A landlocked country in the Sahel, Mali remains one of the poorest countries in the world, but it has wonderful musicians and some incredible sights, including four UNESCO World Heritage sites and the historic city of Timbuktu.
Just under half the population is less than 15 years old. The great majority of Malians are Muslim, some also practice indigenous beliefs, and a tiny number are Christian. Around 10% of the population is nomadic. Most Malians work in agriculture and fishing.
Visa. Visas are not required for several African countries. For all other countries, a visa must be obtained before arrival to enter Mali. An invitation is required (copy of hotel reservations or company letter explaining purpose of trip) to obtain the visa. At the Mali Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, a 30-day visa cost CFA25,000 (2018).
Capital: Bamako
Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)
Population: 18.5 million
Country Code +223
Language. French is the official language, but Bambara along with numerous other African languages (Peulh/Fula, Dogon, and Tamashek, the language of the Tuareg people), are spoken by 80% of the population. Few people speak French outside bigger towns. Very few people speak English.
IDEALIZED ITINERARY. This replicates the itinerary of the Nomad Mania group of 2018. Day 1 they saw by plane: Timbuktu to Gao to Mopti. From Mopti, the rest was by land, visiting the Dogon villages, then Djenne with its famous mosque and then driving back to Bamako via Segou.
Day 1. Arrive Bamako. Settle into hotel getting ready for early flight in morning.
Day 2. Fly from Bamako to Timbuktu to Gao to Mopti.
Flight 1. Depart 7am, 2 hours to Timbuktu. Takes about 2 hours to see all that there is left as it is a minimally developed place: the old town, Djinguereber Mosque
Sankore Mosque, the calligraphy workshops as well as the famous library of manuscripts.
Flight 2. An hour flight to the eastern city of Gao, the third largest in the country. Four mines in the area make it an important logistical centre. The group was met by a contingent of the local police who followed them in their vehicles.
Tomb of Askia, a World Heritage Site (the tomb of Askia in Gao has also reportedly been destroyed by terrorists), Market, Gao Mosque.
Flight 3. Mopti, more ‘familiar’ territory where tourists do go even today
Day 3. Mopti, Djenne
Dogon Country. Mopti.
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) World Heritage Site
La Mosquée de Komoguel (19/03/2009)
MOPTI
The city across three islands in the middle of the Niger. (overnight in Bandiagara, the capital’ of Dogon). See the confluence of the rivers, mosque.
Farafina Tigne African Bead Museum
Great Mosque
Sirimou Mosque
Sangha with its fascinating cliffs
Songo, with its rock art.
DJENNE. Drive and arrive around 4 pm. Tourists can go inside the mosque. See the local library where manuscripts are also collected.
Day 4. Segou
Long drive to Segou. Hour cruise down the Niger river to Old Segou, lunch onboard. In Segou, see Bitòn Coulibaly Museum, Segou-Koro Palace (meet the local chief), Segou Grand Mosque
Return to Bamako by 4pm.
Day 5. Bamako. In city see National Museum of Mali, Eyoub Mosque, Grand Mosque, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bamako Zoo, Bamako Artisan Market, Monument de l’Indépendance, Peace Monument
TOUR
1. Tour: alinialy@yahoo.fr. English is impeccable.
SEE
BAMAKO (pop 1,810,400 2006)
The booming capital and largest city of Mali, fastest growing city in Africa, with a good claim to be the music capital of West Africa. It is located on the Niger River, near the rapids that divide the upper and middle Niger valleys in the southwestern part of the country. The floodplain hampers development along the riverfront and the Niger’s tributaries. Bamako is relatively flat, except to the immediate north where an escarpment is found, being what remains of an extinct volcano. The Presidential Palace and main hospital are located here.
Bamako is the nation’s administrative centre. Bamako’s river port is located in nearby Koulikoro, along with a major regional trade and conference center. Locally manufactured goods include textiles, processed meat, and metal goods. Commercial fishing occurs on the Niger River.
Originally, the city developed on the northern side of the river, but as it grew, bridges were developed to connect the north with the south.
