Niger Travel and Tourism

Frequently Asked Questions

Useful Information

Tourist Office:
Rue Luebké, BP 612, Niamey
Tel : 73.24.47
Fax : 72.33.47

Photography:
Visitors are asked to refrain from photographing the Presidential residence, airports, all administrative and military buildings, and private citizens without their permission.

Bookstores:
Camico, avenue de la Mairie
Papeterie Burama, rue de la Copro
Indrap, rue de Martin Luther King
Ascani, near Score supermarket

Newspapers:
Government: Le Sahel, daily
Independent papers and magazines: Kakaki, Alternative, Haske, La tribune du Peuple, Le Démocrate, Le Républicain

Radio and Television:
La Voix du Sahel, broadcasts in French and national languages
Télé-Sahel, evening broadcast

Cinemas:
Le Studio: 73.37.69 : (center)
Vox: 73.32.19 - outdoor : (center)
Cinema Soni Ali-Ber : (Haut-Niamey)
Cinéma Zarbakan, avenue de l'Entente : (Poudrière)
Cinéma HD : (Yantala)

Discotheques/Nightclubs:
Kakaki, Hôtel Gaweye
Fofo, Hôtel Sahel
Takoubakoye, near the Rivoli
Hi-Fi, rue du Coulibaly
Jet-7, near Score supermarket
Niamey Club, rue du Coulibaly
Hilly, near Hôtel Maourey
El Raï, Hôtel Gaweye
Extase
Takaï
Dancing Gaskama
Hippopotame Bleu
Izé Gani
L'Ermitage, Boulevard de la Liberté

Supermarkets:
Score, avenue de la Mairie
Peyrissac

Pharmacies:
Pharmacie Kaocen, rue du Coulibaly: 73.54.54
Pharmacie Nouvelle, rue Luebké
Grande Pharmacie Centrale: 73.29.79, fax 73.31.00
Pharmacie du Plateau: 75.31.94, fax 75.23.62
Pharmacie Populaire Rive Droite: 73.54.40
Pharmacie Vétérinaire MEDIVET: 73.63.55
Pharmacie Carrefour Sixième: 74.18.18
Pharmacie As-Salam: 75.31.25
Pharmacie du Rond-Pont
Pharmacie Grand Marché

Hospitals:
Niamey National Hospital: 72.22.53
Lamordé National Hospital: 73.47.26

Public Health Clinics:
Lahiya: 74.09.68, fax 74.26.56
Issaka Gazobi: tel. 73.35.50
Pro-Santé: tel: 72.26.50

Private Health Clinics:
Clinique Pasteur: 72.50.16
Clinique d'Iran: 72.50.84
Clinique de Gamkalé: 73.47.61
Clinique du Plateau: 75.46.39
Clinique Kaba: 73.26.52
Clinique Médicale Madamdi: 74.18.65
Clinique Privée Talfi Idrissa: 73.31.54
Institut Médecine Physique: 73.44.20
Institut de Diététique de Nutrition et d'Hygiène: 72.48.03

Post Offices:
Main Post Office (PTT), Rue de Kabekoira, 73.23.99.
     Branch office - Plateau
     Poste and fax restantes are reliable; phone service.
     Packages- 73.24.58
     Money orders - 73.31.99
DHL: Hôtel Gaweye : 74.18.06

Business Hours:
Banks : 7:30-11:30, 3:30-5:30, M-F.
Government: 7:30-12:30, 3:30-6:30, M-F.
Businesses: 8-12:30- 3-6:30, M- F, and Saturday morning.

Bus Station:
SNTN
Corninche de Yantala
Tel : 227.72.30.20
Ticket office: 7:30-12:30, 3:30-6:30, M-F, 8-9 Sat, 8-12 Sun.

Car Rental:
Niger-Car Voyages, Airport and Immeuble El-Nasr, Tel : 227.73.23.31
Avis, Tel : 227.22.33.33
Sanuto, Tel : 227.73.31.64
Tiguidit (Agadez), Tel : 227.44.03.66

Travel Agents:
Niger Tourisme, Tel : 227.73.23.79
Nigercar-Voyages, Tel : 227.73.23.31, Fax : 227.73.35.39
Avis, Tel : 227.22.33.33
Transcap Voyages, Tel : 227.73.32.34
Niger Ténéré Voyages, Tel : 227.73.56.50
Africatour, Tel : 227.73.41.18
Tour Niger, Tel : 227.73.55.25
Satguru Travel X Tours, Tel : 227.73.68.75
Concord Travel Service, Tel : 227.73.73.85

Aligouran Voyages (Agadez), Tel : 227.44.00.94
Aïr Voyages (Agadez), Tel : 227.44.04.95
Tidene Expeditions (Agadez), Tel : 227.75.21.92
Tamak Voyages (Agadez), Tel : 227.44.04.95
Temet Voyages (Agadez), Tel : 227.74.41.18 / 44.00.51

Fadel Voyages (Maradi), Tel : 227.41.01.82 / 41.05.25

Game Hunting:
January - March
Gun permit necessary
Taxes per head of game
Group prices available

