W National Park

W National Park, named for the distinctive double bend the Niger river makes as it flows through it, is one of the most important wildlife refuges in West Africa and a UNESCO World Heritage site, straddling the borders of Niger, Benin and Burkina Faso. Its vast landscape of savanna, wooded grassland and ribbons of gallery forest along the rivers shelters some of the region's last great herds of large mammals, including elephants, buffalo, hippos, antelope and lions, along with a wealth of birdlife. Remote and wild, it offers a rare chance to experience the classic West African savanna and its wildlife across an immense, unspoiled wilderness.

History

The W National Park of Niger was created by decree on 4 August 1954 and has been a World Heritage Site since 1996; with the adjoining parks of Benin and Burkina Faso it forms the W Transborder Park, supported until 2008 by the EU-funded ECOPAS project, and in Niger it belongs to a wider complex of reserves including the Dallol Bosso wetlands on the east bank of the Niger (Wikipedia, W National Park).

Highlights

• The elephants and buffalo - the great herds of the savanna.
• The lions - the region's rare surviving big cats.
• The gallery forests - the wooded ribbons along the rivers.
• The birdlife - the rich variety of savanna and river birds.

When to go

December to April, the dry season, is by far the best time, when wildlife gathers at shrinking water sources and the bush thins for easier viewing; the rains make tracks difficult and animals disperse. Early morning and late afternoon game drives are the most rewarding.

Good to know

W is a remote, wild park with modest facilities, so its wildlife is genuinely wild and sightings take patience and are never guaranteed, rewarding those who value untamed wilderness over easy game viewing. As a UNESCO World Heritage refuge sheltering West Africa's last great savanna herds across a vast unspoiled landscape, though, W National Park is a genuine treasure.

Nearby

The capital Niamey and the Niger river lie to the region's north.

Key facts