Climate. Tropical savanna climate with the hottest months being between March and May. The mildest months are November to February. During the dry season, rainfall is scarce: virtually none falls between November and April due to the dominance of the Saharan anticyclone and the dry trade winds. The rainy season occurs in the summer with the peak occurring with a few storms beginning in May, then transitioning to the monsoon between June and October.
The traditional commercial center of Bamako was located to the north of the river and is highly congested, polluted, and expensive. A modern central business district is rapidly developing immediately west of the downtown area
BCEAO Tower. 20 stories, the tallest building. Malian headquarters of the Central Bank of West African States. Modeled on the Sudano-Sahelian architecture of the famous mosques of Djenne and Timbuktu.
The National Museum of Mali is an archeological and anthropological museum, presenting permanent and temporary exhibits on the prehistory of Mali, as well as the musical instruments, dress, and ritual objects associated with Mali’s various ethnic groups. Muso Kunda Museum, the Bamako Regional Museum, Bamako Zoo, the Bamako Botanical Gardens, the National Conference Center Tower (NCC), the Souvenir Pyramid, the Independence Monument, Al Quoods Monument, the triangular Monument de la paix, the Hamdallaye obelisk, the Modibo Keita Memorial and many other monuments, the Palais de la Culture Amadou Hampaté Ba
Point G hill, containing caves with rock paintings.
Music. A music boom in Bamako took off in the 1990s. It is common to see musicians in the streets with djembes and percussion bands playing traditional Bamana rhythms.
By boat. Navigating the river is possible from Koulikoro to Mopti and Gao. The bush taxi is one of the main modes of transport.
Bamako is situated on both sides of the Niger River and two bridges connect the two banks: the Bridge of Martyrs completed in 1960 and renamed in memory of protesters killed in March 1991 by the regime of Moussa Traoré, and the King Fahd Bridge, named after the Saudi Arabian donor. A third bridge project is currently being funded by the People’s Republic of China. Located in Sotuba area, it has the objective to decongest traffic in the city.
National Museum of Mali
Eyoub Mosque
Grand Mosque
Sacred Heart Cathedral
Bamako Zoo
Bamako Artisan Market
Monument de l’Indépendance
Peace Monument
Tentative WHS
Cathédrale de Bamako
La Boucle du Baoulé (08/09/1999)
La Cité Historique de Hamdallahi (19/03/2009)
La Réserve de biodiversité du Parc du Bafing Makana (07/09/2016)
Le Fort de Médine (19/03/2009) XL
Le Réservoir naturel du Lac Magui (07/09/2016)
XL: Gogui (northern Kayes province border)
Fula villages by the Niger River
Dakar-Niger Railway
World of Nature
Bafing
Boucle du Baoulé
Kouroufing
Wongo
Gouina Falls
TIMBUKTU (Tombouctou). The legendary Saharan city of gold, trans-Saharan trade, and Islamic scholarship is nowadays a (fairly commercialized) centre of Tuareg culture. The name isn’t the only reason to visit; the town itself is a unique Tuareg desert trading center.
Tragically, the famous shrines of Timbuktu and the Muhave have been largely destroyed by a radical Islamist group during their occupation of Timbuktu. The first round of destruction was carried out around June-July 2012 article and shortly after plans for the AU intervention were approved, they vowed to destroy every remaining mausoleum, shrine, & “blasphemous” (in their view) icon.
Djinguereber Mosque
Sankore Mosque
Tentative WHS: La Réserve de la Biodiversité des éléphants du Gourma
GAO
Tomb of Askia. World Heritage Sites. The tomb of Askia in Gao has also reportedly been destroyed.
Gao Mosque
ESSOUK Tentative WHS: (08/09/1999) is a commune and small village in the Kidal Region of Mali – 45 km northwest of Kidal. The commune is very large in area but sparsely populated. The 2009 census recorded only 2,383 people in an area of approximately 25,000 km2. The village of Essouk has only a small permanent population. The rainfall is too low for rain-fed agriculture and almost all the population in the area are nomadic pastoralists.
