Zinder Region · Niger
Zinder travel guide
Zinder is a city in Zinder Region, Niger, home to about 236,000 people.
- Best months
- January
- Nearest airport
- ZND3 km · Zinder Airport
- Currency
- XOFWest African CFA franc
- Time zone
- Africa/Niamey
- Language
- Hausa
About
About Zinder
Zinder (locally, Damagaram), formerly also spelled Sinder, is the third largest city in Niger, with a population of 235,605 as by the 2012 census. It is situated 861 km (535 mi) east of the capital Niamey and 240 km (150 mi) north of the Nigerian city of Kano.
Zinder was the capital of Niger until 1927, when it moved to Niamey. It remains the second largest city by population in the country.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Zinder
See
There's not much to see in the city, except maybe the 'Sultan's Palace', a pretty cool building. (Made out of mud brick, this Palace is not your typical palace of sorts.) The market looks pretty impressive for its sheer size alone. There is a small museum displaying some genuine articles which speak of an interesting past.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Zinder
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Zinder are January. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 41 °C; August is the wettest, with about 199 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Zinder: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Zinder Airport (ZND), about 2.5 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting around
Cabou-cabous (motorcycles; "taxi-motos", in French) are scary, but pretty much the only hired ride available to get around. There are maybe two taxi cabs, but you see them once in a blue moon. The cost of a cabou-cabou ranges anywhere from 150 francs for a short distance to 200 francs for longer ones. They don't have helmets, and don't worry about finding one.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
ZND · Zinder Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Zinder
Stay safe
Zinder is an incredibly laid-back town. It's not as scary as Niamey, and the most hassle you might get is from the people asking for money or gifts. That's not saying bad things don't happen, but they are incredibly rare. When walking about at night walk with a friend, stay under the street lights or in the well-lit areas.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Zinder: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Zinder?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Zinder are January. May is the warmest month, with average highs of 41 °C; August is the wettest, with about 199 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Zinder?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Zinder Airport (ZND), about 2.5 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Zinder?
West African CFA franc (XOF).
Nearby
Destinations near Zinder
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.