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Niger – is most of all defined by the Tenere. The desert stretches across more than half of the country. In the tongue of the Tuareg it translates into “nothingness” or “empty land.” And there is a reason for it. In the Tenere desert one finds no tree, no drip of water, no blade of grass – simply nothing. It is just flat and hot. The Tenere is crossed by a small mountain range, the mountains Air. Agadez, the capitol of the province, is located in the southern foothills. It is surrounded by green valleys and hot springs. Agadez is one of the oldest towns in Niger.
For centuries this center of several caravan routes has been a trading place. A famous sight is the loam mosque from the 15th century. Its minaret is 27 meters high and the highest in the world. Minaret, mosque and the adjacent sultan palace form today’s center of the town. The sultan von Agadez lives in the palace. The man is the chief of all Tuareg tribes and his word weights heavier than the word of the head of government. Right across from the mosque begin the old quarters of Agadez.
It is especially exciting to visit the market in the early morning hours. One should definitely not miss to visit one of the many silversmiths. Most famous jewel is the “Cross of Agadez.” If you are visiting Agadez in November you’ll meet the salt caravans from Bilma. Salt is gained when salty ground water evaporates in large basins. The salt is mixed with soil and formed into certain shapes and loaded on camels. During fall hundreds of them move across the Tenere to their destination, the salt market in Agadez. Niamey, Niger’s capitol at the northern bank of the river Niger, is another trading center of the country. The river is an important way of transportation. Along it’s banks one still finds French colonial houses, otherwise modern buildings and a quarter of traditional loam houses dominate the skyline of the city.
Niamey’s open air museum is considered one of the best in West Africa. Here one is introduced to traditional crafts and ways of living of the different tribes and one might also marvel at the famous tree of the Tenere. The market in Niamey is certainly worth a visit, like every market in African towns.
One should not try to cross the desert by oneself if one does not know how to read a map without difficulty and does not know how to use GPS. In Niger’s north a guide is mandatory. One has to book a guide with an agency, which can already be done from back home. Police patrols the mountains Air and the plateau Djado in order to make the area secure for tourists.
Culinary delicacies in Niger are domestic fish, meat and vegetable in all variations. Food might be prepared in a European, Asian or African style.
Some geography:
Niger stretches across an area of 1.3 million square kilometers, two thirds of it are desert. The country has about 10 million inhabitants. 1.5 million of them are nomads. Haussa, Djerma, Tuareg, Peul and Kanouri are the largest ethnic groups. Official language is French, further Haussa, Djerma and Tamashek (Tuareg) are also spoken. Most of the inhabitants are Sunnite Moslems. The national holiday is celebrated on December 18th. On that day in 1958 the Republic Niger was proclaimed.
Black & white:
Especially in Niger’s north the danger of violent muggings is potent. Time and again there is information about planned kidnappings of foreign tourists. Therefore one should heed the demands of the authorities to take along a local guide who knows his way around. In the Djado Mountains in the country’s northeast there is still a danger of mines.
The routes Djanet – Chirfa and Iferouane – Azawa between Alger and Niger as well as the route Salvador – Dirkou between Libya and Niger can only be traveled with a special permission of the tourism ministry. |
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