Disclaimer: this itinerary is tentative. Due to the adventurous nature of this Expedition we can't guarantee a fixed route. When navigating these off the beaten path regions safety will be our number one priority and so, it may suffer changes.

Day 1: Arrival in Niamey. Airport pick-up and shuttle to our hotel to rest and prepare for our long overland journey.

Day 2: Niamey to Birnin Konni: Early morning start on our journey to Birnin Konni. Our first stop will be Kouré, a protected area in the Sahel where the last herds of West African giraffes live, an endemic subspecies found in western Africa. You will go on a safari in the Kouré Wildlife Reserve to observe these magnificent animals adapted to the scarce rainfall and pasture. After the safari, you will continue to Dosso, an ancient Zarma sultanate (a local ethnicity from southern Niger) to explore the beautifully decorated Hausa work where the city's royal family still resides. Overnight in Birnin Konni.

Day 2: Birnin Konni. Birnin Konni is a border city with Nigeria which is Niger's main trade partner. In this city, groups of herders from the interior come looking for new pastures and the waters of the dam built during colonial times. The city is characterized by the large number of children and the commercial atmosphere that permeates all the streets in the center. You will visit the market, the neighborhoods with their beautiful large adobe barns, and the dam area for its interesting agro-industrial environment.

Day 3: Birnin Konni to Yaama. After breakfast, we will journey to the heart of the untouched Niger. The Yaama region was barely impacted by the French colonization that lasted until 1960. Its isolation has allowed traditional architecture to thrive, and the population remains largely self-sufficient. Yaama is notable for the kindness of its people and the beautiful mosque built 100% with traditional methods despite being constructed in 1962. The building is so unique and special that it was awarded the Aga Khan Islamic Architecture Prize in 1986. We will discover rural and more traditional Niger and spend the night in this stunning and remote kingdom. Overnight in tents, camping under the starry sky.

Day 4: Yaama to Tahoua. We'll wake up at sunrise, prepare a hearty breakfast and continue to Tahoua, the regional capital and a meeting point for the nomadic ethnic groups of Niger, including the proud Tuaregs and the flamboyant Woodabes who are famous for their flirting rituals. Tahoua is also an important commercial center between the Sahara Desert and the more fertile plains of southern Niger. We'll explore the alleyways of the old center of Tahoua to reach the Sultan's palace. If permitted, you will visit the palace's fabulous interior decorated with Hausa motifs and full of relics from its glorious past as a caravan city.