REPUBLIC OF MALI (continued)
Distances
Sample Itineraries
Travel-Shoppers
Many visitors include Mali as part of a larger West Africa itinerary (Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Guinea). If you're visiting Mali for only a week, chances are you will have six to seven days to quickly visit a few places in Mali - usually Timbuktu, Djenne, Mopti, and Bandiagara (Dogon country). That's a shame because there is so much more to see and do in Mali.
In this section we identify several places you may want to include in your Mali travel adventure, including distances, travel times, and recommended itineraries.
DISTANCES
Mali's major destinations are within a one- to two-day drive from Bamako along a combination of paved and unpaved roads. Distances and estimated driving time between major destinations include:
| From | To | Distance
Kilometers (Miles) | Ferry
Crossing | Time |
|---|
| Bamako | Sikasso | 375 (235) | No | 4 hours |
| Bamako | Segou | 235 (150) | No | 3 hours |
| Bamako | Djenne | 570 (355) | Yes | 7+ hours |
| Bamako | Mopti | 640 (400) | No | 7 hours |
| Segou | Djenne | 332 (205) | No | 3 hours |
| Segou | Mopti | 405 (250) | No | 4 hours |
| Sevare | Mopti | 12 (8) | No | 15 minutes |
| Mopti | Bandiagara | 75 (50) | No | 30 minutes |
| Mopti | Sangha | 120 (75) | No | 2 hours |
| Mopti | Djenne | 130 (80) | Yes | 1.5 hours |
| Mopti | Timbuktu | 550 (345) | Yes | 6 hours |
Waiting time at ferry crossings can take anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes, depending on the location and your time of arrival with other competing vehicles. The longest ferry ride will be the Niger River crossing near Timbuktu.
Ferries can usually accommodate from 10 to 25 vehicles. Be sure to check hours of crossing. Many ferries stop operation at 5:00 or 6:00 PM.
SAMPLE ITINERARIES
Mali is not a large country in terms of areas to see. Most major attractions are found in the southern and central section of Mali on or near the Niger River. Since the northern desert region has little to offer and poses safety and security issues, you need not include this area in your travel plans.
The major areas of interest to visitors include Bamako, Segou, Mopti, Djenne, Bandiagara (Dogon country), Timbuktu, and Gao.
Most major destinations, which are basically small- to medium-sized cities with limited attractions and shopping opportunities, can be covered in a day or two. When you add driving time, you’ll find a seven- to 10-day stay in Mali may be sufficient to cover most places.
Unless you plan to do lots of trekking and take a slow boat along the Niger River, two weeks in Mali should be more than enough.
If you have only four days in Mali, we recommend doing the following places: Day 1: Bamako
Day 2: Segou, Mopti, and Sevare
Day 3: Djenne
Day 4: Bamako If you have seven days in Mali, consider doing the following:Day 1: Bamako
Day 2: Mopti and Sevare
Day 3: Djenne
Day 4: Dogon Country (Songo/Bandiagara/Sangha)
Day 5: Timbuktu
Day 6: Segou
Day 7: Bamako
If you have 10 days in Mali, you might want to do the following: Days 1-2: Bamako
Day 3: Mopti and Sevare
Days 4-5: Djenne
Days 6-7: Dogon Country (Songo/Bandiagara/Sangha)
Day 8: Timbuktu
Day 9: Segou
Day 10: Bamako
If you have 14 days in Mali, consider including the following placees: Days 1-2: Bamako
Day 3: Mopti and Sevare
Days 4-5: Djenne
Days 6-8: Dogon Country (Songo/Bandiagara/Sangha)
Day 9: Gao
Day 10: Timbuktu
Day 11: Segou
Day 12: Sikasso
Days 13-14: Bamako
When planning to visit Djenne, try to arrive Sunday night so you will be there for the large and colorful Monday market, which takes place around the grand mosque. This is one of the highlights of visiting Djenne.
If you are planning to visit Mali during January or February, consider attending one of the musical festivals, which could add another three days to your trip.
For more detailed information on various trips and itineraries in Mali, including festival tours at Timbuktu and Segou, we recommend checking out the various programs offered by Saga Tours: www.sagatours.com. Their informative website includes many sound recommendations for both short- and long-term visits to Mali.
TRAVEL-SHOPPERS
If you enjoy shopping, you'll want to focus much of your travel time on exploring the many markets and street shops of Bamako, Mopti, Djenne, and Timbuktu as well as visit a few street shops in Sevare and Segou. These are Mali's major shopping destinations that yield a wide variety of arts, crafts, jewelry, antiques, music, and souvenirs.
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