Mali Travel Forum

Hello!

I'm travelling to Mali this summer: would you recommend Dogon country? I won't have enough time to do many things so I don't want to waste my time in a very touristic place that has loose it's true and natural charme.

Thanks!

Hi!

since 19th to 25th july i'm doing a short trip from toumbouctou to bamako. i don't know if it would be better staying in tombouctou and surrounding area and take a flight to bamako, or travelling by land visiting the villages on the way and using public transport to get to bamako. i'd prefer this second option, but i'm not sure if i have enough time to do it. can anyone recommend anything? any other suggestion? (bamako's surroundings, etc)
thanks a lot!!

Natalia.

Hi there!

We are two travelers looking to find a couple people to join in on a pinasse trip on the Niger River from Mopti to Timbuktu. Apparently because the river is lower than usual, there are not that many public pinasses running this route, and you have to book a private one.

If you have any suggestions on how to do this, or would like to join the more the merrier.

We will be in Mail from March 22 - April 8th, so if the dates work out anywhere in between to join up, please respond to this thread with your email, or send over an email at :pleagnavar@hotmail.com thanks!!

Happy travels! :)

I am looking for travel companions for any leg of a budget trip from Ghana (starting at Mole Park), going north through Burkina Faso, and into Mali, in February 2009. I may be leaving Mole Park around Feb. 11. My main goals for this trip are a camel trip overnight into the Sahara, Timbuktu, and Dogon country. Anything else will be gravy. Other secondary interests are traveling on the Niger by pinasse boat, Djenne and Mopti. I would like to be back in Ghana around Feb. 25.

I am volunteering in Ghana right now, training teachers. I do not have a lot of money, and none of my Ghana travel buddies want to do this trip. I would like to keep costs down by traveling with people (it's more fun that way too!) and staying in low-cost places, and/or camping or sleeping on the roof of hotels. I'll even share a bed to save money, in a platonic fashion of course. I do like food and would like to eat something nicer than street food most of the time, if convenient.

I am 36, American, female, and am easygoing, no dietary restrictions, no special requirements, and I speak a little high school French. I have traveled in Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, Canada and the U.S. I don't have any requirements for my travel companions. I am just looking for someone, or a group of people, who are interested in doing the same things, and who will be honest and reliable on the trip. If you or your group are going to be in Mali or Burkina Faso at any time between Feb. 11 and approximately Feb. 25, and will consider letting me join you, please contact me ASAP. I would appreciate it and we would have fun!

Jessie

Hi there,

I'm looking for someone traveling between January 18-30 to Mali and who would be interested in sharing a guided tour with me (decreases the expense per individual). I am in communication with someone that has been recommended and so am planning a 4 day hike.

If interested, let me know! :)

Thanks!

Does anyone know the bus schedule for Gana Transportation- Bamako to Dakar? If not Gana Transportation then any other bus transport from Bamako to Dakar and prices?

I read in this forum:
" the road between Bamako and Timbuktu is excellent"

How exellent? Does anybody know if that road is possible to overcome by camper (motorhome). It is not 4X4.
I would like to reach Timbuktu by such a car from Morocco, through Mavretania to Senegal and at the end to Bamako and Timbuktu.
Any sugestions?

Hey, I am planning a trip to Mali and would like to team up with others.
I would like to go around the 20th and stay for about 3 weeks. Festival au Segou, Djenne, Hiking in Dogon etc.

Who has similar plans?

Sorry. I pushed send without finish:
Segou - Hotel Djoliba
Mopti - Hotel pas de probleme
Tomboctou - Hote Colombe
Bandiagara - Hotel de la Falaise
Ouaga - Hotel Central
Gaoua - Hotel Allah
Banfora - Hotel Allah
Bobo Hotel Relax
Segou - Hotel Relax
Have somebody stayed recently in the listed hotels? - Any special recommendations of things to do or not to do and safe restaurants?
Many tks in advance travellers.
Enjoy yr trips around the world.
Guillem Mas

Hello VT.
I will travel to Mali and Burquina Fasso next week staying in:
Bamako-Segou-Djenne-Mopti-Tomboctou-Bandiagara-Telly-Ouagadougou.
Somebody of VT community have arrived recently from this places? Pls I need know what is the actual situation, comments, recommends and safety information in this places.
I wil stay in hotels:
Bamako - Hotel Plazza
Segou

Could any one suggest any good hotel in Tombuktu?? There are offering us the Hotel La Colombe or Hotel La Maison, any one knows which one is better?? Thanks for the help.

hi guys!
i read conflicting suggestions for malaria in Mali and Burkina Faso.
can you comment if it is really advisable to use malaria pills in March?
many thanks
Nikos

hello everybody!

i read about feb and march that there are strong winds which bring dust from the desert.
could you tell how often and serious this is?
it can make your visit worthless for seeing and taking good photos?

many thanks

nikos

Hello,

I'm a 24yr old college student from Germany. Ive been passionate about the French language for 7 years and I want to create a website about "la francophonie" (the french-speaking world).

