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I'm planning to go to Burkina Faso and Mali for more or less 2 months in May this year ( I know, it's probably not the best time to go, but well...). I'll definitely go to Dogon Country, Timbuktu and ?. Has anybody been there and can give me advice as to where to go, what to see and not to see etc.?

Thanks a lot!

I was in both Mali and Burkina Faso in the late fall of 2001.

In Mali: see Djenné, Timbuktu, and Dogon country. Vists to all three can be arranged in Mopti/Sevaré. Sevaré is a smaller town near Mopti, and is where I stayed.

From Mopti, it's about four hours to Djenné by Bush Taxi, or Taxi Brousse. A Bush Taxi is just about any vehicle that is pressed into service, but usually is a pickup or Peugeot 444 station wagon. Go for the Peugeot! You'll still be packed in, but you'll be much more comfortable than in the pickup! Ask for the quatre cent quatre. Go on the weekly market day. I've forgotten the day, but any guide book will tell you.

You have to be patient to take a Taxi Brousse -- they only leave when they're full.

For Timbuktu, I took the "Big Boat" up the Niger from Mopti. It takes three and a half days, and is a wonderful journey. I bought a second-class ticket for a four-person cabin. I bought a ticket by myself, but the ticket office bunked me with other tourists (which was fine). The cabins were simple, but comfy enough -- the latrines got a little stinky after a couple of days, though! The boat doesn't leave daily (or return), so you'll have to have some patience and flexibility for this option as well.

For Dogon country, I recommend a guide who speaks Dogon. Be careful: every Amadou and Mammadou on the street will offer his services, especially if you're a woman, and most are sketchy characters. I recommend Djoliba Travel in Mopti. My guide was Assou. I believe their info is in the latest LP guide. They're a a very competent, professional operation. Assou was a wonderful guide, very informative and speaks fluent Dogon. The escarpment in the Dogon area is gorgeous!

For Burkina Faso: go to Bobo Dialassou (usually shortened to just Bo Bo). Have dinner at the restaurant run by Austrian nuns. Go to a local music club.

Sorry, all I have time for now. Feel free to PM me with questions!

Hi!

thanks a lot for, this is really helpful! I'm already quite excited...
Just a couple more questions:
Have you by any chance made a desert-trip from Timbuktu?
And money money money: How much did you take, what do you think would be the minimum for 2 months?
I'll probably travel by myself - did you go by yourself and was that somehow problematic???
Hoping to hear from you - THANKS!

Quiepou

Alas, no, I did not make a desert trip from Timbuktu. Djoliba travel had arranged for me to do a trek in Dogon country with a couple of German fellas -- I had asked if they could put me with another group to cut my costs. I had met the guys before getting on the boat to Timbuktu, and I knew we'd get along great (and we did!), but that really cut into my time in Timbuktu because I had to be back in time to start the trek (the guys were on a very short trip).

However, several folks I met on the boat DID do a desert trip, and they had a fantastic time. I've recently gotten back in touch with a Canadian couple who did that trip. If you like, I can see if they'd be amenable to me passing on their email address.

And money, hmmm...keep in mind that my information is four years old. I also have a hard time remembering specific costs after several years. I do remember that accomodation, food, and transportation were very cheap -- I think my daily costs for those things were around $10 per day.

Special things, like the Dogon trek and a desert trip, will add to your costs -- but they're worth it. I did a four day trek in Dogon country and I think it was something like...oh, $50, $60/day? Sorry, my memory is sketchy on that.

When I was in Mali in '01, there was only one ATM in the country, in Bamako. Traveler's checks were also hard to cash. So, I withdrew a sizable amount in Bamako, where I started, distributed it between my shoulder bag, money belt, and pack, and was my own bank for my entire time in Mali. That's not my preferred way to travel, but it seemed the best option at the time. There may be more ATM's now.

I'm not sure what level of comfort and luxury you like when you travel, so I'm not sure how to advise you about costs. I stayed in fairly basic hotels.

There's a rough breakdown of price ranges here.

Yes, I traveled by myself -- and I'm a woman. I see from your profile that you are, too. I had a great time in West Africa, but I would say that it presented more challenges to me as a woman traveling alone than any other part of the world I've visited. More on that in a second...