The ruins of the medieval town of Tadmakka lie 2 km northeast of the present village. Between the 9th and the 15th centuries Tadmekka served as an important entrepôt for the trans-Saharan trade. For caravans travelling south, the town served as the last stopping place before entering the Sudan. It is sometimes referred to as the “cradle of Tuareg civilization”. The annual Saharan Nights festival showcases traditional Tuareg music.
Rock faces on either side of the valley contain petroglyphs as well as inscriptions written using either the kufic or tifinagh scripts. Some of the Arabic inscriptions include 11th century dates and others more than eight thousand years old.
MOPTI and DOGON COUNTRY
Mopti is the gateway to Dogon Country. Most of Mali’s travel riches are concentrated in this region: unique rock formations at Hombori, the architecture of Djenné, and the unbelievable escarpment villages of Dogon Country
Dogon Country —a trek through this landscape of scattered cliff-side villages is not to be missed by any Mali visitor. The famous Bandiagara Escarpment is a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)
Old Towns of Djenné
Tentative WHS
La Mosquée de Komoguel (19/03/2009)
Le Bassin du fleuve Niger (du seuil de Markala au lac Débo)
Great Mosque of Niono
MOPTI
The city across three islands in the middle of the Niger.
Farafina Tigne African Bead Museum
Great Mosque
Sirimou Mosque
DJENNÉ
Once a religious and commercial centre to rival Timbuktu, this small town of multi-storey mud buildings is quite a sight. It has declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Seeing Djenné from a rooftop offers an intriguing and unusual landscape, with its soft texture, rounded lines and melancholic colouring. It also features the largest mosque in the world made completely out of mud, which is restored every year by the community after the rainy season.
Old Towns of Djenné. World Heritage Site:
The Great Mosque The Great Mosque is made completely of mud, was made in 1906, and it has five stories and three towers. Every spring the people replaster the Mosque. Regrettably, entrance to non-Muslims was not allowed (apparently this prohibition is a consequence of a fashion photo-shoot more than 10 years ago, which was regarded by the locals as “pornographic”), but a group in 2018 were able to enter.
Adrar des Ifoghas — a sandstone plateau in the Sahara home to rock paintings, salt mines operated for centuries, and a surprising array of wildlife.
Niger Inland Delta where the Niger splits into many rivers across a broad floodplain, which forms a giant lake on the edge of the desert during the rainy season.
STAY SAFE
Mali is politically unstable and therefore lawlessness is wide spread. In June 2012, Mali was hit by a political crisis and a civil war, which temporarily split the country into two parts: the north being named as “Azawad” and being controlled by a group of Islamist rebels, whilst the south experienced a military junta. Travelling in Timbuktu and Gao provinces is particularly extremely dangerous, and as of July 2012, the Islamist rebel groups have ordered all shrines which are considered to involve idolatry to be destroyed.
You also have a good chance of encountering the police. They are generally mostly concerned with directing traffic and fining people for improper papers, so you have little to fear from them, but always at least carry a copy of your passport and visa (and preferably the original if keep it secure).
Carrying only a driving license is not sufficient and might lead to a ride to the police office unless you bribe your way out.
The northeast half of Mali (everything north and east of Mopti Province) is simply not safe for travel, as the murky alliance of Al Qaeda and Tuareg rebel groups have been targeting foreigners for kidnappings. In late 2011, these kidnappings occurred in other parts of the country as well (including the capital), and tourist-kidnapping by terrorists is a real concern.
GET IN
By plane. Air France daily Paris. Royal Air Maroc daily flights from Europe and New York via Casablanca. Also Point Afrique to & from Mali. TAP Portugal also flies daily from Lisbon.
African: Ethiopian Airlines, Air Mauritania, Tunisair, Air Afriqiya. Some of these airlines also have feature connections to Mopti.
The airport is about 20 minutes drive from the centre of Bamako. There are fixed rates for taxis to different parts of town: to find them, cross the roadway in front of the airport and go the right-hand end of the block of kiosks. You will see a group of taxi drivers and a board with prices. In Aug 2007, the price was CFA7,500. However, if you know the local language enough, you might be able to bargain the official price down to CFA4,000 or even CFA3,000, especially if you arrive during the day. Make sure you board an official taxi though (see the Stay Safe section below).
There is even well-hidden restaurant: follow the exit road past the barrier, and it is on the right, surrounded by trees, about 50 m from the terminal building. They’re very friendly and serve basic but filling and tasty snacks. For getting back to the airport from Bamako, try negotiating hard and you may get a rate significantly cheaper than the set rates for the airport to Bamako.
By car. From Europe one has to cross the straits of Gibraltar, Morocco, Western Sahara and Mauritania. There is now tarmacked roads all the way from Europe to Bamako and on to Gao.
There are several ways to get to Mali by car. The most popular routes are from Senegal (especially since the Dakar-Bamako trains stopped) and Burkina Faso. The road from Gao to Niamey has been paved and a bridge is being built in Gao so the entire journey from Niamey to Bamako can be completed on paved (if not remote) roads.
There are also decent land crossings from Mauritania (paved) & Guinea. The Ivorian crossing leads into a region of northern Cote d’Ivoire controlled by rebels and, while fairly safe, will lead you through countless roadblocks and “officials” demanding bribes; if travelling to southern Cote d’Ivoire, you’re better off travelling through Burkina Faso & Ghana.
By bus. To Dakar, Ouagadougou, Abidjan, Niamey, & Accra.
GET AROUND
By bus. The main cities along the paved road into the north are connected via bus (Bamako, Segou, San, Mopti, Gao).
Normally a ride to Mopti (600km, half the way up), endures approximately nine hours; a ride to Gao at least 12. More reliable companies include Bittar, Bani and Banimonotie (Sikasso region) among others.
By taxi – Brousse. – bush taxis provide the main connection between towns that aren’t connected via bus. They are very slow, break down or stop often
By taxi. In any larger city, bargain, as they will generally try to overcharge you.
By private car. A 4×4 is strongly recommended if you will be leaving the main highways (this includes the trip to Timbuktu). There are few asphalt roads, all single-lane outside towns, though most are in good condition. One leads into the North of the country (Bamako, Segou, San, Mopti, Gao), another branches off after Segou to cross the Niger at the Markala dam and goes as far as Niono, while another goes from Bamako to Sikasso and on into Ivory Coast.
By plane. It is possible to travel across Mali by plane, as numerous companies have sprung up. It is possible to fly (usually from Bamako) to cities such as: Mopti, Timbuktu, Kayes, Yelimané, Gao, Kidal, Sadiola, and others. Air travel in Mali is fast but, compared to a bus ride, expensive.
Société Transport Aerienne (STA) and Société Avion Express (SAE) are the two most popular, and most reliable, carriers.
By boat. It is possible to travel around Mali by boat, however this is very seasonal. The most common option, only really possible in the wet season, is a barge to/from Timbuktu. There are also very small boats, “pirogues” in French, which are available to be hired almost anywhere – they are essentially large canoes. You can navigate the river all the way from near Bamako to Gao, though the level drops more rapidly in the portion between Bamako and Mopti.
ACCOMMODATION
Because of the dramatic decline in the number of tourists/visitors due to the conflict in the north, many hotels have closed across the country…even high-end ones.
There are various types of accommodation options of various prices and qualities. You will pay USD60-100 per night (and up) for a what would be a decent to nice hotel by western standards. At the other end of the spectrum you can pay about USD5-10 per night for a bed or mattress, usually with mosquito net and sheets, in a room or on the roof. Such places will usually have toilets and showers in a shared facility (think camp site camping with less gear).
Homestays. Sleeping on the roof terrace, if available, is not only the cheapest option but also usually the coolest and gives you the pleasure of sleeping under the stars, which are incredibly bright outside of Bamako because there is so little light pollution. However, use a mosquito net and be prepared to wake to prayer call at 05:00.
HEALTH
Vaccinations. yellow fever required. Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, typhoid, and meningitis vaccinations recommended. You may also consider getting a polio vaccination due to the outbreak of polio in Northern Nigeria that has spread around the region.
