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HOME > Mali > The Towns

 

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Mali towns


ABOUT KAYES

I was travelling from Senegal to Bamako by minibus when I stumbled on Kayes and I realised there was no way of prosecuting by road; in fact being in the middle of the rainy season, the capital could be reached only by railway. Hence my adventure, to buy the tickets and get the train, started (funny stories).
Kayes in August is really hot and damp. Frankly I've good memories about this town, especially concernig the fucking owner of the " centre d'Accueil de Jeunesse" who cheated me (don't go there!!!!!!!). But the market in town has been the wildest and most typical I've never seen. In particular don't miss the dentists', I mean a man  who pull out teeth in the middle of the road :-o)

TIPS

-Pay attention getting the train. Some people'll want them to buy the tickets for you: they'll charge you a lot of money, or they'll sell you not valid ticket for the day after train, pretending the train is full

-Don't pay more than 3000 cefa each (08/2002) for a double room in the "centre d'Accueil de Jeunesse", the accomodation near the station. Remember the owner is the shittiest bastard I have ever met in my life!


 

ABOUT MOPTI

Mopti is definitely a tourist highlight in Mali, but it's far from appearing as such. I paid a guy to take me around the town, this let keeping away from me bothering people. I spent two nice days visiting the market, admiring the Bani river, the old town and taking pictures. One of the funniest thing was the market area were   many sewmen were gathered to sew typical malian clothes with their "manual cool old-looking" sewing-machine. In ten minutes, for a bunch of euros, they sewed a nice and colorful pair of pants (also with the pockets) for my girlfriend. You can walk all the day throught the market, but you'll never see a woman using a sew-machine, just men... it's funny, don't you think?

PS: don't miss the story about the adventure to reach Mopti from Bamako by AFRICA TOUR BUS COMPANY (love your life ? avoid..)

TIPS

WATCH OUT ABOUT DOGON GUIDES IN MOPTI
Mopti was the main point for the recruiting of the guides for the Dogon region and most of the candidates asked an enourmous amont of money compared to the expenses. It wasn't just   a matter of bargaining, in fact some guides refused to take me for less. At the end I got my guide in the middle way from Mopti to Bandiagara for a really cheaper price...maybe it was just luck.. maybe not... who knows....


 

ABOUT  BAMAKO

Bamako is the capital of Mali. It's quite big and really chaotic; it's a kinda of huge market, everywhere there're stalls selling everything, especially textures, that make the town colourful. Few streets are paved and even fewer are lit in the night. Definitely it's not a touristic place, but I think that, with its crowded green minibuses without doors shooting like crazy in the streets, it's representative of the country; at the end I liked it... anyway it's Africa!

PS: don't miss the story about the adventure to reach Dakar from Bamako flying with AIR MALI company (air mali sucks), and Mopti by AFRICA TOUR BUS COMPANY (love your life ? avoid..)

 

TIPS

Maybe you're wondering if it's a safe place:

  -As every capital, it's definitely less safe than the countryside, but I didn't have any problem. For sure you won't meet many others whites walking in the streets, unless you don't go to the market of the artisans, the only one touristic place in Bamako.

  -The main danger is the traffic, and you'll understand what I mean when you'll have to cross a street. 

  -Taking picture is not welcomed, as everywhere in Mali, and walking in the evening is "scaring" due to the lack of lighting in  the streets and it's better to avoid it when possible.

  -You'll need tons of patience concerning bothering people asking you to be your guide or to buy something, but I suggest you to get used unless you don't wanna freak out in ten minutes.


 

ABOUT DOGON

Dogon region for whom travelling in Mali is a must!
This region is defined by a 100 km long cliff where several villages are settled down. Some of them are dag in the cliff and locals (definitely not you) reach them by funny stairs. Villages are very cute: lots of children playing, girls looking after them, women beating the corn and men.... doing nothing.
I was used to sleep on the roof on the house, it was funny, but don't forget a mosquito net if you gonna do it in  summer! My most impressive memory is the view till Burkina Faso that you can enjoy when you walk on the upper part of the cliff (see the pic below)...it's unforgettable. I traveled on foot with a Dogon guide for 3 days; I think you need a guide, I cannot figure out how you could manage to orientate without any kind of signal, and, mainly, how you could arrange your meal and accommodation (the roof of the house) in the villages. However the trip doesn't need a particular physical preparation, but meanwhile walking for three days with 40 C, drinking from the wells, sleeping on the roofs and getting the daily summer thunderstorms, it's not something for everybody.
Fortunately Dogon region is not touristy jet, but, anyway, you won't be the first white passing trough. I traveled in the north part of the cliff, but, considering what I heard from the other travelers I met travelling in Mali, there're no meaningful differences with the south part, concerning the difficulty of the trip.
The future of this region is in the traveler's hands; PLEASE DON'T HAND OUT MONEY AS CHIPS, AND AVOID GIVING OBJECTS FROM YOUR HOMECOUNTRY. EVERYBODY WOULD TURN TO A BEGGAR AND THEIR CULTURE WOULD BE  BLOWN OUT!

PS:read what happened to me in the way back from Dogon country (crazy african driver out of road)

TIPS

- I got a guide in the way from Mopti to Bandiagara. Watch out people asking you exorbitant amount of money for a trip inthe Dogon country. I paid (car from Mopti to Sanga, meal and sleeping included) 13000 CEFA/day (20$/day)

-I suggest you to take pills to purify the water of the wells

-Trekking boots

-Mosquito repellent

-A cap for the sun and a flash light (I walked in the night)

-Waterproof cover for your backbag; at least if you travelled during the rainy season (August)

 

 

 

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