This is important...do you speak French??? I have the blessing/curse of being able to pick up languages quickly, after a short course of study -- but I lose them just as quickly. I took two semesters of conversational French before starting my RTW trip which included Mali and Burkina Faso. That trip kicked off with a month in France, so I also had that time to practice. When I was in Francophone West Africa, I was able to communicate in French, albeit at a fairly basic level. Still, I could make myself understood and could understand others -- if they spoke slowly. If you don't speak French, I think it will be harder to travel independently in these countries. Still, I've traveled in many countries where I didn't speak the language -- so it's doable.

Now then, about being a solo woman in Mali...there seems to be a widespread view of foreign women in Mali as walking sources of both money and sex. I was certainly the focus of attention and had an entourage of young Malian men wherever I went in Mali -- except Bamako. Whenever I left my hotel, or arrived in a town by bus or bush taxi, I was besieged by offers of guide services. And, by the way, this was even though I dressed very conservatively, always in sleeves and long pants or skirts.

You see...hmmm, how to explain this (sorry, I have the flu and am fuzzy-headed!). Though I was told that many local men find foreign women very exciting...they don't show it. They don't leer or catcall or whistle...or touch. There was never any groping, pinching, or even the "brushing" that I experienced a few times in India. The men in Mali were always very hands off and even respectful...they're just ALWAYS THERE.

I found the best way to deal with this by accident. When I decided to tour Mopti, I stepped out of the bush taxi and was besieged. One older man, gray-haired, outshouted the rest and said, "You should pick ME to be your guide. You should pick ME!" When I asked him why, he said, "Because I will keep all the other guides away from you!" I laughed and said, "You're hired!" And he was a fantastic guide! Oh, one thing about the would-be guides -- most of them have picked up a fair amount of English.

After that, I simply relented and chose a guide whenever I arrived in a place -- but I chose either young boys or old men. I had boys as guides in both Djenne and Timbuktu, and had great experiences both times.

The worst experience I had anywhere occurred in Mali. A guide I'd turned down for Dogon country tracked me down, in another town, lied to me, told me I was in trouble, intimidated me, and had me in tears. Luckily, I was able to shake him off quickly and disprove his lies (he said that I had skipped out on a hotel bill and was in trouble with the police, that my bags had been thrown out on the street). Still, while extremely unpleasant, that was only emotional intimidation -- he never even got close to me.

So, I think you'll be fine by yourself. Just keep your wits about you, and listen to your intuition. I think both Mali and Burkina Faso are very safe to travel in!

Hey!

I hadn't checked my e-mails for a while... God, really, thanks a lot for this huge amount of useful information! I have to say, I can't wait to finally start...

Yes, I do speak some French, although the last time I went to francophone Africa (Benin and very briefly Burkina) it took me a while to get used to the African pronounciation - but I don't worry so much about this, I'll make myself understood somehow...

I've read a little about trekking in Dogon Country - sometimes it sounded as if you'd have to be a semi-professional climber to do all the ups and downs?
May I ask you what kind of equipment you took along - shoes, cloths, light sleeping bag, camping mat?

Puh, questions, questions, questions... Are you planning to go travelling somewhere in the near future?
Anyway, thanks a lot for your time and help - this is super-useful!

Best
Stella

I'm not in the world's best shape at all and I could climb up and down the escarpment in the Dogon country. It's steep and the route we took definitely required some boulder climbing, but it wasn't that bad. It is beautiful. We didn't take anything special along - it was mid-December and got a little chilly at night but nothing a long-sleeved shirt couldn't handle. The guide made the sleeping arrangements which included a sleeping mat on the roof but make all that clear before you set off.