On top of making a great website about it, I'm trying to find a person from each French-speaking country in the world who could record a short voice (or video) clip where she tells people a little bit about her country. I think this would be the icing on the cake for my francophonie-website.

I hope I can pull it off, but I assume in a country such as Mali for example most people do not have an internet connection and it might be hard (impossible?) to find somebody who can do that there?

Maybe somebody has an idea how I could find somebody (a native) from Mali who'd be willing to do that? Would my best bet be contacting some universites?

thanks!

Any UK nationals with any experience of getting a visa for Mali in Rabat? There's no embassy in England and I fancy Rabat more than Brussels.

Does anyone know if you can visas on arrival at Bamako Airport? I have heard mixed stories!

Thanks in Advance

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THE CATHOLIC MISSION. HOW CAN I CONTACT THEM TO LET THEM KNOW WHEN I WILL ARIVE. DO I HAVE TO MAKE RESERVATIONS. HOW FAR IS IT FROM THE AIRPORT. I'M A NURSE FROM CHICAGO. I'M INTERESTED IN DOING WORK IN AFRICA IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I'M NEW TO THE SITE. THEREFORE, I DONT HAVE AN AVAILABLE PICTURE OF MYSELF. THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME.

Because Festival in Dessert is not possible to attend due to early dates I would like to ask if anyone has ever attended festival on Niger in Segou. We are mainly interested in a lot of local music and traditional performances. Can Festival on Niger compare to the one in the Dessert?

Daft as this may sound i am planning to travel to Bamako by car next December. Not sure what the visa requirements are. Also Iam not keen on traveling with large amounts of cash. Are ATM's wide spread or few and far between?

Any help or suggestions would be appretiated

Has anyone had experience with Balanzan Tours? I am planning to go to the Festial in the Desert in January 2008. Does anyone know any other good agencies? I like Saga Tours 17 day tour because they offer 2 nights in Timbuctou. However their price is prohibitive.
Any input anyone can give me is greatly appreciated. Thanx.

Has anyone used Riverside Mali to book a tour through Mali? I am interested to hear how they did.

1. i will be in the dogon area for 1 to 3 weeks. i am undecided as to whether or not to use a guide.any suggestions? 2. i will be in mali, mostly the northern half for 3 months. are there any places that exchange traveler checks in that part of the country? i would hate to carry cash for such a long time.

Hi,

I'm planning to go to Timbouctou in August and I'm interested what sort of transport can I use. Is boat the only option or the buses goes as well?

Tnx

how much does it cost for the people to take tourist across the niger river to villages?

Hi to everybody!

I am trying to organize a trip to mali this summer, the fact is that there are hundrends of agencies that orginze the trip but i will like to go alone with a girlfriend, is it ok for 2 girls to travel alone? is easy to get to places and move around? we will like to see mali-burkina faso, any advice?

thanks a lot!

It is a pain in the neck trying to establish contact with FAD organization ? They do not answer emails.

Does someone have a direct line to someone in there ??!!

i'm on the solo hype out there and am trying to find any useful info out there i can find... my friend from bamako tells me to just to relax cause out there everyone just works on a slower pace and everything will eventually all work out, but i still don't know how i'm getting out there or even who i can go with since he cant make it. if you have been able to get anything together can you please tell me how you did it, because for now the only thing i do know for sure is that i'm going.

my name is zak. 18yrs old tyin to figure out how to get to the fesstival on my own... i'm going to bamako to visit a friend. if anyone is going from bamako to essakane can hook me up with some info it would be more then appreciated.

Any input on the festival on the Niger in Segou will be appreciated.

Hi
As a malian citizen, it's a great pleasure for me to help you discovering my country. Did you heard about "the festival of the desert"? " the festival on the Niger"? Feel free to ask, i'll give you further infos and details..
PS/ If you maybe are already on journey here, make a sign, we've a tea and wine party each weekend( just for contact, free of charges)

Mohadib, a friend waiting for you :)