MALI > AFRICA > INDEX

Mali is divided into eight administrative regions: Kayes, Kouliloro, Sikasso, Segou, Mopti, Tombouctou, Gao, Kidal and the District of Bamako.

Mali is the largest country in West Africa. It's bordered by Algeria to the North, Senegal to the west, Mauritania to the northwest, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire [ Ivory Coast ] to the south. 

Capital City Mali : Bamako


hotels, tour operator, travel guides, transportation / traveling to mali

links


Hotels in Mali

 Kempinski Hotel El Farouk Bamako 
Located directly on the Niger River in the heart of the business district of Bamako (5 minutes walking from the Congress Hall and 15 minutes by car from the airport),
 Le Diplomate Hotel Bamako
 Sofitel L Amitie Bamako
located at Niger side, in the city center of Bamako, in the Embassy district, in walking distance of the Market and of Craftsmen House...

 Malihotels.us
** Bamako  - Kempinski Hotel El Farouk Bamako, Sofitel l'Amitie Bamako, Hotel Salam, Le Diplomate Hotel, Le Grand Hotel, Hotel Le Relais and Hotel Mande.
** Djenne  - Hotel Campement
** Dogon [Bandiagara] - Campement Hotel Sangha and Hotel Cheval Blanc
** Mopti - Hotel Kanaga, Hotel Ambedjele, Hotel Byblos
** Segou - Hotel Auberge, Hotel Djoliba, Hotel Esplanade,Hotel Independence
** Sikasso - Hotel Zanga
** Timbuktu  - Hendrina Khan Hotel and Hotel Colombe

Tour Operators / Travel Agents /

 Mali Tours
From the Sahara Desert in the north, to the savannas of the south, Mali offers a wide range of scenery. The best time to visit is the cool and dry season of November through February.



 Saga Tours - explore Timbuktu, Djenne, Dogon country, Mopti and Bamako
** Niger River sailing, from Mopti to Timbuktu
** Sahara Desert outings to visit Tuareg camps on the dunes
** hiking the Bandiagara Escarpment, home of the fascinating Dogon people
** traditional dances in Dogon, Tuareg, Bobo and Bambara villages

Travel Guides Mali / Related books

 www.amazon.com/

 Mali - Bradt Travel Guide - Ross Velton
Paperback 272 pages (September 6, 2004); Publisher: BRADT Travel Guides; Language: English; ISBN: 1841620777
 Rough Guide to West Africa - Jim Hudgens, Richard Trillo
This guide to West Africa explores all the visitable countries in West Africa, from Mauritania and the Cape Verde Islands in the west, to Niger and Cameroon in the east. The colour introductory essay highlights the regions attractions, picks out the various route and travel options and touches on some of the great range of cultural and scenic impressions that any visit will make. Each chapter covers the relevant country with attention to detail, including special attention to the practicalities of travel, thoroughly researched hotel and restaurant listings, and a carefully researched background on wildlife and the environment, culture, history, politics and music.
Paperback 1296 pages (November 27, 2003); Publisher: Rough Guides; Language: English; ISBN: 1843531186 
Lonely Planet West Africa
by Anthony Ham (Author), James Bainbridge (Author)
Paperback: 904 pages; Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 6 edition (October 2006); Language: English; ISBN-10: 1740597710; ISBN-13: 978-1740597715
 Daily Life in Ancient and Modern Timbuktu - Larry Brook, Ray Webb (Illustrator)
Examines the history of the city of Timbuktu, or Tombouctou, from its time as a camping site for nomadic Tuaregs through its prominence in the sixteenth century to the current decline it faces.
Hardcover 64 pages (February 18, 2000); Publisher: Lerner Pub Co.; Language: English; ISBN: 0822532158

Unesco's world heritage sites

 Cliffs of Badiangara
 Djenne
 Timbuktu

Transport / How do I travel to Mali

 Bamako Airport

 Airline Tickets / Bargain Flights - Flights to Mali / Flights to Bamako

 Map of Mali [ Uni Texas - Perry-Castañeda Library - Map Collection ]


