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Guide for dating in Mali helps you to meet the best girls. This dating guide gives you tips how to date Malian women. You will learn rules where and how to flirt with local Malinese girls. We advise how to move from casual dating to the relationship and find the real love. We also tell the best dating sites in Mali. In this article below you will find more information where to meet and date girls in Mali, Africa.

Party at the Le Byblos club in Mali


Girls in Mali:

  • Looks of girls: 4.5 / 5
  • Attitude of girls: 4 / 5
  • Loyalty of girls: 4 / 5
  • Education level of girls: 4 / 5

Dating in Mali:

  • Chance of arranging dates: 4 / 5
  • Casual dating culture: 4 / 5
  • Online dating popularity: 3 / 5

Sex in Mali:

  • Women's sexual activity: 3.5 / 5
  • One-night stands: 3 / 5

More about Mali:

  • Nightlife in general: 4.5 / 5
  • Locals' English level: 3 / 5
  • Budget per day: US$50 - $100
  • Accommodation: US$20 - $71

Dating

Endless opportunities and possibilities, Mali is one of the biggest countries in Africa and your chances to meet with hotties over there are pretty amazing. With different cultures, character traits as well as virtues you will come across many women from different types of family backgrounds. This will make choosing ladies easy throughout the different cities of Mali. One of the common traits that you will get in most of the ladies over here is loyalty. If you show her respect, then she will make sure that she is taking good care of you.

Apart from that, the family also plays a crucial role in the cities of Mali, life a girl is dating you then the family will first scrutinize you and then approve of you. If you somehow fail to impress them then unfortunately you will have to bid a farewell to your interesting and happening relationship. Jaw-dropping and mesmerizing beauties of Mali will certainly take your breath away. Probably, due to this reason, tourists from around the globe visit different cities of Mali to date them and taste the flavor of dating the African girls.

Their way of talking and their bodies will blow your mind. All these reasons have made Mali, one of the popular countries in Africa.

Dating Culture

You will meet single girls and women from different cultural backgrounds which means the dating culture is quite liberal. If you have the right skills and you think that you are a player, then no one can stop you from meeting some outstanding ladies here. Want hookups, don’t worry as ladies over here are quite easy to convince if you can do sweet talking. In case, you successfully impress the girl you can then plan for your next step and make it a dream come true romance.

But it is best not to plan for long term relationships since it will just complicate things instead of doing any good. The sweet memories which the girls will give you shall remain as the best days of your life for sure. In addition to that, you see a variety of girls which means a whole bunch of options. Every day you will get the opportunities and once you get satisfied you can simply switch.

Life over there is quite interesting and glamorous. So, your chances of getting bored are almost zero. What else do you need when you have a chilled out atmosphere and sexy beauties all around you? In the cities of Mali, the concept of one night stands, and hookups are no longer a taboo and sex has become quite casual. In fact, many unmarried couples stay together.

Most of the girls are pretty modern and are always ready to try out new things which will certainly spice up your dating experience. But, a barrier is certainly there that you should be aware of before you jump right into the dating spree. Girls in Mali are quite particular about their race and they never date anyone outside their racial group. This does not hold true for everyone and girls are now finding foreigners a good choice to date.

Even though the place has an open culture, too much public display of affection is frowned upon. But, if you arrange your date outside your house, then you can explore, and enjoy various things and places throughout the cities of Mali. Kissing in public or showing any kind of love affection is something that you should refrain from.


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Online Dating

Dating in Mali can be a bit tricky due to not knowing if you have a solid connection, so your best bet is to sign up for a dating site before you venture to the night club or bar, so you can meet a few locals ahead of time. AdultFriendFinder.com lets you meet local members in Mali and get to know them on a personal basis before you meet in person. Take advantage of site features like live chat and member to member webcams so you can begin flirting before arranging a face-to-face meeting.

