Has anyone here been to Timbuktu in Mali?
I was just fascinated by this place and it's remoteness. To get there I hear you have to sail down the Niger river. Seems like quite an adventure. How is Mali in terms of political stability. A visit to North Africa is in the back of my mind for next year (2009) which will include Morocco (Tanger, Casablanca, Marakkech) and *maybe* just maybe I will be adventurous enough to go to Timbuktu

Have you tried posting on Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree? You're a lot more likely to find Timbuktu vets there than here.

Friends of mine went to Mali independently about 10 years ago and thought it was fascinating, but they didn't go to Timbuktu. The surface trip there is pretty gruelling, not only because of the time and distance but because of the environment--it's not the kind of thing to do as a lark. Timbuktu has a small airport with flights to Bamako and maybe elsewhere in Mali, which is less of an adventure, except for the fact that flights apparently are unreliable. There's also a pretty small window between the extremely wet season and the extremely hot season, so you'd want to plan for that. Another consideration is how were you thinking of getting to Mali from Morocco.

Regarding safety and political situation, you might start by checking out the travel advice on the UK Foreign Office's site (www.fco.gov.uk) and on the US State Department's site. (The UK's advisories are often considered to be less alarmist--or less cautious, depending on your point of view--than the US's.)

I spent 3 weeks in Mali in November 2006. The first week in Bamako (job-related) and the rest in Timbuktu, Mopti, Djenne, and the Dogon country. We flew from Bamako to Timbuktu and then from Timbuktu to Mopti. Then from Mopti to Djenne,the Dogon, and back to Bamako overland.

Working through a tour operator located in Bamako we hired a guide, driver, and four wheel drive vehicle. Both my friend and I have worked and travelled extensively in developing countries, but the poverty in Mali still can be overwhelming. That said, the country and it's people are wonderful and beautiful.

Depending on your interests Timbuktu can be just a place at the edge of the desert or a great historical center. I suggest looking at the Bradt travel guide for Mali.

If you decide to pursue, let me know and I'll post the name and email of the tour operator.

KT & CVH, thanks for the info CVH, what kind of flights are available from Bamako to Timbuktu? How is Timbuktu airport? Is there any public transport in Timbuktu or do you just walk everywhere??

There are two flights a day from Bamako to Timbuktu. Both are generally booked full. Our tour operator got the tickets. The Timbuktu airport is small -- one runway on the edge of the desert. I can't remember the type of plane. One seat on one side and two on the other-- prop. Baggage has to be under a certain limit. There's no public transportation and it would be hard w/o a guide. There were some looking for work at the airport. Again, our tour operator had arranged for a guide, driver, and 4-wheel drive vehicle. Photo of airport attached-

thanks CVH, that photo was really helpful in giving a perspective