Mali Travel Insurance

Timbuktu is a city in Mali, situated 20 km north of the Niger River. Also, Timbuktu marks the end of a heavy trek across the shifting sand dunes of the great Sahara.

With its dusty bazaars of spices and sabers and strange folk ornaments, the city evokes a feeling of mystery and magic, far-reached beauty. Today, Timbuktu is hardly the puzzling enigma of place it once was; but there are traces of the old days. Find them between the crisscrossing grids of sand-caked streets, in the muddy walls of the Sankore Mosque, or underneath the spiked rises of the Djingareiber.

Bamako is the capital and largest city of Mali, located on the Niger River. There’s something undeniably likable about this sprawling metropolis of more than 1.5 million.

Bazaars touting everything from carved folklore figurines to stacks of pungent spices cluster around the street corners. The sun-baked squares create palpable energy and an indestructible lived-in feel. The nightlife pulses to a medley of West African samba; the jazz bars are packed with those who love beer on the weekends; fried plantains sizzle on grills from neighborhood to neighborhood; tuk-tuks purr, and traffic toots.

Mopti, Mali’s main port and a popular tourist destination, is located on the Niger River en route to Timbuktu. Known as the “Venice of Mali,” its bustling riverport offers numerous activities. The city is home to diverse ethnic groups and the Komoguel Mosque, made of dried mud bricks.

Mopti has a hot, semi-arid climate with most rainfall occurring from June to September. December is the hottest month, and January is the coolest. Vegetation mainly consists of grass and shrubs due to the lack of trees. The city’s cultural mix attracts visitors from across the country.