In 1965 through 1967 I served in the villages of Tapoa and Ayerou. My job was helping to establish hotel and tourism projects in these places. I am wondering if either hotel/campment project still exists.
Bill Timmons Niger IV
1965-67

By Rod Stubina (nomad) (gm.peacecorps.gov - 216.147.130.202) on Thursday, February 01, 2007 - 11:21 am: Edit Post

I was in Ayorou in 90 and 91, unfortunatly I was the last PCV there. I was pulled out in 1991 because of the Tuareg rebellion, and banditry. I served from 1990 to 1993.
The Hotel is still there. In 91 it was very nice. It had a pool. I hear it is still operating. But no volunteers live near there. I think it is owned by Sofitel.

By Tony Giglini (mail.secor.com - 65.249.41.17) on Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 12:43 pm: Edit Post

I was in Tapoa 98 and 99. The hotel was not operating at this point but had planned on renovation for future tourism. At this point, Peace Corps ran a guide book operation, museum, and gift shop, and was still participating in annual large mammal censusing. At this point, there was also much corruption with service agents in the village and improper use of Peace Corps profits from guide book sales. I have no idea if any volunteers were in Tapoa after myself. Parc W was an amazing place. I'd love to hear stories.

By Anonymous (family-l-s232h158.resnet.uga.edu - 128.192.232.158) on Monday, February 11, 2008 - 10:22 pm: Edit Post

Well it has now been a couple years since you posted that. I travelled several times to Tapoa to work with the park rangers there. The hotel is running and it is verrrry fancy, at least for Niger standards. The food is "eh." They renovated the hotel and there is air conditioning, hot showers, and a nice bar with cold drinks. It's like 40 mil a night ($80?). There is a good bit of tourism going on, though most of the tourists are development workers or business people who just go down there as a side trip. It isn't owned by Sofitel anymore. There is still a pool and it is very nice. A fellow volunteer was in Tapoa for a little while, and I was in a village down the river (Boumba) that had just started up an outpost for park ranger duties. Well hope you get this...I was there from 2005-07. They are talking about paving the road down there, and they are building a bridge over one of the seasonal rivers! Also there is a cellphone tower in Tapoa. Irkoy beri!

By Tony Giglini (76.232.206.57) on Sunday, February 15, 2009 - 12:51 am: Edit Post

Wow, now it has been almost exactly a year since you posted. I'm not sure I know your name, but anyway. I remember touring Boumba looking for PC extension villages. That was one I really liked because they had some agriculture and a great irrigation system at the time. So they are finally building a bridge over that damn seasonal river that kept me stuck in Tapoa for months at a time getting eaten alive by the Simile Flies. I remember the bridge collapsed when I was there and you would have to taxi from either side and pray you got there at the right time. I think I even road my fancy bike there which was like 50K or something crazy. That laterite road wasn't bad because you could see the lion tracks to be warned. Now what do you do with a paved road? No, thats good. Cell Phone tower! WOW! They had a little Telephone Cabine that was connected very rarely and I practically had to bribe the local operator to let me on it (Pele). Good to hear. If anyone gets this please try to email me. I love PC Niger and the stories. I'm on facebook now.