Travel Blog » Africa » Mali

Mali Travel Blogs

Background: The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997, President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Mali

Map of Mali

Mali's Flag

Hostels in Mali
Latest Mali Blog Entries
Mali Photos

By eddy15
July 6th 2009

Back in Mopti! Africa » Mali » Dogon Country » Mopti

Back in Mopti after a five day hike through Dogon Country with Anil and our guide Ibrahim! 1 July So this lazy day was spent in the pool talking to unattractive British girls and getting soaked in the rain. Anil and I met Ibrahim in the evening. We finalised our plan. We’ll be traveling with two French girls. Sweet! Right? 2 July When we got to Bandingara there was no sign of the French girls. We leave almost immediately for Douloo (odd?). Apparently the two girls are traveling around West Africa on one 125 cc Honda Motorcycle (very odd?). By this [View Full Entry]

By eddy15
June 30th 2009

In Mopti Africa » Mali » Dogon Country » Mopti

Well another night out with Yousouf and Arnaud last night. Met a Colonel in the Malian Army who seemed to like me and hooked me up with contacts in Timbuktu. Also he’s a good contact to have. Yousouf finally let me pay for a round (not that I was trying too hard to) and also gave me a CD. An early rise, a bit rough, and I was on the bus all day. I actually met Anil on the bus, which was good so we went to a better hotel than we’d planned in Mopti. Many annoying “guides”, but I can’t [View Full Entry]

By eddy15
June 29th 2009

Bamako nights! Africa » Mali » District of Bamako » Bamako

Yousouf N'Daw!

Well Yousouf is quite the quite the partier! His lawyer friend Arnaud took me to a bar where Yousouf met us after picking up Anil and the Nigerian kid, Raymond, we’d met the night before. We proceeded to pound ’em back on Yousouf’s tab (including supper). It was the most I’ve drank since Canada! I was somewhat loaded --- man my tolerance is low! Anil also hooked Anil up with someone in Djenne. We should meet up again on Saturday night in Mopti. Today I’m hungover. I went to a very good museum (Musee Nationale), but got hustled out of 5,000 [View Full Entry]

By eddy15
June 28th 2009

Finally in Bamako Africa » Mali » District of Bamako » Bamako

The bus trip finally ended after some more great hospitality (the guy next to me shared his dinner with me and let me use his cell). The Malian boarder guards want plenty of bribes. We had to pass a hat around the bus to collect for them. It was too late when I arrived to get a hold of Baidou’s uncle Yousouf who’s supposed to look after me, so I spent last night in a hotel. I slept until 12:30 as I was so tired! I then moved to a dorm room where I met an American Anil and a Japanese [View Full Entry]

By chillaaa
June 20th 2009

stuck in bamako Africa » Mali » District of Bamako » Bamako

Kurzes Update: noch immer mali, noch immer bamako. mehrere erfolglose versuche mit meiner visakarte an geld zu kommen, die einzige bank wo das moeglich ist hat freitag mittag zugemacht. heisst also zwei weitere tage bamako. und dann montag mittag so schnell wie moeglich (was hier in mali wohl so ziemlich alles heissen kann) weiter in richtung conakry. gestern abend gabs unglaeubige blicke als ich von meinen liberia-plaenen erzaehlt habe..ich bin gespannt was auf mich zukommt! heut abend ist getting together mit den couchsurfern bei denen ich im moment bin, bei einem super unsympathischen fr [View Full Entry]

By chillaaa
June 19th 2009

Erste Eindruecke Africa » Mali » District of Bamako

Jo'burg
der wunderschoene garten mit pool (der leider zu kalt zum schwimmen war) von meinen couchsurfern

Bienvenue und herzlich Willkommen, schoen dass du den Weg zu meinem Blog gefunden hast - hoffentlich gefaellt es dir! Hier werde ich die naechsten 7-8 Monate versuchen, mehr oder weniger regelmaessig mitzuteilen, wie es sich hier so lebt. Momentan heisst 'Hier' Bamakok, die Hauptstadt von Mali, wo ich seit vorgestern bin. Morgen oder uebermoren werde ich von Mali in Richtung Guinea aufbrechen, und sobald ich in Conakry mein liberianisches Visum bekommen habe (was hoffentlich, hoffentlich schnell gehen wird), werde ich nach Monrovia aufbrechen und dort fuer zwei Monate beim Centre for Media s [View Full Entry]

By LuBarnham
May 9th 2009

Epiphany Over Mango Jam Africa » Mali

On the lorry to Boni

In Bamako, we took a box of a room - the kind dead bodies might be found in come morning - and I think you could even say we relaxed. Certainly we slowed down. Road travel in the Gambia and Senegal had drained our energy and we were flat like pancakes; emergency! Bring on the Vietnamese food, Castel beers and glowing riverside sunsets! Seriously, there is nothing like beef Saigonese style and a view out over the Niger River as the sky turns golden to soothe the impact of eighteen hours of the stench of illness and a soundtrack of baby [View Full Entry]

By johnnyrivers
May 1st 2009

The Mali Finale! part 6- Sevare & Bandiagara Africa » Mali » Dogon Country » Bandiagara

The Road to Sevare
Gotta love rest stops! Especially when you have great scenery!

Our mission for Saturday was to merely make it back to Mopti…judging from past experiences, that was all we could feasibly accomplish… and plan our next move from there. Earlier that week we had gotten the phone number of a reputable Dogon Country guide from the Peace Corp volunteers we had met on the bus to Ouagadougou. While we were still in Mopti, waiting to get to Timbuktu, I had called him to schedule a meeting time and place. Thus our plan was to get back to Mopti, and then find transport to Bandiagara, the location he had chosen to meet [View Full Entry]

By johnnyrivers
May 1st 2009

The Mali Finale! part 7- The Dogon Country Africa » Mali » Dogon Country

The Dogon Country
Our Root started in Konsogou-Ley and worked south to Teli, ending in Bankass

The Dogon is incredible… I’m not going to waste time trying to explain the awesome hiking adventure we had there. Words cannot do this magnificent beauty justice. So I’ll let my pictures do most of the talking! Our basic schedule from Sunday afternoon until Tuesday Afternoon composed of hiking the land, visiting the villages, meeting the locales, sleeping on rooftops, watching the stars and counting shooting stars, learning about the local culture, cursing the heat of the desert, occasionally riding horse carts, always dreaming about water, laughing at our guides eccentr [View Full Entry]

By johnnyrivers
April 29th 2009

The Mali Finale! part 5- Timbuktu Africa » Mali » North-West » Timbuktu

Welcome to Timbuktu!
Camel ride into the Saharan sunset... priceless

"Great! After sixteen long hours, we've finally made it to Timbuktu! Where are we gonna sleep?" That was the general sentiment that prevailed Friday at five o'clock in the morning. Our growing anxiety however was soon put to rest when we met up with a guy named Ali. Interestingly enough, I had actually talked to him on the phone in Mopti . Funny thing was we never discussed what time or where in the city we would arrive. So as to how he knew our exact time and place of arrival is still a mystery [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Africa » Mali

Mali Travel Blogs, page 2

Mali Travel Blogs

Mali