Geographically and historically, Mali is West Africa’s centrepiece: home of one of the continent’s most venerable music traditions; site of some of its oldest indigenous states; location of the giant inland delta of the Niger; site of the dramatic Bandiagara escarpment; location of innumerable, adobe-style mosques; home of camel caravans and desert elephants. And those are just for starters. . .
In short, from the traveller’s point of view it’s a showstopper, and there are more good reasons to visit it than any other country in West Africa. It makes a wonderful country to build a trip around, especially if you’re interested in African culture. . .
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Links we like
Afribone Mali General information and news from Mali – with many useful links, mostly in French.
Kidal.info Lively and informative site devoted to the Kidal region, with an excellent forum for keeping your ear to the ground on safety or otherwise of travel in the northeast.
MaliWeb News, views, links and listings, in French.
Ministere de l’Artisanat et du Tourisme The Office Malien du Tourisme et de l’Hôtellerie.
Visit Gao Mali Perhaps the most comprehensive English-language online resource for travellers to Mali, focusing on a lot more than Gao.
This page last edited 9 June 2011 © Richard Trillo and Emma Gregg
First-Time Africa: know before you go 