Niamey Tourist Places to Visit in Niamey, Niger, Western Africa, Africa

Niamey Tourist Places to Visit in Niamey, Niger, Western Africa, Africa

Niamey is the capital and largest city of the landlocked western African country, Niger. It is the commercial, administrative as well as the cultural centre of the country, holding population around 1,302,910 people (as of the 2011 census). Niamey is situated on the bank of the Niger River, covering a total area of 239.30 sq. km. Being the capital city, Niamey offers different attractions for tourists, including the Niger National Museum and Zoo, the Grand Mosque of Niamey and the Cathedral de Maorey.

The climate of Niamey is hot semi-arid, while Niamey experiences a short rainy season, from June to September, with an average annual rainfall of 550 millimeters.

History of Niamey:

Although Niamey was founded in the 18^th century, the city came to limelight in the 1890s with the initiation of the French colonial rule in Niger. The developments happened in the city promoted Niamey as the capital of Niger under the French rule. After the country’s independence (on 3 August 1960) also, Niamey has continued to serve as the capital.

Getting Niamey:

Niamey holds the prime airport of the country, Diori Hamani International Airport, located around 10 km southeast of the midpoint of the city. The airport operates international flights to Istanbul, Paris, Casablanca and Addis Ababa. The airport travel can be done by taxi or bush taxi or bus.

There are buses frequent between Niamey and other major cities of the country, including Maradi, Zinder, and Agadez.

Taxis are the convenient options to get around Niamey, costing 200CFA per person (shared taxi).

Culture, Shopping and Food in Niamey:

Other than the Niger National Museum, Niamey is also home to two other grand cultural centres, the Centre Culturel Oumarou Ganda and Centre Culturel Franco-Nigerien, with regular activities.

Grande Marche is the focal point of Niamey’s shopping and apart from this, the city also houses many independent modern shops all around.

Niamey houses numerous excellent food corners with incredible and unique dishes made with a mix of European and African styles for visitors.

What to do in Niamey?

Watching Music performances
Swimming at swimming pools in Niamey
Shopping

What to see in Niamey?

The Niger National Museum and Zoo:

The Niger National Museum and Zoo is the most famous tourist attraction in Niamey, situated in the French colonial complex built in 1959. The museum exhibit the country’s culture and history, while the zoo shows a wide range of wildlife, mostly sahelian animals. There are also traditional abodes, handicraft shops and a bar. Common entrance fee is 1000F.

Grande Mosquée:

The Grande Mosquée is a landmark structure, situated at Avenue de l’Islam. The mosque itself is imposing and also features a minaret that is very tall, can be climbed up through a guided tour. visitors should pay 1000F entrance fee.

Grande Marché:

Located in the heart of the city, the Grande Marché is the commercial centre of Niger, holding the title of the largest market of the country. The market is wide, housing around 5000 different stalls, which takes around a half day to explore.

Centre Culturel Franco-Nigerien:

The Centre Culturel Franco-Nigerien is a place blended the culture of France and Niger with the exhibitions of musical acts, debates and plays. The centre also features a cybercafé, a bar and most importantly, a large library.

Cathedral de Maorey:

The Cathedral de Maorey is large and famous cathedral, reserved to the small Christian population in the city. It is great to see the unified French and Nigerian architecture and décor in the interior and exterior designs of the cathedral.

Other tourist attractions in Niamey:

Centre Culturel Oumarou Ganda
Palace of Sultan
W National Park
Aïr and Ténéré National Nature Reserve
Mosque of Agadez
Aïr Mountains

When to travel Niamey?

From October to April is the best time to visit Niamey, when the weather remains dry.

Where can stay in Niamey?

Hotels are limited in Niamey, around 20, but services are memorable as hotel employees show great warmth towards visitors with a wide range of facilities. Some modern and tourist favor hotels in Niamey are listed below: