As exotic locations go, for me Timbuktu is right up there along with the likes of Isfahan in Iran, Machu Picchu in Peru and Bukhara in Uzbekistan and when I was asked to “prospect” Mali for the company I was thrilled and jumped at the chance. My first impression of Mali was of the capital Bamako, a pleasant city by African standards with a great Artisans market (selling arts and crafts from all over Mali) and a good hotel pleasantly located on the bank of the River Niger. However, the real treats are further a field and there is only really one main road in Mali and this leads from Bamako all the way through to Mopti in the centre of the country and terminates in Goa on the border with Algeria. I travelled on this road as far as Mopti and my first stop was Segou, which, with its French influence and fertile surrounds, is a hospitable town and an interesting place to overnight. A short detour off the main road is the World Heritage Site of Djenne – an amazingly well –preserved town, which can only be reached via local ferry. The Konboro Mosque dominates the town and it struck me that it could easily be included in a set for an early Flash Gordon episode and as you will read later, this was not the only similarity I found between Mali and Science Fiction. I make sure all our tours are planned around market day in Djenne (Tuesday), which makes the place really come alive.

Mopti is a sort of half way house, to the north is desert and eventually Timbuktu and to the south-east is the Bandiagara escarpment, home to the mysterious Dogon peoples whose unique way of life have fascinated anthropologists for many years. When you witness the thrilling Mask Dance in this region its not hard to imagine that George Lucas must have some how got the influence for some of the more obscure characters in Star Wars from this remote part of the West Africa as the masks are quite unique with many fascinating designs and sizes. The journey to Timbuktu has to be made by road; it is such a remote outpost, that to arrive by air would diminish its importance as one of the most famous places in the entire world. It takes 8 hour to get there from Mopti using 4WD vehicle and for the last 60 miles you are literally crossing the desert, the drivers instinctively knowing the way, as there is no obvious route to follow. Once you arrive, you are greeted by your Tuareg guide, initially fearsome looking with all but his face covered to protect him from the wind and the sand of the desert, but as soon as he smiles this harshness disappears and his true warmth and hospitality shines through. Timbuktu will not disappoint and there is even the opportunity to visit the tourist office to have your passport stamped with an “official” stamp – beats buying the t-shirt!

Mali has not yet been touched by mass tourism but it certainly has the potential and I would urge anyone interested in going to do so sooner rather than later as it is a very special place to visit.