Mali

Timbuktu

A land of rivers, deserts, and slowly decaying cities, built at a time when Mali was the centre of one of the world's richest empires. The trade in gold and salt mined in the Sahara bought untold riches to the land for a thousand years, until it was invaded by Morocco in the 16 th century.

Most of the main centres are along the Niger River , which traverses the country. From Bamako , with its bustling markets and unending street music, to the gateway to the Sahara at Timbuktu , this is a land like no other in Africa . Along the river route are gems such as Djenne, with its amazing mosque – officially the largest mud built building in the world. In the south, along the hundred miles of the Bandiagara escarpment, is Dogon country. Now sadly becoming quite touristy, it's a land with timeless appeal, friendly people, and villages little changed in centuries.