Malaria. Mali is highly endemic for malaria, (mephloquine and Malarone) are the most common. Insect repellent in the evenings and to sleep under a mosquito net in all but the fancy, sealed, air-conditioned hotels. This will significantly lower your exposure to malaria as the mosquitoes that carry the parasite are only active at night, but you would want to take these precautions even without the risk of malaria simply to avoid being covered in itchy mosquito bites! You will almost never see or be bothered by mosquitoes during the day.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++NOMAD MANIA Mali – Bamako, Kayes, Koulikoro
Tentative WHS
Cathédrale de Bamako
La Boucle du Baoulé (08/09/1999)
La Cité Historique de Hamdallahi (19/03/2009)
La Réserve de biodiversité du Parc du Bafing Makana (07/09/2016)
Le Fort de Médine (19/03/2009)
Le Réservoir naturel du Lac Magui (07/09/2016)
Borders
Guinea-Mali
Mali-Mauritania
Mali-Senegal
XL: Gogui (northern Kayes province border)
Villages and Small Towns: Fula villages by the Niger River
Railway, Metro, Funiculars, Cable Cars: Dakar-Niger Railway
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Medine: Fort de Medine
World of Nature
Bafing
Boucle du Baoulé
Kouroufing
Wongo
Waterfalls: Gouina Falls
African Cities
KAYES
KITA
BAMAKO World Capitals World Cities and Popular Towns
Airports: Bamako (BKO)
Museums: Bamako: National Museum of Mali
Religious Temples
Eyoub Mosque
Grand Mosque
Sacred Heart Cathedral
Zoos: Bamako Zoo
Markets: Bamako Artisan Market
Monuments
Monument de l’Indépendance
Peace Monument
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOMAD MANIA Mali – Ségou, Sikasso (Koutiala)
Borders
Burkina Faso-Mali
Cote d’Ivoire-Mali
Guinea-Mali
Mali-Mauritania
Villages and Small Towns
Fula villages by the Niger River
African Cities
KOUTIALA
SAN
NIONO
Tentative WHS: La grande mosquée de vendredi de Niono (19/03/2009)
SEGOU
Museums: Segou: Bitòn Coulibaly
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Segou-Koro Palace
Religious Temples: Segou: Segou Grand Mosque
SIKASSO World Cities and Popular Towns
Tentative WHS: Le Tata de Sikasso (19/03/2009)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOMAD MANIA Mali – Mopti and Dogon Country
World Heritage Sites
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)
Old Towns of Djenné
Tentative WHS
La Mosquée de Komoguel (19/03/2009)
Le Bassin du fleuve Niger (du seuil de Markala au lac Débo)
Borders
Burkina Faso-Mali
Religious Temples: Niono: Great Mosque of Niono
Festivals
Crossing of the cattle
Festival au Desert, Essakane|
Fête des Masques
Experiences: Fête des Masques (Dogon)
African Cities
MOPTI
Museums: Farafina Tigne African Bead Museum
Religious Temples
Great Mosque
Sirimou Mosque
Villages and Small Towns
DOROU
SANGHA
DJENNÉ World Cities and Popular Towns
World Heritage Sites: Old Towns of Djenné
++++++++++++++++
NOMAD MANIA Mali – Timbuktu
World Heritage Sites: Timbuktu
Tentative WHS
La Réserve de la Biodiversité des éléphants du Gourma
Borders
Algeria-Mali
Burkina Faso-Mali
Mali-Mauritania
XL: Northern Tombouctou province
African Cities
TIMBUKTU World Cities and Popular Towns
Religious Temples
Djinguereber Mosque
Sankore Mosque
++++++++++++++++++++
NOMAD MANIA Mali – Gao and Kidal
World Heritage Sites: Tomb of Askia
Tentative WHS: Es-Souk (08/09/1999)
Borders
Algeria-Mali
Burkina Faso-Mali
Mali-Niger
African Cities
GAO
Religious Temples: Gao Mosque