Say

Say sits on the right bank of the Niger southwest of Niamey and was founded in the early nineteenth century by a Fulani scholar, growing into one of the more important centres of Islamic learning in the western Sudan with a tradition of teaching that continues. The Grand Mosque stands above the river and the town keeps a quieter character than the capital an hour downstream. Its founder, Alfa Mohamed Diobo, came from further west and the settlement grew around his teaching circle rather than around trade or a chieftaincy.

What you actually see

• The Grand Mosque - the main building standing above the river.
• The scholarly tradition - a centre of Islamic learning since the 1800s.
• The river bank - the Niger running past the town.
• The founding - a settlement established by a Fulani scholar.

When to go

November to February is the cool dry season. The river is highest around January and February. The rains fall June to September.

Honest expectations

There is little arranged for visitors and the town is workaday. Mosque access for non-Muslims is not generally given. Facilities are minimal.

Nearby

Niamey is northeast, and W National Park is south.