Africa & Middle East > Mali > Niger River > Bamako > Articles > Notes From Mali

Four things are likely to pull you to Mali: the chance of digging deep into the Sahara, of cruising up the Niger River to Timbuktu, of visiting the Dogon, until recently one of the most intact of West Africa's indigenous people, or of feeling the rhythm of the Delta blues. I went to do some research for a book, to see the lie of the land, the bend of the river, the dune-surrounded houses of Timbuktu and to talk to people, to hear their views of their country and its history. What stands out most brightly in my mind are the trip up the river, the music of the clubs of Bamako, the Malian capital, the quiet charms of Segou, the country's second-largest town, and the stunning mud-brick architecture of Djenne, whose mosque has become something of an icon for the country.

Bamako: Mali's capital is one of Africa's safest cities, its hotels the best in the country and the shopping good, though there is better elsewhere. Not the most exotic place, but it has several great nightclubs where you can hear Mali's melodic music, made famous on the World Music circuit by Ali Farke Tour (himself a resident of Niafounk). The Flamboyant, Hogon and Djembe clubs are popular, as is the French Cultural Centre. I wanted to stay by the river at the Mande (00 223 211 993) but it was full so I stayed in the nearby Oasis (£32 per night, 00 223 775 940) and used the Mande's facilities.

Segou: There isn't much to see in Segou, four hours from Bamako, but it makes an excellent and calm introduction to Mali. The town has two parts, one native mud-brick, the other French colonial; both look over the river. The Lebanese-run L'Auberge (a/c rooms approx £26; tel: +223 320 145), a few steps from the river, is the centre of tourism. It has a small pool and good garden restaurant, though there are cheaper meals nearby, and newer, cheaper rooms up the road at the new Djoliba Hotel (£22.50, tel: +223 321 512).

Djenne: Djenne is one of Mali's principal crowd-pullers, a mud-brick town surrounded in the rainy season by the waters of one of the Niger's tributaries. The town's unique architectural style, which earned it a UNESCO World Heritage tag, is best seen at the mosque (no entry) and also in some of its old houses. The two sleeping options are both mudbrick and both budget (I stayed at the Campement - approx £17 for fan,tel: +223 447 000). I loved walking round town at night, especially during a powercut, but most memorable was the Monday market, a moveable souk selling everything from glass jewellery and calabashes to cola nuts and goats. It's the sort of occasion where farmers from the country stroll round with leather-bound swords or old muskets slung over their shoulders.

Mopti: This is one of Mali's main transport junctions and, perhaps because of this, is also good for shopping. This is the place to look for boats to Timbuktu in the dry season. There are also good connections to the Dogon country and to Gao (for Saharan treks). In the rainy season, ferries run from just outside Bamako to Segou, Mopti, Timbuktu and Gao. They are hot and crowded and the a/c usually fails in the private cabins. I might have taken one from Bamako to Mopti had they been running, but was determined to go by pirogue (a long, wooden motorboat) from Mopti to Timbuktu. Ashraf Voyages (tel:+223 430 279) offer a range of pirgoue rides from Mopti along the Niger and to Djenne, the big one being to Timbuktu, which takes at least 3 days. My trip was arranged by Ibrahim Tapo (tel:+223 430 089 or via the Hotel Kanaga, tel: +223 430 500, the best in town - £36 for an a/c double). Count on paying at least £200 per person there and back (probably returning by car) including food for the three days and bedding for the nights. The price will vary according to demand and the number of people travelling. You'll have to bargain hard here, but whatever you pay, the experience is worth it - I travelled with one other foreigner and two Malian boatmen, which gave us the luxury of space and quiet.

Timbuktu: Some people fly to Timbuktu, but the place is enough of a disappointment arriving by boat or, by foot, like Ren Cailli, the first European to see the place and make it home. By plane it must be worse. Hot, run-down, its population swelled by Tuareg refugees who have fled the Saharan fighting, it has little to recommend it at first sight. Yet after a day or two the magic usually kicks in - you are, after all, in one of the world's remote places. I stayed in the Sahara Passion (tel:+223 921 394) on the edge of town though the new Hotel Colombe is more central and looks more comfortable. It should be possible to fly from Timbuktu back to Bamako, but flights are often cancelled.

Getting There: Mali is neither the easiest, the most comfortable nor the cheapest place to visit in West Africa. You need time and patience to travel independently on a transport system that is overloaded and decrepit, staying in hotels which sometimes offer only the minimum of comforts. You also need to speak some French, assuming you know nothing of Mali's 20 or so indigenous languages; English is not widely spoken. Having said that, most Malians are exceptionally welcoming and will make an effort to communicate with you if you want.

Thanks, presumably, to its Francophone heritage, there are no direct flights from the UK. The easiest route is via Paris. Air Afrique is usually the cheapest, but has become increasingly unreliable. Air France is the carrier of choice here (from £569 + tax from Soliman Travel, 020 8563 9119). Alternatively, you could fly on Sabena via Brussels. Before you fly, you need to sort out visas. There is no Malian Embassy in the UK, the nearest being in Paris (tel: +331 48 07 85 85) and Brussels (tel:+322 345 7432), which means you need plenty of time (at least 3 weeks for postal applications) or to make a trip over ahead of time. If this sounds like hard work, several British tour operators are operating in Mali, including Explore Worldwide (01252 319 448), which runs group tours, and Art of Travel (01285 650011) who can tailor-make just about anything in Mali.

For more help, Bradt's Mali guide is the best in English. If you speak French, look out for the Routard (usually available in Mali, or via amazon.fr).

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