Sport Fishing:
Nigerien National Center for Tourism
BP 612, Niamey
Tel: 227.73.24.47

Director of Fauna, Fish, and Pisciculture:
Ministry of Hydrology and Environment
Niamey
Tel: 227.78.41.12

Accomodations in Niamey

Camping and Budget Hotels:

Moderately Priced Hotels:

Expensive Hotels:

Niamey

Restaurants

Inexpensive:
Buvette de la Piscine, rue du Sahel : grilled chicken, music, dancing
Carmel (Chez Michel), rue de la Copro : pastry shop
Chez Ali Houssein, near Hôtel Le Moustache : varied menu, fruit juices
La Fontaine Bleue, near the PTT : outdoor restaurant, salads, meats, steaks
The Hilly, rue de la Copro, near Hôtel Maourey : brochettes, music
Le Méridien, rue Coulibaly : burgers, chawarma, fastfood
La Poêle Bleue, Rond-Point Liberté : omelettes, steak sandwiches, fresh yogurt
Le Refuge, rue du Maroc, near Hôtel Le Dé : African cuisine
Snack Bar La Cloche, rue Luebké & rue du Coulibaly : salads, sandwiches, chawarma
Terenga Bar, rue du Marco : African cuisine
Zouzou Beri, rue du Cameroun : curries
Les Canaries, Rond-Point Yantala : African cuisine

Moderate:
Le Croissant d'Or, rue de Coulibaly : pastry shop
Damsi, Immeuble Sonar I : French, African and Asian cuisine
Maquis 2000, near Hôtel Le Dé: Ivoirian cuisine, fish and grilled meat
Marhaba, rue de Kalleye : meats
Mickey's, rue du Sahel : kebabs and fries
La Pizzeria, rue du Coulibaly
Restaurant la Tattassey, near Hôtel Terminus : garden terrace

Expensive:
La Cascade, near the Petit Marché, 73.28.32 : French cuisine
Diamangou, Corniche de Gamkalé, 73.51.43 : French and African dishes aboard a boat docked in the river
Le Dragon d'Or, rue du Grand Hôtel, 73.41.23 : Chinese cuisine
Le Vienam, Rue du Terminus : Vietnamese cuisine.
La Flotille, Corniche de Yantala, 2.32.54 : Russian and French cuisine
Hôtel Gaweye, Place Kennedy : Sunday brunch buffet (8-11)
Ize-Gandy, Corniche de Gamkalé : French cuisine, dancing
Le Koudou, Rond-Pont Monteil : European and African cuisine, grilled meat
Tabakady, near the PTT, 73.58.18 : French cuisine, seafood.
La Croix du Sud, Hôtel Gaweye : French cuisine.
Toukounia, Hôtel Terminus : French cuisine

Niamey

Things to See:

W National Park

95 miles south of Niamey, this trans-national park is on the western bank of the River Niger, stretching over 2200 square kilometers in Niger alone. Open December-June: elephants buffalo, antelope, baboons, warthogs, hippos, 300 bird species, 450 plant species. No hunting is permitted.

Hôtel de la Tapoa (Relais )
Edge of the reserve
Tel : 227.73.34.00
25 rooms, 10 bungalows, air-conditioning, restaurant, bar, pool, excursions.

Tapoa Reserve: an extension of the main park, open from November-May.

Tahoua

Niger's fourth-largest city and a major stop on the Niamey-Agadez road.
Large and lively market on Sunday.
Crafts Center has a good selection of Tuareg jewelry.

Hotels:

Restaurants:
Chez Fatima: African cuisine
Restaurant les Delices: European cuisine.

Maradi

Maradi is Niger's third largest town, and peanut capital, with over half of the country's crop grown in the region.
Grande Mosquée
Chief's Palace: colorful Hausa architecture, geometric designs
Impressive marketplace, spreading over several blocks. Mondays and Fridays are main market days.
Public garden near the Hôtel de Ville

Hotels:

Restaurants:
Le Yorumba
Le Cercle de l'Amitié
Jardin Publique : grilled chicken served at outside stands
Les Hirondelles : rice and meat dishes, local specialities
Mairey : pastry shop
Chez Naoum : Lebanese cuisine.

Nightclubs:
Ludo Club, near the Hôtel Liberté
Foyer, near the Mairie

Banks:
BIAO, across from the Sûreté
SONI, on the Katsina road across from market

Post Office: on Katsina road near Palais de Justice

Pharmacie Populaire, Place Dan Kasswa
Hospital, south of town

Arlit

Arlit, Niger's northernmost major town, was formed thirty years ago during the uranium boom.
Market: calabashes, pottery, basketware

Hotels:

Restaurants:
Tamesna : European cuisine
Sahel: steaks, rice and sauce
Restaurant N'Wana: couscous, salads
Café des Arts
Au Bon Coin: African and European cuisine
Le Refuge: African and European cuisine

Nightclub: Sahel 2

Zinder

Formerly the largest city in Niger and briefly the first capital during the French colonial period, and residence of the Sultan of Damagaram.

