Haut Niger National Park

Haut Niger covers a large block of Sudanian savanna and gallery forest along the upper Niger in central Guinea, protected as a biosphere reserve and holding chimpanzee, buffalo, hippo, roan antelope and a long bird list. The Mafou core area carries the densest forest. Infrastructure is minimal and access is by rough track with guides, which is true of protected areas across the country. Its protected core area, gazetted in 1997, covers 554 square kilometres, and since 2002 the park has been part of UNESCO's network of biosphere reserves.

History

The park was gazetted in January 1997 with a core area of 554 km2 around the Mafou Forest, the last remaining dry forest in Guinea and one of the few left in West Africa. The area has few people because of widespread river blindness and the devastation caused by Samory Touré in the late 19th century, and it has been little disturbed in the last 50 years (Wikipedia, National Park of Upper Niger).

The landscape

• The gallery forest - the wooded strips along the river through the savanna.
• The chimpanzees - the population in the Mafou core area.
• The upper Niger - the river the whole park is built along.
• The savanna - Sudanian woodland across most of the reserve.

When to go

November to April is the dry season and the practical window. Wildlife concentrates near water late in the dry season. The rains make tracks impassable.

Things to know

Infrastructure is minimal to nonexistent and everything must be arranged in advance. Wildlife is scarce and sightings are unlikely. Poaching pressure in the park is significant.

Nearby

Faranah is nearby, and the Niger source is southwest.

Key facts