 | Niger Transportation | Tips 1 - 10 of 13 |  |
Popular Transportation | Miscellaneous Transportation Tips | All Tips (13)  | |  |  | Bushtaxis / taxi brousse | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
These are very cheap and ideal for short distance travel and often the only option to reach places not covered by express buses.
They depart from the gare routiere, but you have to wait until they are full, very full. In extreme cases, as I experienced, this can take up to 24 hours and thus involves an overnight at the station.
Often the vehicle is in poor condition – whether it is a sixties Peugeot, a second hand Japanese minibus or an old Toyota Land Cruiser -, and so delays due to breakdowns are almost a rule.
For example, we left Zinder for Agadez (500 km.) in a car with no functioning brakes or lights and only two gear. It took us 28 hours, including a short night at the roadside in the sand.
Since the vehicles leaves in line, you don’t have a real choice of vehicle unless the unlikely possibility that you want to wait for the next one to fill up.
For a small present you could get a front seat, a place that locals often do not even want because of the accident risk. If you want to go really remote, it is wise to plan travel on market days.
You can read extensively about my experiences (somehow adventures to me) on this mode of travel under transportation tips on my:
* Zinder Page: Benin Border to Zinder
* Agadez Page: Zinder to Agadez Leave a Comment Theme: Other
|
 | |  |
I have not yet heard of any tourist using those trucks, but you can cross the Sahara desert on top of these overloaded trucks that run between Agadez and tows in Algeria or Libya, often via smugglers routes.
Journeys to Libya take up to 3 weeks and people die on these trips every year, so be prepared! Most passengers are from Coastal African countries who plan to work in Libya and sneak in Europe this way.
If you don’t travel on them, try to spot one, as they are really a must see! If you consider to join the club, as a tourist it would be very wise to have a valid visa, despite no African traveller has one (as there is no border post). Bring loads of water (some 25 litre cans) and food such as dried meat and cheese.
In Agadez bus terminal you will find several agencies dealing with this. Cost to Tripoli will be around EUR 80,--. For a bit more, some agencies also organise similar journeys by pick up truck. Leave a Comment Theme: Other
|
| | |
Absolutely the only convenient means of long distance public overland transport between the main destinations in Niger.
First of all, these buses are most time efficient as they do not stop often, and if they do so, only for a very short time. Moreover, departure times are more or less fixed.
Secondly, the buses are in good shape, so that breakdowns are rare. And finally they are more secure on more risky stretches of the route, since an armed soldier travels on the bus.
The biggest company is SNTV, but there are 1 or 2 others as well. As one can imagine, this is also quite expensive. For example Niamey-Agadez takes 12 hours and cost EUR 25/30 without/with airco. The SNTV express buses reach as far as Arlit (transit to Algeria), Nguigmi (transit to Chad), Cotonou (Benin) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).
You’ll need to plan a little as they don’t run daily and they could be fully booked.
I used express buses from Agadez to Niamey, and from Niamey to Ouagadougou. Leave a Comment Theme: Bus
|
Albeit slow at only 4 km./hr., a journey by camel is a superb way to get into local customs and enjoy the grandness of the surroundings in a relaxing way.
In Niger you won’t find tourist orientated camel trips in the way you find them in the deserts of Egypt, Morocco or India . Main reason is that the best parts of the Tenere Desert are very remote, so travellers usually charter a vehicle. However I met one guy who travelled to the salt mining oasis of Bilma by camel, which is 12 days/one way from Agadez!
But in my experience an excellent option to organise a camel journey, is in the Air Mountains. Here, the trails are often inaccessible to vehicles and so all traffic consists of camels.
Independent budget travellers can travel around by a combination of truck and camel, as I did. This is not sure option as the trucks are not scheduled but certainly possible. Start your enquiries in Agadez.
Check out my Timia Page (under transportation tips) Leave a Comment Theme: Other
|
| | |
The "taxi brousses", shared taxis, travel around in the most part of Niger. They are often Peugot cars ore minibuses, but sometimes small lorries too. One thing they have in common: They are always crowded! Leave a Comment Theme: Bus
|
 | 1 | 2 |  |
More Sponsored Links for Niger Hotel Rental
1-2 BR Suites/Apts at Residence Inn & Other Marriott Brands. Book Now. New and Used Cars Nigeria
Advertise your car for free on Nigeria's fast growing marketplace. Dollar Rent A Car
Book direct with Dollar and save! Always great rates. Book now. |
|
on May 20, 2004
on July 15, 2006
on September 2, 2002
on August 24, 2002
on August 24, 2002