Webcam Dating

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Women

Even though over here you will meet single girls and women from different cultural backgrounds, yet the dating culture here is quite liberal. If you have the right skills and you think that you are a player, then no one can stop you from meeting some outstanding ladies here. Want hookups, don’t worry as ladies over here are quite easy to convince if you can do sweet talking. In case, you successfully impress the girl you can then plan for your next step to take it to a dream come true romance.

But it is best not to plan for long term relationships since it will just complicate things instead of doing any good. Moreover, if you can do everything in just a casual relationship then why complicate things. The sweet memories which the girls will give you shall remain as the best days of your life for sure. In addition to that, you will get a variety of girls which means a whole plate decorated with your desires. Every day you will get the opportunities and once you get satisfied you can simply switch.

The cities in Mali are filled with angles from heaven and life over there is quite interesting and glamorous. So, your chances of getting bored are almost zero. What else do you need when you have a chilled out atmosphere and sexy beauties all around you?In the cities of Mali, the concept of one night stands, and hookups are no longer a taboo and sex has become quite casual.

In fact, many unmarried couples stay together in the cities of Mali. Also, most of the girls over there have modern thoughts and are always ready to try out new things which will certainly spice up your dating experience. But, a barrier is certainly there that you should be aware of before you jump right into the dating spree.

Girls in Mali are quite particular about their race and they never date anyone outside their racial group. But, times have become modern and people easily accept it. Even though the cities have an open culture, still publicly showing any love gestures or affection is a clear no. But, if you arrange your date outside your house, then you can explore, and enjoy various things and places throughout the cities of Mali. Kissing in public or showing any kind of love affection is something that you should refrain from.

Malian Girls (age 18 - 29)

Want to explore the young beauties of Africa, then considering girls from eighteen to twenty- five is undoubtedly one of the best choices as they are mostly studying in colleges or universities and beginning their careers. If you want to meet them then it is best to hang around the cubs or the universities. Most of these girls are undoubtedly stunning and sexy.

But, before you start with your sweet-talking, make sure to find out about them so that your dating experience can become smooth. The reason behind this is because girls of this age look forward to trying out different things and so chances are there that she left you hanging. With the girls of this age group, you will be able to experience an adrenaline rush and adventurous life. But if you are more into mature ladies then this might not be the space for you.

Next comes the age group of twenty-six to twenty-nine and girls of this age mostly lookout for husbands. It is quite natural that women who have been working for four to five years will be looking forward to settling at some point in time. Apart from that, women of this age lookout for a lot of other things such as emotional stability, financial contribution as well as other necessary things necessary for planning a family.

Women and girls who fall under this age category are considered as the hottest ones and Mali is considered as the haven where you will get to meet sexy students as well as young working women. Along with that, you also will get the opportunity to meet thousands of foreign students who come over here to study.

If you are looking forward to building an extremely spicy sexual relationship, especially from this age category, then the field is all yours. The wave of liberalism present in this age group will let you explore some of the new dating experiences that will change your game plan forever. In case, you are looking forward to casual sex or one night stands then this age group is just the right choice for you.

Malinese Women (age 30 - 45)

Women in this age group are mostly the mature ones who are either divorced or someone who is looking forward to building a strong and striking career. Also, these women live alone which means a better chance and situation to make things work efficiently. If you are interested in such women, then you will have to make up your mind about the fact that the relationships are not going to last for long.

By any means, if you try to make things permanent, then the culture will frown upon such relationships. But, if both of you want to continue the relationship then nothing should come in your way and stop you. Always discuss the problems as well as the future situations that might arise before you decide to make it permanent.

Malian Ladies (age 45+)

If you have a fetish to date, mature ladies, then you will have to consider certain things as it takes extreme guile. Africa culture mostly the older women do not like to involve in any kind of sexual interaction or one night stands. Moreover, you will have to respect older women whenever you talk to them. The practice is still prevalent in both the black as well as mixed-race communities.

Women of this age group lookout for short term relationships and flings. If you are interested in dating older women and do not want to make it permanent, then women of this age group are just the right match. If you want, you can take the help of the dating apps and mention your requirements over there. In this way, you will be able to get your perfect match for sure. Women mostly of this age remain active on dating sites.

Foreign Girls (tourists, expats, students, etc.)

Since Africa has the advantage of easy exchange rates, most of the Europeans choose to visit the different countries of Africa for a holiday. This is also one of the major reasons behind the tourist influx every year from the U.S as well as Asia. Many tourists even start using dating apps as soon as they land in Mali. Most of the universities and colleges in Mali offer exclusive exchange programs and due to this reason, the country swaps students from various countries. This means that you have endless possibilities to meet the gorgeous foreign beauties in Mali.

Apart from that, around the universities and colleges, you will find many nightclubs and pubs where you can meet the hot babes from foreign. They will make your dating experience even better. If you are a sucker for international beauties, then these places will certainly turn out to be your dreamland. Hooking up with foreign girls is certainly a good idea especially if you are looking forward to short term relationships.

Sex

In spite of the fact Mali is filled with some of the busiest cities and towns, you can still fulfill your dream to get laid with the hotties of Mali. If you have already landed in Mali and want to experience the happening sex life over there, then listed below are few things that can let you fulfill your unquenched thirst for enjoying the bewildering sex life of Mali.

  • Visit the bars: You must have already understood that the women and girls in Mali are quite modern and quite straightforward. Instead of wandering here and there, it is best to visit the bars and nightclubs. Cities like Mopti, Djenne, Bamkamo feature some of the glamorous nightclubs and bars where you can meet hot and single women who are open to one night stands and hookups. You can simply approach them and once they start showing interest in you, just ask her out.
  • Dating apps help: Girls in Mali are tech-savvy and so you will find them on various dating websites easily. Various dating apps are available and you have to set your preference and your dating game is on.
  • Make sure that you are confident enough: Found a perfect girl to take her out on a date? Keep in mind to be relaxed and confident enough with every move that you are taking. This will help you to get laid with her. Also, she will not feel that you are too desperate.
  • Proper dress up is important: Women always appreciate men who have classic dressing sense, which means to be minimalistic yet fashionable. Girls in Mali are very much particular about any men. Your chances of getting a girl will be high only if you have the skills to dress up properly. Make sure that you wear a tuxedo along with a bow-tie to make your look more put together.
  • Look inviting: You have to keep in mind about the fact that your whole plan is to have hookups and one night stand with any lady. For that, you will have to be inviting so that girls take interest in you.
  • Stay out till late night: Roaming around the late-night on various city streets till three or four will certainly help you get a woman of your choice with whom you can involve in various physical pursuits.

Some of the places where you can meet thousands of single and hot ladies who would be happily indulging in various sexual activities are

  • Great Mosque of Djenne
  • Tomb of Askia
  • Mali National Park
  • Djinguereber Mosque
  • VIP Night
  • The Mask
  • Nightclub le Benabo

Sex Culture

The sex culture in Mali is quite natural and women are quite open to sex, casual dates, as well as one night stands, is a common scenario. In fact, involving in various sexual activities without love is a cool quotient for girls over there. Young girls as well as women in Mali constantly lookout for men who can actively participate in sexual activities and fulfill their desires without any kind of emotional attachments.

This is quite normal in the cities of Mali and the reason behind this is because ladies mostly remain busy with their life. Involving in permanent relationships is complete since these girls have the tendency to enjoy and experience highs of life.

One-Night Stands

Mali is quite a liberal country and here sex without any kind of heart-to-heart to attachment is quite a common scenario. So, if one-night is your thing then you will certainly have the best time of life. Sweet talking along with a sense of humor is all you need to impress a girl, and you can have a rocking night.

You can either choose to spend the night at the hotels or the resorts or the bars and clubs can be your aisle. None of the girls will hesitate to indulge in physical pursuits if you look seductively charming. If you are a beast in bed, then girls would die to indulge in sexual activities easily.

Best Places to Meet Single Girls

Mali has a huge population, which makes it easy for you to find out a lot of single, hot, and attractive ladies. Even though convincing them is quite tough, once you get successful in convincing them, then you can have the best time of your life over there.

The cities of Mali are filled with atrocious African as well as foreign beauties with a perky and petite body, which will certainly blow your minds. All you need is to go out and socialize with them so that they can take an interest in you. Few places where you can meet the beauties of Mali are.

  • Coffee shops: Coffee shops are undoubtedly one of the best places to meet single ladies and the reason behind this is because such places are considered hotspots. Once you enter into the various coffee shops spread throughout the different cities of Mali, you will find that people catch up here to spend some casual time with their friends. Apart from that, many single and hot ladies gather here as well. In case you are interested in working women, you can even find them here as well.
  • The gymnasium: Yet another hotspot where you can find thousands of beautiful and young babes. Women in Mali have a fetish for maintaining their perky figure and due to this reason, they often visit gyms. Even though you might not find them regularly, you can meet a few women who are like-minded and approach them for going out on a date with you.
  • Book stores: Women in Mali are real book lovers and they take great interest in knowing about the world. So, book stores can be your place for meeting thousands of single ladies and attractive women who are quite open to the concept of casual dating as well as one night stands.
  • Parks: Even after having a busy day and hectic life most women and girls love spending time away from the hustle and bustle of the cities. Due to this reason, they visit nearby parks. You will either find them relaxing in the park or enjoying reading books. Most of them stay in a good mood, and you can definitely approach them, and once they start taking interest in you can simply ask her out for a coffee.
  • Dating websites: One of the best and most effective places where you can meet thousands of hot and attractive ladies in the country. Mali is the paradise of marvelous beauties. Your search for the hotties will become easy, and you can directly meet them face to face once your date gets fixed. All you have to do is sign up on the websites and start finding your perfect match.

Bars, Pubs and Nightclubs

Cities of Mali are lively and due to this reason, you will find that the cities remain busy throughout the day. If you are someone who never gets off exploring, you can certainly explore some of the glamorous and popular bars spread throughout the cities. Rooftop terraces to beer pubs, you can dive into the glitz and glam of the country. Starting from cheap drink joints to fancy cocktail bars, you will find almost anything you call for.

Also, these places are one of the best places to meet some of the atrocious beauties of the country. The bars and the nightclubs are absolutely stunning, and along with the DJ clubs, cocktail bars to the after-hour spots, everything makes your work easy to find the right girl for you. Some of the popular bars and nightclubs found in Mali are.

  • Le Byblos (Bamako): Bamako is one of the popular cities in Mali and it comes live once the sunsets. If you want to enjoy the glamorous vibes of the city, then make sure to visit the bar especially during the weekends. Visit the bar as the clock strikes midnight to groove throughout the night. Also, you will be able to meet some of the mind-blowing beauties of Mali over here. Whatever your choice is from African beauties to foreign goddesses, you will come across any girl of your choice over here. Approach her, tap feet with her and once everything seems smooth, you can take her to any hotel to have some memorable nights.
  • Bla Bla Bar (Bamako): This is one of the most glamorous as well as sophisticated bars in Mali. Want to meet some of the atrocious beauties of Mali, make sure to visit this bar, especially during the weekends. Music, drinks, ambiance, everything will certainly make your holidays better and fun-filled. If you are in search of ladies to spend some fun night, then also you can get them here. Late night is the perfect time to meet the gorgeous beauties here. All you have to do is give them some signs so that they can take an interest in you and your work will be done in no time.
  • The Mask (Ouagadougou): Yet another one of the most popular nightclubs in Mali where you can spend some quality time with delicious foods and exotic drinks. Want to make your nights even more happening? Then do not forget to check out the beauties who regularly visit the nightclub. You will come across thousands of single ladies and girls who are eager to meet men, and hang out with them or maybe indulge in some casual hookups and one night stands.
  • Queen nightclub (Ouagadougou): Nightclubs are always the best places if you want to explore the wild yet glamorous side of any city. You will come across plenty of popular nightclubs where you can have drinks, dance with the music, and even meet some of the petite beauties. Queen nightclub is one such nightclub, which can be your paradise for meeting hot beauties. You can hang around with them, dance, or even take her to any hotel to enjoy some wild nights.

