niamey | Manolos on a Mission

We had planned driving from Gao, Mali to Niamey, Niger months ago My brother purchased his return ticket to the States from Niamey so we had a limited amount of time to make it there by Saturday, January 10th. For months, I researched the road extensively online through people’s blogs and in person, inquiring about its safety. What I found was that it is, physically, extremely safe. It had just been paved a year ago and the trip, without stops, should only take 4 hours. However, just weeks before we were to drive that road, a Canadian diplomat’s car was hijacked and he kidnapped by Tuareg rebels on the same road. In addition, there were heightened security alerts the embassy had been sending out since December regarding random grenade attacks in Gao. Needless to say, I was worried.

After a team meeting, it was decided we would take the road anyway (instead of going through Burkina Faso). From what we could decipher, tourists were not being targeted by Tuaregs…. rather it was military officials or diplomats that worked with Tuareg conflict resolution. We took our chances and fortunately, got to Niamey (the capital of Niger) unscathed, albeit it took us 8 hours instead of the estimated 4. Upon arrival, however, I thanked God for delivering us there safely.

Niamey was lovely. Although still West African in ambiance (hustle and bustle, hundreds of scents, poverty, etc), it was much more maneagable and calm. We saw several gorgeous sunsets on the banks of the Niger River and galloped with wild giraffes just an hour outside town. It was sad to see my brother go, as it symbolized the end of one journey, but my boyfriend and I still had a week ahead of us in Benin. A week that would result in one of the biggest surprises of my life!

Regarding safety on the Gao-Niamey road, it came to my attention this week, that four European tourists were kidnapped just a couple of weeks after we were there! Believe me, the news knocked the wind out of me. I would like to pay it forward and inform all those planning on traveling this road to take the Burkina Faso road instead. Although I found the road safe and the military personnel at the checkpoints very friendly, the stretches between villages were vast and long without seeing another car in sight. So be careful and if you can, go through Burkina instead.

Without further ado, some pictures of Niamey, Niger.