And I agree with Mini Manta on the men thing - I was traveling with my fiancé and my mother and still got a lot of attention from men both in Senegal and Mali. One driver asked my mother if I needed company for the night, she said no, that I was with the guy I was holding hands with. The driver barely missed a beat and asked her if she needed company, but when she turned him down too he just shrugged and went on. Never did I feel unsafe and threats of violence are low, but if the presence of a fiancé didn't stop them from being persistent then I can only imagine what kind of attention you'd get on your own. You probably already know this but remember is that it is NOT OK in West African (Muslim) culture for men to touch you so don't put up with any grabbiness. Anyone who tries that is way overstepping the bounds and the local women should support you if you want to call someone on it. Using common sense, of course.

quote:

Originally posted by irishpdx:
I'm not in the world's best shape at all and I could climb up and down the escarpment in the Dogon country. It's steep and the route we took definitely required some boulder climbing, but it wasn't that bad.

I have to echo irishpdx's comments. I'm about the world's worst trekker -- clumsy, slow, and short of wind -- though I've never let that stop me, and I could handle the escarpment with few problems. There were some rocky scrambles, and I fell a couple of times, but I wouldn't call it very difficult overall.

I brought hiking boots with me (I always do, because I have weak ankles), but if you're sure-footed, you could probably manage the trek in trainers. I also had a light sleeping bag, which was needed for sleeping on roofs. As irishpdx said, the sleeping mats were provided, but check this out. Also, for Mali and Burkina in general, I'd advise bringing a mosquito net if you plan to stay in budget accomodations. Most of the places I stayed didn't provide them. I bought one in the market in Bamako, and gave it away later.

quote:

Originally posted by irishpdx:
Never did I feel unsafe and threats of violence are low... You probably already know this but remember is that it is NOT OK in West African (Muslim) culture for men to touch you so don't put up with any grabbiness. Anyone who tries that is way overstepping the bounds and the local women should support you if you want to call someone on it.

These are also very good points.

Regarding clothes: loose, light, and breatheable are my watchwords for hot places. I like button-down shirts, cotton or cotton-blend, and nylon-blend long pants. I still have a long, cotton print wrap-skirt that I bought in Mali that is brilliant for travel -- sheds dust and dirt like magic. I'm a big believer in covering up in conservative cultures: I think it's not only prudent, but respectful. I also believe that a loose blouse and lightweight pants or skirt will keep you cooler than a tight strappy top and shorts, but many female backpackers have disagreed with me on that one.

Oh, to answer the question you posed, Quiepuo, I'm planning a trip through China, Mongolia, Russia, a bit of central Asia, Turkey, and hopefully more, but I won't have the money together for a couple of years.

I'm also thinking of going to Mali and Burkina Faso in january next year, so this is a very interesting thread

Is it fairly easy to meet other travellers in Mopti or elsewhere to team up for a trip through the Dogon country?

quote:

Originally posted by seraphim:
Is it fairly easy to meet other travellers in Mopti or elsewhere to team up for a trip through the Dogon country?

I'd say, that yes, it's fairly easy to meet other travellers in Mopti/Sevaré. However, here are a couple of things to consider: first, a large number of the other travellers I met were on overland tours; second, while there *are* other independent travellers around, especially in Mopti/Sevaré or Djenne, I think that Mali is still considered an "off the beaten path" location, so you're going to find far fewer other travelers than in SEA, for example. If you're an easygoing type who gets on with everyone, that won't be a problem. If you're someone whose comfort factor is NOT high with everyone, like me, and you want to be selective for an intimate trip like a Dogon trek, then that's something to consider as you're going to have a somewhat small pool from which to choose.

If you can find some way of plugging into the expat/relief worker community in Mali, I think that would greatly increase your chances of finding others who might want to do a Dogon trek. I found that, by far, most of the foreigners in Mali are working and volunteering, not traveling through, and even most of the travelers are workers or volunteers on a break.

Also, are you considering a visit to the Dogon villages without a guide? I know it's possible, but I found my experience greatly enhanced by my guide Assou. The traditional exchanges between host and guest in Dogon are beautiful, like singing, and I was glad to have someone there to explain the culture and history and to make sure I made no faux pas.

Again, I found my guide through Djoliba Travel, and I can't recommend them enough.

I would prefer to do it with a guide I think. That's why I would want to team up with others, as I assume that would make it cheaper. But I really haven't done any research on practical matters yet, just looked into some places I would want to go to, and a Dogon trek is on top of my list.