Shopping Malls

Mali is popular for its world-class shopping experience. Over here you will find some of the popular shopping malls as well as markets where you can easily spot some young and hot beauties. Starting from the latest trends outfits to the food outlets, you will get anything and everything over here. Even though the daytime does not remain crowded, it is still best to find some hot and marvelous beauties of Mali during the evening. Some of the popular shopping malls found in Mali are.

Apart from indulging in shopping, you can also approach some of the young ladies, take her out on coffee dates. Most women you will meet in the shopping malls lookout for men who are interested in short term relationships. So, if you are looking for long term relationships, then this is certainly not the place for you.

Here you will meet women and girls who are interested in one night stands and casual relationships. It is better to avoid being too desperate, otherwise, your chances will be less. Take things slowly, take to her, appreciate her and once she seems interested, ask her out. Some of the popular shopping places where you can meet attractive beauties are

  • L’Epicerie de Maya
  • Bamako Artisan Market
  • Bamako City Centre Market
  • Jeunesse Couture

Outdoors

Apart from the nightclubs and shopping malls, Mali is famous for the country’s rich culture and heritage. The cities in Mali are some of the popular destinations for enjoying dancing, theatre, various festivals, fashion, and lots more. No matter what kind of outdoor activity you crave for, the country has everything in store for you.

Starting from some nice and peaceful tourist place to some must experience adrenaline rush amusement park, you will definitely enjoy the outdoor activities in Mali. Apart from that, you can also meet some of the outstanding beauties of Mali in these tourist spots as well. Some of the best outdoor places where you can meet thousands of hot beauties are listed below.

  • Mopti: If you are addicted to shopping, then do not forget to visit this town where you can meet thousands of popular ethnic groups like Tuareg, Shanghai, Fulani, etc. for selling delicious foods as well as spices, textile materials, etc. Apart from that, if you want to meet some of the attractive ladies, then Mopti is yet another undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places to meet thousands of attractive and hot babes of the country.
  • Cliff of Bandiagara: Also, known as the ‘Land of Dogons’, Cliff of Bandiagara yet another one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mali. The reason behind its popularity is due to the Dogons who used to live in this place. If you are visiting Mali just to meet young African beauties, then make sure to visit this amazing place. Tourist attractions are always the best place to meet thousands of attractive women and nothing can be better than this. In addition to that, if you are interested in foreigners then you can certainly meet thousands of hot and attractive foreigners.
  • Djenne: This is yet another most beautiful and famous heritage places where you can meet thousands of African girls and women. This ancient city is situated on the beautiful island of Bani River. In case, you are interested in casual hookups and one night stands then you can certainly visit this place. The country is filled with thousands of beautiful and attractive ladies over here.
  • Parks: Mali is filled with thousands of beautiful amusement parks where you can meet some amazing beauties of Africa. One of the best places where you enjoy the best days of your holidays. Some of the popular parks in Mali, Parc national du, Zoo National du Mali, Bandiagara Cliffs, etc. are some of the best places where you can meet thousands of beautiful ladies.

Universities and Colleges

Mali is one of the best places when it comes to the education system and due to this reason, students from all around the world come here to get the best education. If you want to know about the best universities and colleges, then you can check in here. Also, universities and colleges are one of the best places to meet thousands of hot and beautiful young ladies. In case, you are interested in falling for some of the young, beautiful, and single ladies then it is best to visit the universities, and colleges are the best places.

