your feet in the water.

Wake up by singing the birds of Niger, before resuming the road to Niamey.