{"id":39946,"date":"2023-03-23T17:21:12","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T15:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/?post_type=country&p=39946"},"modified":"2025-03-24T17:49:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T15:49:09","slug":"mali","status":"publish","type":"country","link":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/country\/mali\/","title":{"rendered":"Mali"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Despite being such an off-beat country, not so many years ago, tourism used to be a priority here, a country home to four outstanding World Heritage Sites \u2013 Djenn\u00e9, Timbuktu, the Tomb of Aksia, and the cliffs of Bandiagara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nowadays, however, Mali is going through an unfortunate situation that has isolated these astonishing sites from the outside world, wonders which have not only been visited by 21st-century tourists, but have also been traveled through over the centuries by countless traders carrying gold, leather, and ivory along the trans-Saharan route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tourists are a rare thing to see in Mali these days but, regardless of all the issues, many jaw-dropping places are still out there, waiting to be explored by the most intrepid travelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For all the practical information, don\u2019t forget to check my Mali travel guide<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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need to know for traveling in Mali<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Quick facts<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Capital: <\/strong>Bamako<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population<\/strong>: 20.2 million (59th)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Languages:<\/strong> The official language is French, which is widely spoken in Bamako, but only highly educated people can speak it in smaller towns. The most common language is Bambara, but many other African languages are spoken as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Area<\/strong>: 1,240,192km\u00b2 (23rd largest country)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Visa<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

A visa is required, which you can get at the embassy, but each embassy has its own rules, prices, and requirements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feasible embassies are in Madrid, Paris, London, Berlin, New York City, Nouakchott, and Rabat, among others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Safety<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Security can be an issue in Mali, especially in the northern areas, which includes places like Timbuktu, Gao, and Dogon Country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Central Mali can be safe, depending on where you go to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Mali, which comprises anything south of Bamako, is safe to travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read our safety guide<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Travel Insurance<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

IATI Insurance<\/a><\/strong> is one of the very few that covers travel in Mali.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GET A QUOTE<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Best time to visit<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

After the rainy season, from October to February\/March.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Tours for Mali<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Due to the deterioration on Mali\u2019s security, we have temporarily suspended all expeditions into Mali.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The best place in the world is in Djenn\u00e9<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Mali<\/picture><\/figure>
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I have been backpacking for years, visiting mind-blowing destinations, to the extent that it’s difficult for me to get impressed by the things I see. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there was one place that nearly made me cry when I saw it for the first time in 2021, and that place was the Great Mosque of Djenn\u00e9, the largest mud structure in the world, located in a raw village that had not seen visitors for more than 10 years.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Top experiences in Mali<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Visiting the Grand Mosque of Djenn\u00e9<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Few places in the world have moved and thrilled me as much as the Grand Mosque of Djenn\u00e9.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Observing the local life along the Niger River<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From ladies doing their laundry to workers collecting the sand needed to build their mud buildings, the Niger River is a year-round cultural festival.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Checking out the most colorful markets<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mali was the first West African country I ever explored, so when I first visited the markets I had a blast.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Exploring the Siby area on a motorbike<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Siby is a small town 50km south of Bamako, popular for its strange rock formations, unspoiled villages, and mango plantations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

For more things to do, check my Mali itinerary<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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tips for Mali<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Accommodation<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

As the capital, Bamako is well-sorted for hotels but they are pricey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

S\u00e9gou has some relatively good hotels starting at $20-$25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside those two cities, you can find basic accommodation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FIND YOUR HOTEL HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Getting in<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Bamako has an international airport, the most common connections being via Rabat, Paris, and Istanbul. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can safely cross from Senegal, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Burkina Faso, the border that leads you into Sikasso should be fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nigeria and Algeria are closed. Mauritania may be open.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Transportation<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Public transportation \u2013<\/strong> Most safe places can be reached by bus. For Djenn\u00e9, however, I recommend hiring a local guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Own vehicle \u2013<\/strong> You have to travel with your own vehicle in the southern part of the country. I actually drove all the way to Siby by motorbike, and it was just fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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ALL MY ARTICLES ON MALI<\/h3>\n\n\n","protected":false},"featured_media":40858,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39946","country","type-country","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country\/39946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/country"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}