Gerewol of Niger vs Gerewol of Chad

Gerewol of Niger vs Gerewol of Chad

In recent years, the Gerewol ceremonies in Niger and Chad have become increasingly popular events in Africa, the number of travellers interested in attending the Wodaabe nomadic beauty contest is increasing. Many travellers ask us about the differences between the Gerewol of Niger and the Gerewol of Chad, and that is what we are going to tell you in this article.

As an enthusiast of the nomadic cultures of the Sahel and after many years of travelling with the different Fulani groups in Africa, in this article I give you my honest opinion on these two events that have attracted so much attention in recent years. Both the Niger and Chad Gerewol are fascinating and very different, each with its pluses and minuses.

Strengths of the Gerewol of Niger

1. In Niger the cultural traditions of the nomads Wodaabe are much more deeply rooted, older, more elaborate and the different aspects of the rituals of dances and celebrations are more complex. In Niger the Wodaabe culture is superior, in my opinion.
2. Participants’ costumes are more spectacular than in Chad
3. There are usually more participants in the dances than in Chad (not in 2024).
4. Giant nomadic camps with hundreds of people.
5. As in Chad, there are different Gerewol throughout the year, some organised by the government of Niger, some organised for foreigners to visit, and others for their own celebrations such as weddings, births or any other festive or important event.
6. Niger has better infrastructure than Chad, and is easy to combine with other visits to the country.

The least attractive things about Gerewol of Niger

1. Tourist overcrowding. You will share the Gerewol in Niger with other travel agencies and perhaps a hundred international travellers. There may be unpleasant or surreal scenes or situations when taking pictures or socialising.
2. Very large military escort. In Niger you will travel at all times with a large police escort who will not leave our side.
3. Political situation in Niger very unstable and security fragile. Everything can change very quickly in the country.
4. Higher travel costs. The price of compulsory military escorts increases costs significantly.

Travel to the Gerewol of Niger and what else?

What amazes me most about Niger, apart from the nomadic Wodaabe cultures and the Tuareg culture, with its impressive Bianou ceremony, is the spectacular architecture.

Don’t miss towns like Agadez and the town of Yaama with its countless mud-brick mosques. Don’t miss our next trip to Niger by clicking here.

Strengths of Chad Gerewol

1. In the Chad Gerewol, two clans are usually involved, which are aesthetically distinct. The Ndjapto from Chad are very attractive because of their facial tattoos.
2. Small groups of travellers. There are many dispersed families and clans of Wodaabe nomads in Chad, and each tour operator reaches an agreement with the clan chiefs to arrange their own dates. In other words, there is no sharing of travel with other agencies.
3. Living with the nomadic Wodaabe. In Chad the experience is equally divided between the Gerewol and the immersion in the culture with the Wodaabe. It is undoubtedly a more intimate experience, without excess travellers or government people (authorities, police, etc.).
4. The logistics are easier, we travel unescorted and the prices are more moderate. As we are private groups, we are more agile in all respects. In Chad, there is no need for a military escort, which reduces costs considerably.
5. More predictable visas.
6. Security in Chad is much better than in Niger today.

The least attractive thing about Chad’s Gerewol

1. The number of participants in the Gerewol is unpredictable. Clan disputes, adverse ground conditions such as in 2024 (floods) can cause the number of participants to vary greatly.
2. Too popular. Chad’s Gerewol is becoming a very popular event internationally. Different agencies (like this one) and some influencers have made it fashionable in the last few years, and the demand is starting to be more than the Wodaabe nomads themselves can resist. Many, many new agencies are joining every year to organise Gerewol. Private Gerewol requests for two people, moving a clan to do a Gerewol next to the city so that travellers ‘don’t waste time’… these are absurd eccentricities that have been happening lately.
3. The traditional Wodaabe and therefore Gerewol culture is not as deeply rooted as in Niger.
4. Depending on the year and the rains, getting to the nomadic camps can be a total ordeal with impassable roads.

Travelling to Chad’s Gerewol, and what else?

Chad’s tourism potential is countless. The star is undoubtedly the geological fantasy of the Ennedi. Also the remote Tibesti, Lake Chad and its nomadic cultures and the Zakouma National Park.

Don’t miss our next trip to Chad’s Gerewol by clicking here.

The rare Lake Chad Gerewol and more…

At the beginning of 2025 and after seven years of travelling in Chad, we continue to discover and be amazed by this vast country. In a new visit to the Lake Chad region we managed to locate a large nomadic Yayai camp where we were able to witness two spectacular and multitudinous different dances.

Gimul and Gero of the Yayai nomads. Celebration, dance, beauty and courtship.

In this powerful celebration we witness two tremendously energetic dances, one the Gero (with many similarities to Chad’s Gerewol) and the frenetic Gimul where men and women mix.

Even more attractive than the decoration of the men is the imposing visual strength of the women with their traditional hairstyles and scarifications. The presence of women is much more numerous than in the other classical Gerewol of Niger and Chad.

This interesting and rare ‘Gerewol’ of the Yayai nomads of Lake Chad is combined with the Gerewol of the Wodaabe. Two different experiences in one trip. For more details click here.