This is the great wildlife country of West Africa, where three nations meet at a bend of the Niger river. The W park takes its name from the shape of the river's loops, and together with the Arly reserve in Burkina Faso and the Pendjari in Benin it forms the largest protected savannah area in the region. Elephants, buffalo, hippos and several kinds of antelope live here, and so do lions and a small, precious population of cheetahs. In the dry months from January to April animals gather at the remaining waterholes, which is when watching is best.
The landscape is open woodland, grassland and gallery forest along seasonal rivers, with baobabs standing like upturned trees and flat-topped acacias. Rock outcrops catch the evening sun, and the harmattan wind from the Sahara fills the air with a pale dust that turns sunsets red. Birds are plentiful, with hornbills, bee-eaters, kingfishers and, along the river, Egyptian plovers and herons.
I have to be plain about the riding. Roads into and between these parks are laterite tracks of variable quality, and the rainy season from June to October makes many of them impassable. More serious still is security, since the border zone around the W has been affected by armed groups over recent years, and several governments advise against travel there. The Pendjari side in Benin has also seen incidents. Anyone thinking of riding here should consult current official advice and local park authorities before making any plan, and be ready to accept that the answer may be no.
Park entry usually requires a fee and often an escort or guide, and camping or lodges are the only accommodation. Carry more water than you imagine and a spare tyre. In the heat of the day the animals rest, and so should you, with morning and evening for movement.