Sunday 22nd September – Niamey

• Arrive at your leisure in Niamey. The capital city of the Republic of the Niger is connected with many West and North African countries, as well as Addis Ababa and Istanbul.
• Chad group members board the 12:05am Turkish Airline flight (TK631) from N’Djamena, arriving in Niamey at 2:15am. Flight not included in tour price.
• Pre-arranged transfer to our centrally located hotel to relax and freshen up.
• Chad group members will have some free time to rest or explore the city before the tour starts.
• A pre-tour meeting will be held in the hotel lobby at 6:00pm to discuss the tour details and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• We’ll head out for dinner at a local restaurant.
• Overnight stay in Niamey.

Monday 23rd September – Niamey

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• You’ll begin your adventure with a boat ride along the Niger River, a major source of life in West Africa.
• Along the river, you’ll see daily life and how local residents not only use the river for its resources but also for transport. We’ll stop at small fishing villages where you will be able to interact with the curious locals and have photo opportunities.
• We’ll spend some time in these small rural villages before heading back to the capital. If we’re lucky we might see bloats of hippopotamuses along the river.

Afternoon

• Back in Niamey, we’ll have lunch at a local restaurant. Now is a good time to try jollof rice, a staple in West African cuisine.
• We’ll visit the National Museum of Niger. It houses a number of cultural artefacts from West Africa, including traditional dwellings of different Nigerien cultures. One the more curious display is the remains of the Tree of Ténéré, once the most isolated tree on Earth, which was knocked down by a drunken driver.
• In Katako Market, you’ll get to experience the heart of the city thriving with various cultural groups. It’s a perfect place to capture daily life and purchase local products.
• After a busy day, we’ll head back to the hotel to relax and freshen up before heading out for dinner and drinks.
• Overnight stay in Niamey.

Tuesday 24th September – Niamey – Agadez

Morning

• Early morning start with breakfast before we head to the airport for our 7:00am flight to Agadez.
• Agadez is located in the Sahara desert. The city flourished during the Trans-Saharan trade in the 14th century. Nowadays, the surrounding area is exploited for Uranium.
• On arrival, we’ll check in to our hotel and head out to discover the UNESCO Heritage Site town centre. Many ancestral traditions are still practiced today which you’ll be able to see.

Afternoon

• Lunch in the historical centre. Our local guide knows the best spots.
• We’ll continue to explore the jewel of the Sahara. Although a cosmopolitan city, various traditional customs practiced by the Hausa and Tuareg people has kept Agadez very special and unique.
• A genuine highlight will be visiting the cattle market, where you’ll see various tribes negotiating over camels, goats, sheep and cattle. It’s the perfect opportunity to capture pictures and learn about the tribes cultural customs.
• After a busy day, we’ll have dinner at a local restaurant.
• Overnight stay in Agadez.

Wednesday 25th September – Agadez

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• This morning you’ll have the opportunity to witness traditions related to the Bianou festival, which celebrates the Hegira. We’ll visit a local women’s dance group and also witness initiations, which is when young men tie their indigo turbans under the supervision of the Tambari, the chief and guardian.
• You’ll have the opportunity to spend most of the morning here taking advantage of photo opportunities and interacting with the locals.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the village, with a selection of traditional dishes.
• We’ll head back to the historical town and visit the Agadez Grand Mosque, originally dating from 1515. The stunning mud-bricked structure is the tallest of its kind. For centuries, pilgrims have been visiting the mosque, which also served as a watch tower and a point of reference.
• We’ll continue to explore the old town taking in the Agadez Sultan’s Palace and Kaocen Palace, which now serves as a hotel.
• At the Sultanate Market, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase souvenirs. It’s also a great place to watch people going out with their daily life. There are plenty of stalls that prepare and sell kilishi, a type of jerky with salt and spices.
• Dinner and drinks at a local restaurant.
• Overnight stay in Agadez.

Thursday 26th September – Agadez – Abalak (Guerewol Festival)

Morning

• Early morning start with breakfast before we depart.
• We’ll heading to Abalak, a town located in Northern Niger. Due to the infrastructure we’ll be travelling by 4×4. We’ll take rest stops along the journey and stop for photo opportunities.

Afternoon

• For lunch, we’ll make a stop at a local store to pick up supplies for a picnic.
• On arrival to Abalak, you’ll notice various groups of nomadic people, including Wodaabe and Fula.
• We’ll continue off road until we meet a nomadic group herding their cattle. You’ll have the opportunity to assist and walk alongside the group.
• On arrival to the campsite, we’ll meet the nomadic people while they’re preparing for the Guerewol Festival. As the festival is a nomadic event, we’ll only know shortly before it starts where they are situated.
• After a busy day, we’ll have dinner at the campsite, experiencing the start of the festivities.
• Overnight camping in tents in Abalak.

Friday 27th September – Guerewol Festival

Morning

• Breakfast at the campsite.
• We’ll spend the whole morning at the Guerewol Festival. During the celebrations, young men dressed in elaborate traditional tribal ceremonial outfits and made up in traditional face painting gather in lines to dance and sing, trying to get the attention of marriageable young women.
• You’ll see the music, dancing and courtship, a truly unique experience. The celebrations include a contest where the young men’s beauty is judged by young women; and music and line dancing typical of Fula traditions, characterized by group singing, accompanied by clapping, stomping and bells.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the campsite, we’ll meet at a designated time.
• As the Guerewol Festival brings together both the Wodaabe and the pastoral Tuareg people, there is also a huge market and camel fair. You’ll see potential suiters racing with camels, competing for the attention of a bride. Clan meetings are also organized at that time.
• You’ll have some time to discover the festivities and have the opportunity to capture some truly amazing pictures.
• Dinner and overnight camping in tents in Abalak.

Saturday 28th September – Guerewool Festival – Abalak – Tahoua

Morning

• Early morning start with breakfast at the campsite.
• We’ll gather our belongings and say farewell to the various tribes we got to know in the last few days. We’ll also wish them luck for the remaining festivities.
• We’ll spend most of the morning driving towards Tahoua, with rest stops along the way.

Afternoon

• Picnic lunch along the journey.
• Pond of Tabalak. We’ll visit the picturesque pond, vital for site for migrating birds.
• We’ll continue towards Tahoua stopping at a number of Tuareg camps along the journey.
• On arrival, we’ll check into our hotel freshen up and head out for much deserved dinner and drinks.
• Overnight stay in Tahoua.

Sunday 29th September – Tahoua – Dosso – Koure – Niamey

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel before we check out.
• As the infrastructures gets better, we’ll switch from 4×4 to a private bus as we head back to Niamey.
• Along the journey, we’ll stop at a Hausa village, famous for its typical Sudanese architecture.
• We’ll also visit Dosso, the vibrant city which also flourished before the colonial era. We’ll visit Djermakoy’s palace, nominated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local restaurant in Niamey.
• Our last stop will be Koure, a rural community home to a number of giraffe herds. This is due to the action taken in 1984 dedicating to protecting the magnificent animal.
• Arrive at Niamey, we’ll have time to freshen up before our evening flights.
• Tour concludes with airport transfers, YPT are also able to arrange post-tour accommodation or advice for ongoing flights.

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