Africa holds a special place in the travel lovers' bucket list. There are a lot of diverse countries by visiting which you obtain an unforgettable experience, and one of them is Niger. Niger is the landlocked western African country, surrounded by Algeria on the northwest, by Libya on the northeast, by Chad on the east, by Nigeria and Benin on the south, and by Burkina Faso and Mali on the west. The capital of Niger is Niamey. Travel to Niger cannot be planned without places to visit in Niamey Niger.
Have you ever heard about Niamey? Do you know that there are numerous Instagrammable places in this capital city? In this article, I will share with you interesting information about the places in this city worth visiting. But, before, let's talk a little, where is Niamey. Niamey is located in the southwest of the country, on the banks of the Niger River, in the Tilaberi region. Although this city lies basically on the left (south) bank of the river, it expanded onto the right bank since the construction of the Kennedy Bridge in 1970. This city is formed as an agricultural village of the Fulani, Maouri, and Zarma people. Its population is almost 2 million people, and most of them are young and looking for employment opportunities. When you travel to Niger, you will see that the capital of this country is popular with camel races and tribal festivals that take place quite often. Also, Niamey maintains many touristic places such as mosques, palaces, deserts, and grand markets where you can take most liked Instagram photos during your travel. After clarifying, where is Niamey let's move to a list of Instagrammable places to visit in Niamey Niger.
1. The National Museum of Niger
The National Museum of Niger can be at the top of the places to visit when you travel to Niger. It is known locally as Musee National du Niger. It is a good choice for those who want to learn about the history of Niger. As the Songhai Empire and other regional powers dominated there, we can see a unique combination of Arab and African traditions. There you can find a great selection of exhibition tucked inside Hausa-style-pavilions. The installations of the museum are laid out in the setting, and their unique construction is one of its greatest attractions. If you visit this museum, you will face modest but, at the same time, very authentic art untouched by outside influences. Inside there are loin-cloths, weapons, jewellery, and others which have been manufactured strictly by traditional techniques. Also, the museum has an aviary, where birds can live in their natural surroundings. Near the aviary, there is an aquarium with the examples of the most typical varieties of fish from the river Niger. At the end of the building, you can see colourful gardens. This place is always crowded with people listening to recordings of old Niger folksongs. Most buildings' colourful facade and doors are very Instagrammable, so you can take amazing photos for sharing with your friends.
2. The Grand Mosque
One of the places to visit in Niamey Niger is the Grand Mosque. The largest and most wonderful mosque in the city is built in the1970s. As said in the sources, this mosque is a gift to Niger from Qadafi, from Libya. This building has 171 steps from top to bottom. This creates a great opportunity to watch out the heart of the Niamey from its top. The Grand Mosque's building is so beautiful that even non-Muslim people visit this place. So, if you look for places to visit in Niamey Niger, you should include this dwelling to your list too.
3. The Niger River
Indeed, when we speak about Niamey's Instagrammable places, we cannot forget about the Niger River. It is called the lifeblood of the country. It is the third-longest river in Africa after the Nile and the Congo, and it is believed that the Greeks named the river. A sailing trip on traditional banks, looking out for swimming hippos, and living the marvellous sunset is only a small part of the activities that will make your travel memorable and help you to relax. Also, it can create incredible Instagrammable atmosphere for you to catch the beautiful shots.
4. La Plage
After the Niger River, we should mention other places where you can take the most liked Instagram photo. It is La Plage. As it is known, "plage" is the French word, and it means "beach". As Niger is a landlocked country, there are not many beaches in this country. But people of Niger, Nigeriens, make for themselves a unique beach on the banks of Niger River. And being there will produce a marvellous sunset atmosphere.
5. Cathedral de Maorey
Another option among the beautiful places to see in Niger is the Cathedral de Maorey. It is the biggest place of worship for the Christian population. It glorifies touches of local and European architecture. So, the Cathedral, with its amazing structure with beautiful design, can be the main element of your most liked Instagram photo from your travel to Niger.
6. Center Culturel Franco-Nigerien
One of the cultural centres in Niamey, Center Culturel Franco-Nigerien, can be a very appropriate choice for your trip direction in this city. It has an extensive library, a bar, and a cyber cafe. You can join the French and Nigerien language courses, musical acts, debates, films, plays. Also, numerous concerts and events take place in this centre, and they can make your travel more colourful. There you will not only catch some Instagrammable frames but also obtain new information; in other words, enhance your worldview.
7. Center Cultural Oumarou Ganda
Another cultural centre in Niamey is Center Cultural Oumarou Ganda, which can be included in your travel list. A huge library with many French-language books, magazines, and numerous spectator amphitheatres will be very interesting for you during your visit.
8. The Grand Market
The Grand Market is the next of the places to visit in Niamey Niger. It is the largest market and shopping centre in Niamey. This market is situated in the city centre. The whole structure was built on one level and now has the following facilities: 1863 small shops, 992 stalls, an administration building, a small post office, a dispensary, a polis station, and sanitary facilities. It takes one-half day to explore this place fully. It can be interesting to walk inside the building, and at the same time to take the most liked Instagram photos here.
9. The Radisson Blu Hotel Conference Center
You can add to your travel list the Radisson Blu Hotel Conference Center in Niamey, as a modern Instagrammable point of the city. The hotel is situated on the Boulevard de Republique, near the Palais de Congress, the Old Presidential Palace, and the foreign embassies. It is one of the safest areas in the city. On the other hand, if you stay in this hotel, its suitable location will ease your exploration of this African city. As a bonus, the hotel design and its service will surprise you as well.
10. Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Hel
During your travel to Niamey, you should include in your top of places to visit in Niamey Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. It is also called the Cathedral of Niamey. This place initially was a parish church, but then, in 1948, it got its current name of Perpetual Help. So, it can be attractive for religious people looking for places to visit in Niamey Niger.
11. Village de La Francophonie
Another example of Instagrammable places in this ancient city is Niamey's village de La Francophonie. It was built for the fifth game of the Francophonie back in 2005. Several artists and athletes from the surrounding of French-speaking nations gathered here because of an international sporting event. Consequently, the Francophone games left behind a network of villas and an amazing legacy of cultural wealth. If you are searching for Instagrammable places in Niamey, write the name of the Village de La Francophonie and believe you will not regret it. You will have a great, exciting time, obtain valuable experience and knowledge about the Niger culture, and just enjoy resting there.
12. Ferme Youyou
The last place in Niamey, which I would like to suggest to people visiting Niamey is Ferme Youyou. This place is a private educational and ecological farm located in the Lamorde. It is one of the best places of attraction, and its great atmosphere with outdoor space for fun and games is very suitable for tourists who visit with their family. There are a zoo, a children's playground, and a beautiful pond. The zoo will be very interesting for visitors as there are various animals such as crocodiles, a jackal, monkeys and so on. The farm can also be an unforgettable spot to visit with its variety of birds species with diverse colours and sizes. In the end, I would like to say that we can enlarge the list of Instagrammable places in Niamey with Cap Banga, which is located on a small island on the Niger River, The Village Artisanal, located in the national museum, and other beautiful places. You just have to plan to travel to Niamey Niger and explore this region to see all of its beauty by yourself.
