"Segou and the Niger River" a Segou Travel Page by atufft

On our way from Burkina Faso to Djenne, we stayed a day in Segou. We found this sleepy town a worthwhile stay due to the great views of the Niger river. The town has a seawall along it, so river access is easy without risk of getting flooded. At the time we visited the port was mainly being used for the distribution of sand, the ingredient required for concrete building construction, but mostly we watched the boats slowly ply the river.

A young man met us late at night when we arrived, and since he wasn't too pushy, we agreed to have him come again in the morning after breakfast. He led us to the port and we climbed into a leaky handmade boat which could ply the shallow waters. The Niger is quite wide, but very shallow at the time we visited.

Bozo and Fulani villages line the shore of the other side, and those there were delighted to greet us. Children played and adults showed us their homes and work.