Mali

Mali is not the place to go for safaris. What it does have is a smorgasbord of surreal landscapes, beautiful artwork, Timbuktu, castellated mosques made entirely of mud, pink sandstone villages carved into cliff faces, and undulating desert scenes that look like out-takes from Lawrence of Arabia.

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At the borders of the clenching grasp of the Sahara, the southern part of Mali is the most hospitable. The rainy season - when torrential downpours and thunderstorms are preceded by strong winds - runs from June to September with July and August the wettest months. It's hottest between April and June, when temperatures frequently exceed 40°C (104°F). September and October are also extremely hot and Timbuktu in particular can be unpleasant. From November through January the alize (a steady, mild northeasterly) wind blows cooler air, keeping daytime temperatures in the 30s (86-102°F) - Malians refer to this period as the cold season! From January to June, the hot and dusty harmattan (a dry, dusty wind) blows, irritating throats and, on some days, reducing visibility to a few hundred metres. December to March tends to have the best combination of heat and humidity with neither being too high - at least by Mali standards.

Transport

Getting around

Getting around Mali is usually a matter of taking a passenger boat down the Niger (or a smaller pirogue or pinasse on shorter trips), or buses and bush taxis. Buses tend to be more popular than bush taxis for long hauls as they are cheaper and more reliable, although bush taxis may be the only choice available on shorter trips. The only train journey within Mali is between Bamako and Kayes but there are a number of flights out of Bamako to various destinations. Hiring a car to get around is not entirely impossible but you can get bogged down in a few difficulties.

Getting there and away

There are a number of European carriers that fly into Bamako Airport, but if you wish to fly in from the USA you need to transfer to a regional flight at Dakar or Abidjan. The airport is about 10km (6mi) from Bamako. Point Afrique, flying from Paris and Marseilles to Gao, Mopti or Bamako, is a charter company that provides great bargains to out-of-the-way places. Airport tax is included in the ticket price.

Getting into Mali by road is always on the cards since it's a landlocked republic. With the exception of Algeria, you can bus into Mali from any direction although the comfort factor of the trip varies depending on the condition of the road and the time of the year. Bush taxis are a viable alternative for shorter trips, or a combination of bus and bush taxi. In some cases, such as between Mauritania and Mali, you might need to mix and match your travel modes, catching trucks and pick-ups between scheduled buses and bush taxis. Between Senegal and Mali express train is the transport of choice as the roads are in such bad condition. Apart from road and air, the other more exotic way to get into Mali is by boat, floating up the Niger from Guinea.

Health & Legal Requirements

Visas overview

Visas are required for all visitors. Visas are available at the border but it can take an age (and the odd bribe) to get one. Depending where you get your visa, the price can vary wildly.