Bianou Festival- 7 Days

Approximate start date is July 3, 2025

Itinerary 8 Days

**Option to extend for 3 days. See below. 

Day 1: Arrival

Upon arrival transfer to your hotel in Niamey. Our team will meet you there for the briefing.

Day 2: Niamey – Tahoua

Depart Niamey this morning to Dogon Doutchi for the midday picnic, then Konni. We start with the Hausa villages with its earthen granaries, the sacred villages of yaama with its 33 earthen mosques that won the Agha Khan prize. Then Sirriah and Guidam ider - Moujia with to continue has Tahoua a superb day very rich which will allow us to finish in the hotel Tarka or Marianne for a bone shower.  Hotel in half board.

Day 3: Agadez (hotel Tenere or similar)

Early departure for Agadez via the Tabalak lake - then the city of Abalak, the refreshment point. This city is the beginning of the nomadic zone. it's not unusual to see a nomadic family’s transhumance. Our arrival in Agadez is scheduled for early afternoon. Hotel installation. meal B/L/D

Day 4-5: Agadez historic center-Bianou and his preparations

Today, your visits will be concentrated in the city, and you'll be able to see the preparations, then the big day, right up to the final stage.

Meeting between 2 groups of dancers in the old center of the city.

Bianou: The city is chaotic, women and children, men with the most beautiful traditional clothes, sometimes on foot, with horses or camels head to 7 km from the city to meet the dancers. The whole city is mobilized with songs and dances with drums. A long way to the Sultan's Palace where the two (2) groups compete with dance steps and big drums (tambari). The ceremony takes the path of the alleys of the ancient city throughout the morning and continues for 2 days in the city. The beauty of the show is so big that the various tribal leaders will share the traditional meals with the dancers and shouts of joy between men and women.

Meal: B/L/D.

Day 6: Agadez -Tahoua

Transfer to Tahoua, via the pond of Tablak and some nomadic Tuareg camps.Stopson the way for visits. Overnight at Tarka hotel in Tahoua half board Meal: B/L/D

Day 7: TAHOUA - NIAMEY

Transfer direct with special security, via Dosso-stop sultan palais of Germakaoye . ARRIVING IN NIAMEY WILL BE AROUND 4pm

Then in the evening a small walk between the antique market. end and return to the hotel.

End of tour. 

Included:

• Transfers listed in the itinerary
• Domestic flights round trip Niamey-Agadez-Niamey
• English-speaking guide
• Assistance and formalities
• Security
• Accommodation as listed
• Meals as listed
• Water

Excluded:

• Travel insurance
• Medical insurance
• International flights
• Personal items such as souvenirs, sunscreen, insect repellant etc
• Visas
• Covd test
• Tips

OPTIONAL EXTENSION:

Should you have a couple of days and wish to explore the traditional chiefdoms and Haossa Villages in Niger I will go ahead and leave the itinerary change below. 

Day 6: Rather than heading back to Niamey today as you would in the itinerary about, you will depart Agadez for Zinder today. This is about 405km by road. Upon arrival, you will transfer to the hotel for the night. Half board. 

Day 7: Today you will explore the historic city of Zinder and its sultanate - one of the oldest in the country with Hausa influence. Late this afternoon you will transfer to Maradi and your guesthouse for the evening. Half board.