Mali
Djenné's elegant Grande Mosque was constructed in 1907, though it's based on the design of an older Grande Mosquée that once stood on the site. Famous…
Must-see attractions in Mali
Mali
Timbuktu's three great mosques - all inaccessible to non-Muslims - are nothing much to look at, but serve as reminders of its great past. The youngest of…
Mali
Mopti's port is a lively place, where boats from up and down the river unload their cargoes. You'll see slabs of salt from Timbuktu, dried fish, firewood,…
Mali
Timbuktu has three of the oldest mosques in West Africa. While not as visually stunning as some in Mali, they're still extremely impressive and represent…
Mali
Every Monday, the wide open area in front of the mosque is transformed into the clamorous Monday Market, which has barely changed since the days when…
Mali
From the pleasant Fula village of Massina, you can start a trip along the Niger by public pinasse (large canoe). A good first stop is Diafarabé, where…
Centre de Recherches Historiques Ahmed Baba
Mali
An amazing collection of ancient manuscripts and books are kept at the Centre de Recherches Historiques Ahmed Baba. Home to (at last count) 23,000 Islamic…
Mali
Gao's premier tourist attraction is a sunset trip to La Dune Rose, known locally as Koïma, a wonderful sand dune on the right bank of the Niger, visible…
Mali
Heinrich Barth's incredible five-year journey began in Tripoli and took him first to Agadez, then through Nigeria and finally, in September 1853, he…
Mali
The Ethnological Museum occupies a hugely significant site near Sidi Yahiya Mosque, containing the well of Bouctou, where Timbuktu was founded. There's…
Mali
During the 18th century, the beautiful village of Ségou Koro was the centre of Biton Mamary Coulibaly's Bambara empire and the great man is buried here…
Mali
The Tomb of the Askia, north of town, was built in 1495 by Askia Muhammad Touré, whose remains lie within. It's an amazing building and a classic of…
Mali
At the Marché Souguni, to the southeast of town, traders sell fruit, vegetables, salt, fish and meat downstairs and art and crafts upstairs. A smaller…
Mali
Sidi Yahiya Mosque, north of Place de l'Indépendance, is named after one of the city's saints (it's said that 333 saints have lived in Timbuktu) and was…
Mali
The classic Sahel-style Misire Mosquée, built in 1933, towers over the old part of town. Just before the rains in May or June the lower, mud-covered part…
Mali
The charm of this market is that few tourists reach here, so you're unlikely to be hassled. It's also a good place to buy second-hand clothes and if you…
Mali
The Musée National is small but nevertheless contains some beautiful ethnographic pieces from many of Mali's ethnic groups, including wooden masks,…
Mali
The Fetish Stalls, near the Maison des Artisans, are not for the faint-hearted, offering up a stomach-turning array of bones, skins, dried chameleons and…
House of the Traditional Chief
Mali
With the help of a guide, you can see the beautiful House of the Traditional Chief, whose role today is mainly as an adjudicator in local disputes.
