Niger - West Africa - page 656

Niger
Haunting Desertscapes & Ancient Cities
Niger only seems to make the news for negative reasons: its recent coup, the Tuareg Rebel-
lion, a devastating famine. But visit this desert republic and you'll find a warm and gener-
ous Muslim population and superb tout-free travel through ancient caravan cities at the
edge of the Sahara.
To the north, the stark splendour of the Aïr Mountains hides Neolithic rock art and stun-
ning oasis towns. Within the expansive dunes of the Ténéré Desert you'll find dinosaur
graveyards and deserted medieval settlements. Head south and the ancient trans-Saharan
trade-route town of Agadez and the sultanate of Zinder are home to magnificent mazes of
mudbrick architecture. For nature lovers, there's the fantastically diverse Parc Regional du
W and herds of wild giraffes at Kouré.
The security situation meant that much of Niger was off limits to travellers at the time of
writing. Attacks against foreigners have occurred across the Sahel, and the threat of kid-
napping remains high.
Niger Top Sights
» Agadez Spiral up to the spiky summit of a majestic mud mosque for incredible views over
the Sahara and beyond
» Kouré Wander in wonder with West Africa's last wild herd of giraffes
» Zinder Explore the Birni Quartier and soak up the brutal history at the sultan's palace in
this fascinating Hausa city
» Parc Regional du W Come face to face with lions, crocodiles, monkeys and elephants in this
incredibly diverse national park
» Ténéré Desert Dive into the deep end with an expedition to this sublime section of the Saha-
ra
» Aïr Mountains Make tracks with camels through red sands and blue rocks in these mystical
mountains