NIGER

March 2008

There have been regular robberies, particularly in the Aïr, for years. The summer of 2007 saw more serious political unrest among the Tuareg in the Aïr and the route from Algeria is not without its risks between Arlit and Agadez. You may be expected to join an armed convoy.

Currency
CFA, around 640 to a euro (about 950 = £1) for large (€50) bills or 500 in Dirkou and around.

Price of fuel
Diesel 530 CFA/litre in Agadez or 350 in Dirkou for 200L

Costs
Expensive.

Useful languages
French, Hausa. Arabic is less useful than you think.

Visas
Needed by all except some EU countries. Consulates include Amsterdam, Bruxelles, Bonn and Tamanrasset (plus other West African cities). Brits applying in Europe need to do it in Holland not Paris (which does not issue visas for Brits). Easyjet to Amsterdam, 30 min train from Schipol airport to the Hague then 15 min walk to the embassy (which is actually just a room in an office block).

Border formalities
With a vehicle buy a laissez-passer (local vehicle carnet) and insurance (both cover the whole CFA zone). Flying Paris to Agadez with Le Point charters (for example) is no drama, but when the same plane returns to Paris expect delayed departures and very often not arriving at the same Paris airport you took off from.

Desert pistes
Niger's most alluring region is the Tenere Desert including the Aïr mountains and the Djado plateau on either side. Unfortunately since the first Tuareg rebellion of the early 1990s (and the current disruption since 2007), safe independent travel is still hit and miss in this region and has long required a guide and permits. costing from €50 a day in your car or at least three times that in his own car.

The route from El Gatrun to Madama on p.601 in the book was updated in 2005 but was closed by the Libyans in 2006.