Day 1 - Niamey
Arrive in Niamey. Depending on when you arrive there may be time to explore the city. Overnight Grand Hotel du Niger or similar.
Day 2 - Agadez – Tiguidit
Transfer to the airport for the domestic flight to Agadez, the gateway to Niger’s Saharan regions. On arrival we meet our Tuareg team, then drive south east to the area of Tiguidit, where we camp for the night. Overnight camping. (BLD))
Day 3 - Gadoufaoua
Continue to the region of Gadoufaoua, home to some of the largest collections of dinosaur fossils in the world. A hundred million years ago this was a continental swamp and an ideal environment for dinosaurs, and today huge bones emerge from the windswept sands. Overnight camping. (BLD)
Day 4-5 - Termit – Gossom Lolom Bo - Fachi
Head towards Termit, passing the first dunes of the Grand Erg (sand sea) of Bilma. We reach the volcanic area of Gossom Lolom Bo, then head into the dunes, following an ancient caravan route once travelled by the famed Saharan explorer Heinrich Barth. After a challenging crossing we reach the oasis of Fachi, an important staging post for camel caravans, in the middle of the Tenere desert. Overnight camping. (BLD)
Days 6-7 - Adrar Madet – Arakao
Leave Fachi behind to start our crossing of the Erg du Tenere, one of the most remote parts of the Sahara. We cross dunes before reaching sandy plains that lead us to the cliffs of Adrar Madet, surrounded by the Erg du Brusset. A challenging drive takes us to the eastern flanks of the Takolokouzet massif, which is the northern backbone of the Air massif. Our destination is Arakao, a circular valley facing the Tenere with a single passage through, which the wind has shaped into a cordon of dunes more than 200 metres high. Overnight camping. (BLD)
Day 8 - Illakane – Adrar Chiriet
Cross the region of Illakane, characterized by marble outcrops, to reach the well at Faris at the foot of the Taghmert mountains, where we stop to replenish water supplies. Continue north to the Adrar Chiriet, a black granite island surrounded by sand, where we camp for the night. Overnight camping. (BLD))
Days 9-10 - Izouzadene – Temet
Head north past the Erg du Breard to the region of Izouzadene and the Blue Mountains, blue-white marble reliefs reminiscent of ash. From here continue to Temet, home to some of the highest dunes in the Sahaea, where the Tenere pushes the sands against the rocks of the Greboun Mountains, the highest mountains in Niger. Overnight camping. (BLD)
Day 11 - Iferouane
Head out of the sands of the Tenere and into the mountains. We drive to Iferouane, a small oasis inhabited by the Kel Ferwan Tuareg. Partly sedentary, they grow crops here shaded by the palm trees – a green island in the heart of the desert. We spend time meeting them and getting to learn about their customs and tradtions. Overnight camping. (BLD)
Day 12 - Timia
Cross the volcanic massif of the Air mountains from north to south to reach the village of Timia. Home to a different group of Tuareg, the Kel Owei, Timia is rich in fruits and vegetables, located along the edges of a large oued in the mountains. Overnight camping. (BLD)
Day 13 - Agadez
Skirting the massifs of Bilet and Guisset, home to nomadic Tuareg camps, we drive south east to the capital of the Air, reaching Agadez through a series of stony plains. Overnight Auberge D’Azel or similar. (BL)
Day 14 - Niamey
Fly back to Niamey. The rest of the day is free to explore, or relax and wash off the dust after an incredible desert adventure. Overnight Grand Hotel du Niger or similar. (BL)
Day 15 - Niamey
Explore Niamey, visiting the museum, the market and the River Niger, among other sites. In the evening transfer to the airport for your flight home. (BL)
Please note: This is a pioneering trip that will be run as a ‘recce tour’ and so you must be prepared for flexibility and changes to the itinerary if necessary. We most definitely do not recommend this trip if you like rigid plans, 4 star hotels, good roads and well defined ‘tourist sites’ – this is a very adventurous trip through a remote part of the continent, where infrastructure ranges from not great to non-existent, things change frequently and you can expect a certain amount of discomfort at times. However the rewards more than balance these out – the chance to travel through lands that rarely see western visitors, experience the truly authentic and go to places that few have gone before, in one of the most interesting corners of Africa.
What's included:
Airport transfers - We include arrival and departure transfers regardless of whether you book flights yourself, or we book them for you. If you're booking them yourself, then please let us know the details so that we can arrange the transfers. Please note though that if you arrive earlier than Day 1 of the tour, and leave after the final day, we may need to make an additional charge for an airport transfer.
Accommodation - Accommodation as listed in the dossier. The nature of the destinations that we operate may sometimes mean that we need to change hotels, but we'll always endeavour to keep the same standards. Please be aware that as we operate in many countries where tourism is in its infancy, hotel standards may not be the same as you're used to elsewhere.
Guides - You will be accompanied by an English speaking guide.
Meals - As listed within the itinerary / dossier (B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner). These will vary from trip to trip - in some areas it makes sense to include all meals while in others there is a good choice of restaurants and we feel people might like to 'do their own thing' now and again.
Entrance fees - Entrance fees are listed for those sites that we mention within the itinerary. If there are any other sites that you'd like to see, these would be at your own expense.
Not included:
- Visas
- Airport taxes
- International flights
- Travel Insurance