Zengou Quartier: northern side of town, mud-brick houses, oldest house in town
Birni Quartier: picturesque old quarter with French fort on a hill, fine examples of traditional Hausa architecture.
Grande Mosquée
Sultan's Palace: from the 19th century, two-storey banco structure with tombs of fomer Sultans
Sarkin Fulani's house: Fulani chief's residence, façade decorated with colorful raised motifs
Grand Marché: one of the country's largest, on Thursdays. Salt pillars brought from the Téré, animal market with Tuareg, Fulani, and Bousou traders, best place in Niger to buy leather products : sandals, bags, pouffes, pouches.

Hotels:

Banks:
BIAO
SONI
BCEAO

Outdoor Cinema l'Etoile, rue du Marché

Restaurants:
Al Ali: African cuisine
Maquis Amoré: local and European cuisine
Scotch Bar: near the market
Snack Bar du Damergou

Agadez

Capital city of the Aïr, with well-preserved Sudanese-type architecture of brown clay and finely-chiseled and colored façades.

Hotels:

Restaurants:
Tafadak: couscous and regional specialties
Restaurant Chez Nous: riz sauce, Nigerien cuisine
Restaurant Islamique: salads
Vittorio's/Guido: ice cream
Le Pillier: Italian and Sahelian specialties

Supermarkets:
Ruetsch
MiniPrix

Tourist Office: north of the Grande Mosquée

Post Office: poste restante, M-F 8-12, 3-5

Bank of Africa: Grand Marché M-F 8-11:30, 3:30-5

Grande Mosquée: 27 meter-high minaret, classic example of medieval Sudanic architecture in mud and stakes, dating from 1515, rebuilt in 1844.
Sultan's Palace: banco structure, current residence of the traditional city ruler
Maison du Boulanger: decorated baker's house, old oven and tools still in place
Grand Marché or Marché Moderne: food, tools, fabrics, crafts
Vieux Marché: surrounded by banco houses in Sudanese and Hausa style with decorated façades
Camel Market: camels, donkeys, sheep goats, salt pillars, rope, water containers, and mats.

Fachi - old fort from French colonial period

Aïr Mountains - 400 km-long range, volcanic mountains, canyons, oases, cave drawings, frescos, dinosaur cemetery.
Oasis in the Air Mountains
Tarouadji: 54 miles east of Agadez, tin mines in mountain setting.
Guelemann: mountain lake.
Baguezans Mountains: 78 miles northeast of Agadez, camel excursions.
Timia: 132 miles northeast of Agadez, Tuareg village, oasis in a volcanic landscape, gardens, palms, banco houses. Crystal clear waterfalls, palms, plantations, orchards. Timia fort, Cascade de Timia (waterfall) on outskirts of town.

30 km north ruins of Assodé 1000 year old village, capital of the Turared before Agadez, thost town, grande mosquée

Teggidda n'Tessoum: 127 miles from Agadez, village constructed on a salt deposit. Villagers make cone-shaped hand-decorated salt cakes.
Iférouane: 160 miles north of Agadez, the 100-wells oasis
Bilma - fortified town,oasis, salt springs, orchards, clear water basin.
Djado plateau, pink Orida cliffs, ghost towns.
Assode - old capital city of Air, cluster of ruins, mosque
Adrard Bous - mountain, cave drawings and traces of the pre-historic era
Temet Dunes - 300 meters hight
Arakao - horseshoe canyon south of Temet
Kogo - Blue Mountains, Air National Nature Reserve. Ostriches, antelopes, sunsets, Tuareg culture.
Ténéré - large sand space bordered to the north with rock formations, to the south with a sea of sand for hundreds of km, oases, traces of prehistoric and Neolithic eras.

Traditional Festivals in Niger

• Hotungo : Nomads' annual celebration : October
• Cure Salée : cattle breeders' festival : September
• Guéréwol : Bororos' festival : September - a seven-day festival of two lineages of Wodaabe, takes place at the end of the rainy season. The most handsome men are chosen by the three most beautiful women. Dances include the guéréwol, from which the festival takes its name, the ruume, a circle dance with songs and clapping, and the yaake, where dancers try to outdo each other with facial expression. A dancer knows that he has succeeded when an old woman knocks her head against his chest.
• Bori : Dance of the Possessed
• Wassankara : Political comedy festival : April
• Sorko's Festival : water masters' festival : April
• Bianou : April
• Hawan Kaho : bullfight : November

Air Mountains and the Ténéré

Route de l'Air, Tafdek - spring for swimming and diving, curative properties
Agalak Range

Bororo Festival

Ténéré

Most beautiful desert in the Sahara.

Arbre du Ténéré: formerly the only tree growing in a region the size of France, knocked over in 1973 by a truckdriver, a sculpture now marks the spot.
Fachi - Toubou and kanouri village, grove of date palms, fortified palace built of salt blocks, salt mines to visit

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