Links 

 Travel Insurance

 Mali Tourism 

 Bamako - Capital City Mali

 Djenne
The city is the jewel of the Niger River, and is home to the World's largest mudbrick mosque design by the famous architect Ibn Batouta.
 Dogon country  - located in the Mopti region
Offers spectacular cliffs, breathtaking views, and vast plains. The scenic Dogon villages are built on the sides of the cliffs.
Dogon life is centered around sacred rights and rituals which take place in the hollow cliffs on which the Dogon houses are built. Dogon culture is surrounded in mysticism and intrigue, from an astonishing knowledge of the solar system to the unique structure of Dogon villages.
  Essakane  - oasis town in the northern part of Mali in the Timbuktu Region
It is a several hours' drive [ appr. 65 km ] north of the city of Timbuktu. Essakane is the site of an annual music festival called Festival in the Desert.
 Kayes - Capital of the first administrative region
Kayes was also the capital of the French Sudan during the colonial era. Located near the river Niger, Kayes still has many European style buildings and Boulevards.
 Kouliloro
 Sikasso - Capital of Kenedougou
Sikasso is the economic heart of the country, thanks to the cotton and other agricultural production. It's the only region that stays green year around.
 Segou
Capital of the former Bambara kingdom, Segou is the second largest city of Mali. The city of the Balanzan trees (Acacia Albiza) has well preserved its Sudanese colonial architecture.
 Mopti -  'the Malian Venice' - capital of the fifth region
This island has one of the busiest ports on the Niger River and a tourist region par excellence.
 Timbuktu / Tombouctou
Capital of the sixth region, Timbuktu was founded in the 12th century, also known as the 'mysterious city'; Timbuktu is classified as a world heritage site. Timbuktu was an important center of Islamic scholarship throughout the 15th and 16th centuries.
Timbuktu is home to one of the world's largest collections of ancient African manuscripts
 Gao
Gao was the capital of the powerful Songhai empire in the 15th and 16th centuries. Gao lies 1,200 km northeast of Bamako and was the last Malian port before Niger. The Tuaregs and Songhai inhabitants of Gao are known for their gourmet and their hospitality.
 Kidal
 Kidal is pure Sahara, with its chains of beautiful mountains. People live there from livestock and handicrafts production.
 Bamako
Bamako, the capital city is the melting pot of the various ethnic groups of the country. Shady, pleasant and welcoming, Bamako is one of the most traditional African capitals.

 Mysterious Places - virtual tour - Malian magic
Mali is a landlocked country in Western Africa. It is slightly less than twice the size of Texas. Home to mysterious cliff dwellings built by a culture that has vanished in the mists of time. It is believed that the Tellem tribe established the cliff dwellings in the Bandiagara Escarpment before the 14th century. They also established burial sites in the escarpment's caves. The Dogons came to the escarpment in the 14th century to escape from the Muslims. The Dogons are Muslims and animists ........
MysteriousPlaces seeks to give the visitor information, educational materials, and personal observations about the remains of ancient civilizations, sacred sites and unusual locations from around the world.

News from Mali - Malikounda.com 

Climate: Three main seasons
 
oo The rainy season runs between June and October  
oo The cooler season, October to February  
oo The dry season from March to June

Cuisine - Mali Foods / Recipes

 South of the Sahara: Traditional Cooking from the Lands of West Africa 
By Elizabeth A. Jackson
Come and discover the rich and sultry blend of meats, tropical fruits, vegetables, grains, spices and oils that served as the foundation of West African life for centuries. The history of these lands is as rich as the spicy food. Learn about ancient empires and the origins of modern nations as you choose from a selection of 120 tempting dishes.
Paperback 204 pages (June 25, 1999); Publisher: Fantail
The Best of African Cooking 
By Manjase Banda (Author), Esanjam (Producer)
Paperback: 144 pages; Publisher: Esanjam; 2 Revised edition (March 14, 2007); Language: English; ISBN-10: 0954682130; ISBN-13: 978-0954682132
 African Recipes

History of Mali

Mali owes its name to the prestigious Empire of Mali, which, according to historians, was the most powerful state of Africa, south Sahara, in the middle ages. Mali became part of the French West Africa by the end of the 19th century. Prior to independence from France in 1960, Mali was known as the French Sudan.

Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France)

 Mali's History - see Wikipedia
Mali is the cultural heir to the succession of ancient African empires -- Ghana, Malinke, and Songhai -- that occupied the West African savanna. These empires controlled Saharan trade and were in touch with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern centers of civilization...
 Mali empire - see Wikipedia
Mali Empire, centered around Timbuktu. Mali grew famous due to their immense riches obtained through trade with the Arabic world, and the legendary pilgrimage of Mansa Musa to Mecca.
 Mansa Kankan Musa I or Mansa Musa [[1]] a 14th century king of the Mali Empire. He is remembered for his fabled hajj and as a benefactor of Islamic scholarship.
 Songhai_Empire [ Wikipedia ]
From the early 15th to the late 16th century, the Songhai Empire was one of the largest African empires in history. This empire was centered around the city of Gao, and its base of power was on the bend of the Niger river in present-day Niger and Burkina Faso.
 Empires of Medieval West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhay - Great Empires of the Past 
By David C. Conrad
Drawing on a rich oral tradition, numerous trips to the region, and the latest scholarship available on this important but little-studied era, scholar and author David Conrad explores the people, places, and ideas that made up this trio of empires. Connections to life today include the continuing impact of Islam and tribal groups in Africa, and the influence of the medieval traditions on modern music and cuisine.
Hardcover 128 pages (April 2005); Publisher: Facts on File Inc,; Language: English; ISBN: 0816055629.
 Peoples of the Middle Niger: The Island of Gold - Peoples of Africa 
Roderick McIntosh
This book provides the first comprehensive history of the peoples of the Middle Niger written by an English -speaking scholar. "The Island of Gold" was the medieval Muslim and later European name for a fabled source of gold and other tropical riches. Although the floodplain of the Niger river lies far from the goldfields, the mosaic of peoples along the Middle Niger created a wealth in grain, fish and livestock that supported some of Africa's oldest cities, including Timbuktu. These ancient cities of the region that came to be known as Western Sudan were founded without outside stimulation and their inhabitants long resisted the coercive, centralized state that characterized the origins of earliest towns elsewhere. In this book, Roderick James McIntosh uses the latest archeological and anthropological research to provide a bold overview of the distant origins of life for the inhabitants of the Middle Niger, and an explanation for their social evolution. He shows, for instance, the difficulties the peoples faced in adapting to an unpredictable climate, and how their particular social organization determined the unusual nature of their responses to that change. Throughout the book oral traditions are integrated into the story, providing vivid insights into the inhabitants' complex culture and belief systems.
Hardcover 384 pages (August 23, 1998); Publisher: Blackwell Publishers; Language: English; ISBN: 0631173617

Music, Art & Culture, Events & Entertainment

 Music of Mali [ Wikipedia ]
Mande music [ Bamana, Mandinka, Maninka ], Jeliw (Griots) [ Traditional instruments ], Popular music [ Post -independence, Roots revival / Bajourou, Mid-70s diversification, Exodus ], 1980s [ Wassoulou ], 1990s to present, Tuareg Music
 La Rythme de la Parole - Musical conversations between Iran, South India and Mali
Accords Croisés ac 112 - 113 [ 2 CDd & 1 DVD ] - see Accords Croisés

 Sundiata: Epic of Old Mali  - D.T. Niane
This text gives an insight into the legends, customs, value systems and wisdoms of historical Africa.
Paperback 112 pages (April 18, 1995); Publisher: Longman; Language: English; ISBN: 0582264758

 Independence Day, September 22
  Mali's Festival in the Desert - world music and Tuareg culture festival
One-of-a-kind festival, modeled on traditional gatherings and celebrations of the Tuareg people, the "Blue Men of the Desert". It features musicians from Mali, Mauritania, Niger and many other countries worldwide.
It is also an opportunity to interact with the Tuareg people, as it is their event, and the festivities will include traditional singing, dancing, swordplay, camel races and artisans' exhibits.
The festival is held in the desert oasis Essakane, 65 kilometers from Timbuktu. See Saga Tours and for a slide show BBC.

Web Portals / Search Engine / Directory

 Embassy of Mali in the US, Washington DC
Key data, Maps, Sights and Attractions, Travel tips, Hotels, Restaurants
 BBC Country Profile Mali
 Malinet.net - Le mali sur le Net
 Pro Mali
Une initiative de la Fédération Nationale des Artisans du Mali (FNAM), pour la promotion et le développement des entreprises maliennes 

 Yahoo Mali Directories 


 Reiswijs USA is not responsible for the content of external internet sites