The Cure Salée festival is the great annual gathering of Niger's nomadic herders. Every year, at the end of the rainy season, Tuareg and Wodaabe Fulani herders drive their animals to the salt lands of Ingall, in the Agadez region. The official festival lasts three days: the 59th edition took place from October 2 to 4, 2026.
Watch out
France Diplomatie (the French foreign ministry's travel advice) strongly advises against all travel to Niger, for any reason. Since August 29, 2026, there has been fighting in Niamey, especially around the airport. The French embassy is closed, and the kidnapping risk for Westerners is high. This page describes the festival; it does not recommend going.
Origins and meaning of the Cure Salée festival
In Tamasheq, the language of the Tuareg, the festival is called Tinekert. It grew out of a seasonal migration. After the rains, herders lead their camels, cattle, sheep and goats to the Ighazer plain around Ingall, where the pastures are rich in minerals and the water is salty.
That need gave the festival its name, which means “salt cure.” According to the RESAD network, the animals need mineral salts to supplement the fresh grass. The herds converge on three salt springs: Tegidda n'Tessoumt, Tegidda n'Adrar and Tegidda n'Tagait. For some herders, the journey covers 300 to 400 km and takes two to three months.
The gathering has always been a place of exchange. Livestock is sold, disputes are settled and weddings are celebrated. According to RESAD, the Nigerien state has taken an interest in it since 1976, and according to the Niger Press Agency it has organized it officially since the 1970s. Security crises have sometimes interrupted it: no official Cure Salée was held during the Tuareg rebellion from 1990 to 1995.
Today the state uses it as a forum for dialogue between herders and farmers. The official themes say as much: in 2025, “strengthening social cohesion between herders and agro-pastoralists,” and in 2026, “preserving natural resources and promoting cultural heritage.”
No failure will be tolerated; the well-being of our herds is the key to our collective survival.
What you see at the Cure Salée
According to reports from the Niger Press Agency and Nigerdiaspora, the festival blends tradition with official ceremony:
- displays by camel and donkey riders at the opening;
- the sound of the tendé, the Tuareg drum, which rings out in front of the official stand and all the way to the camps;
- camel races;
- performances by cultural troupes from several regions;
- a crafts fair, including the Ingall cross, and livestock products;
- services for herders: human and animal health care, civil registration.
The Wodaabe Guérewol
The most famous moment is the Guérewol, the Wodaabe beauty festival. Young men paint their faces, usually red or yellow, with white and black patterns. They sing and dance in a line, shoulder to shoulder. The judges are mainly women. Very white eyes and teeth are among the marks of beauty, according to Ingall-Niger.org. The Guérewol can lead to marriages.
Dates and location
The Cure Salée takes place in Ingall, in the Agadez region of northern Niger. The authorities set the date each year. It long fell in the second half of September; the last two editions were held in early October.
| Edition | Dates | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | October 4 to 6 | “Strengthening social cohesion between herders and agro-pastoralists: an essential lever for lasting development and peace” |
| 59th (2026) | October 2 to 4 | “Preserving natural resources and promoting cultural heritage” |
In 2026, a letter from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock first announced the festival for September 25 to 27. The Agadez regional authorities then gave the dates as October 2 to 4, and Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine opened the 59th edition on Friday, October 2. The 2027 dates were not known as of mid-October 2026.
Our advice
The dates change from year to year, sometimes only a few weeks before the event. Follow the announcements of the Niger Press Agency (anp.ne) rather than online calendars.
Should you go?
No, not in the current situation. All of Niger is red on the France Diplomatie map. The risk of attacks and kidnapping is considered high, especially near the borders with Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Nigeria and Chad. The Ingall department borders the Kidal region of Mali and Algeria. A large public gathering is exactly the kind of place to avoid. Some French travelers have also been refused entry on arrival. Check your own government's travel advice as well.
For the record, the formalities remain demanding. When a visa is required, you must get it from a Niger embassy before you leave: no visas are issued at the airport. Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory. All the details are on our page on entry requirements for Niger.
For background, see our Niger guide and the calendar of festivals in Niger.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called the Cure Salée?
Because the herds come to take their salt “cure.” After the rainy season, the animals find pastures and water around Ingall that are rich in mineral salts, which supplement the fresh grass.
What is the difference between the Cure Salée and the Guérewol?
The Cure Salée is the gathering of all the nomadic herders in Ingall: Tuareg, Wodaabe and others. The Guérewol is the beauty festival of the Wodaabe Fulani, which takes place during the Cure Salée, among other occasions.
When is the Cure Salée festival?
At the end of the rainy season, over three official days. It took place from October 4 to 6 in 2025 and from October 2 to 4 in 2026. The 2027 dates have not yet been announced.
