Cultural trip to Niger from 23 Sep. to 2 Oct. 2025 / From 3,900€ Discover the highlights of this cultural trip to Niger
► Gerewol Festival of the Wodaabe
During this cultural trip to Niger, we will have the opportunity to spend two days with the Woodabes as they celebrate the Gerewol Festival. Every year, the Woodabe nomads and their herds settle near the town of Abalak to perform the Gerewol. The main objective of the ceremony is for young people to find a partner. In this great meeting of Woodabes clans, alliances, links and dowries are also agreed upon. Other ethnic groups, such as the Tuareg, sedentary Fulani and Hausa, take advantage of the occasion to come to trade. The boys prepare for Gerewol with a careful makeup session. They use natural pigments in order to enhance the whiteness of your teeth and eyes. In addition, they wear the traditional cowry ornaments, colored fabrics and ostrich feathers. The young people dance with slow movements, accompanied by verses and grimaces. These young people consume natural stimulants that lead them into a state of trance. The Wodaabe's Gerewol Festival is definitely one of the most evocative traditional events in all of Africa. At all times, the local guide will take us to where the dances, ceremonies, meetings of the elderly, and songs are taking place. From his hand, we will learn the meaning of each of the actions that we will witness. Each one of us will find his space and place in this great tribal meeting. Let’s enjoy this unique culture of the African savanna. Living art in its purest form.
► We will admire beautiful examples of Sudano-Sahelian architecture
On this cultural trip to Niger, we will also walk through the streets of historic cities such as Agadez, Tahoua, Yaama and Dosso. There, we will find beautiful palaces and mosques of Sudano-Sahelian architecture. It is characterized by being made from adobe. Additionally, we will visit the historic Hausa village of Yaama. Walking through its streets, we will discover excellent examples of Sudano-Sahelian architecture. The most prominent building in the city is the main mosque, an Agha Khan award winner for Islamic architecture.
► We will meet different tribes of the Sahel
During the cultural trip to Niger, we will meet different ethnic groups from the Sahel and the Nigerien Desert, such as the Zerma, the Hausa and other Fulani groups. In Agadez, we will have the opportunity to chat with some Tuareg, the dominant ethnic group in this part of Niger. It is a Berber-speaking ethnic group that controlled regional trade until the beginning of the 20th century. The Tuareg are fighting to preserve their distinctive elements and gain influence in the Niamey parliament. Our local guide will help us get closer and understand its reality. In addition, we will visit the Agadez livestock market, where Tuareg, Fulani and Hausa meet here to trade and socialize.
► We will observe the last white giraffes in Kouré
We will end the cultural trip to Niger by taking a safari through Kouré to observe these beautiful ungulates. It is a sanctuary for the last 'white' giraffes of the African Sahel.
© Photos by Xavi de las Heras and Àngels Ferrer during a cultural trip to Niger.
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