IgoUgo

Journals Mali

Afternoon Tea in Timbouctou

Created by HELEN001 on March 28, 2006 Best of IgoUgo

3 Reviews
2 Stories

Timbouctou, legendary goal of many 19th-century explorers, once a city of commerce, trade, and wealth is now a small town reliant on tourism and threatened by the encroaching Sahara. Roughly 900km NE of Bamako, Timbouctou is currently the focus of an extensive building renovation and civic improvement programme.

Mopti: My Kind of Town

Created by HELEN001 on March 17, 2006 Best of IgoUgo

3 Reviews
2 Stories

Mopti is 650km northwest of Bamako at the confluence of the Bani and the Niger River. It is the commercial capital of central Mali and a busy port, and is often referred to as the "tourist gateway" to Mali. It was originally a small Bozo fishing village.

Delirious and Deranged in Dogon Country

Created by HELEN001 on March 17, 2006 Best of IgoUgo

4 Reviews
1 Story

Dogon Country surrounds a 200km sandstone plateau east of Bamako and near the Burkino Faso border. Dogon settlers lived at the cliff base beneath the ruins of the Tellem. The Dogon are traditionally animist and believe that natural objects have living souls. The scenery is stunning and the villages are fascinating.

Djenne: Mosque, Market, and Mud Cloth

Created by HELEN001 on March 17, 2006 Best of IgoUgo

5 Reviews
1 Story

Djenné is 450km northeast of Bamako and situated on an island in the Bani River on the edge of the Niger delta region. It is home to the largest mud building in the world, the Grande Mosquée. The town was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.

Bamako - Never Judge a Book by the Cover

Created by HELEN001 on March 2, 2006 Best of IgoUgo

6 Reviews
1 Story

Well, the guide books don't exactly promote Bamako as a 'must see' place, and after arriving in Mali and spending 2 days there I also found it hot and oppressively crowded. Three weeks later I was forced to spend 10 days in Bamako, and consequently had time to modify my opinion. Just takes a bit of time to get the feel of the place.

The Many Faces of Mali

Created by HELEN001 on March 1, 2006 Best of IgoUgo

1 Review
5 Stories

It was a toss-up between the Burning Man Festival, or the Festival of the Desert, and I eventually decided that my travel money would be best spent helping to boost the economy of Mali. I also had a notion that I'd quite like to visit the Pays Dogon, and the mosque in Djenne. So I read the guide books and studied the maps. Despite this, I wasn't really prepared for the diversity and diversion that Mali threw at me from all directions. Getting around is not the easiest thing to do in Mali but this has a tendency to make you appreciate the highlights even more.

Roughing It in Mali to Reach Fabled Timbuktu

Created by fallschirmhosen on January 1, 2006 Best of IgoUgo

7 Reviews
13 Stories

Mali is simply a place like no other. Originally planned as a relaxing vacation, this trip turned into an adventure and challenge around every corner.

Zebala, a Malian village

Created by sociolingo on September 11, 2004 Best of IgoUgo

3 Reviews
3 Stories

Zebala for me conjures up pictures of 'real Mali'. A rural village in the south which is rich in culture and interest.

Timbuktu - The mysterious city on the edge of the Sahara

Created by Invicta73 on September 30, 2003 Best of IgoUgo

4 Reviews
1 Story

The renowned efforts of many explorers to reach Timbuktu have given it a legendary reputation that nowadays draws travellers, and I felt that my stay in Mali would be incomplete without visiting. Although nowhere could possibly live up to such hype, the small city does actually have a distinctive charm.

Mopti - The gateway to the best of Mali

Created by Invicta73 on September 9, 2003 Best of IgoUgo

6 Reviews
1 Story

I chose to base myself in Mopti primarily because of the relative proximity to some of the biggest draws in Mali. Happily, not only did the aforementioned highlights really deserve their must-see reputations, but the hectic port itself also proved to be an enjoyable place to visit.

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