  • Universite de Segou (Segou): This is one of the best universities where thousands of single girls come here to study. Apart from foreign girls, many local girls also come over here to study. Clubs and bars are also present around the universities which means your chances of spending time with any girl are quite high. This will help you in making your next move.
  • African Business School (Abuja): Yet another most popular business school where candidates take admission just to master in business. Being one of the most popular universities in the world, students from around the globe visit here every year to pursue further education. This can turn out to be your prime hunting spot for some of the hot and attractive young women. You will find plenty of coffee shops and pubs around the place where you can hang around with the girl once you meet them.
  • University of Bamako (Bamako): Established in 1996, this university is one of the biggest institutions in Mali. Many popular courses, as well as subjects, are offered over here for the local as well as foreign students, and due to this reason, thousands of students take admission here. Starting from Law and Public Service to Economy and Management, everything is taught over here. In addition to that, many scholarship programs are also offered here for foreign students. So, undoubtedly this can be your perfect spot to hunt for some of the sexiest and petite young ladies who are searching for short term relationships.

Mali has some other famous and renowned colleges and universities throughout the cities, and your search can be even better if you particularly search for student districts. Depending on the popularity as well as the various scholarship programs offered, you can definitely improve your search for some of the eligible and young beauties of Mali.

Relationship

People in London believe in making non-negotiable relationships and the main reason behind this is due to having a successful career. Most women believe that relationships can turn to be fun if only it is a casual hookup or one night stands. Once you visit the cities of Mali, you will understand that women mostly believe in short term relationships, especially the ones who are independent or are students.

Women here are quite self-sufficient regarding their looks and due to this reason, they look absolutely stunning. You will never come across such girls who willingly want to enter into any serious relationship since for them career comes first. But, if you give enough time to the relationship, then you will certainly find a suitable girl for you. People in Mali, let things happen organically and when it comes to love, it is always best to give time to things.

Also, if you are someone who is more into long term relationships, then it is necessary to understand that the financial element matters a lot when it comes to long term relationships. People, especially women in Mali are quite materialistic and girls love to get pampered. So, from where it can be said that relationships have huge potential due to the population of Mali. Along with the local African beauties, you will also come across many foreign goddesses as well.

Holiday Romance

Having some spicy and memorable vacation is quite common in Mali and the crowds over here always search for something interesting and fun that will not last more than a few days. Such relationships do not come with any kind of commitment. Once the fling is gone, the relationship is bound to end within a few days. If you get into this kind of relationship, not only you can enjoy some wild and fun-filled nights but also can indulge in exploring the different cities of Mali.

If you get your girl, tell her to take you out so that you can have a better idea of the culture as well as enjoy the other things, which the city has to offer to the tourists. Also, the cities are filled with some exotic resorts as well as spas where you can take your partner to have some spicy moments that you will surely cherish throughout the lifetime. These resorts provide extra discounts to couples, which can turn out to be a golden opportunity for you.

Tips for Successful Relationship

If you want to make your relationship last longer then you will have to give time, loyalty, as well as honesty to the relationship so that it can last long. A lot of people believe that relationships do not require extra effort, but it is not true. Without both of your efforts, nothing can last long. Listed below are some of the tips that you should maintain for a perfect relationship.

  • Trust: This is one of the most important parts of any relationship and once you decide to be in a relationship, both of you have a pact of not leaving any room for suspicion. Instead, both of you should try to build trust by discussing things together.
  • Proper communication: Communication is yet another important tip that you should keep in mind when it comes to maintaining relationships. Try to be open to each other regarding your expectations and try to work on those things so that relationship goes smoothly.
  • Support: A girl will break the cultural seal that she had been following for years just for you. So, it is your responsibility to take care of her and support her whenever necessary.

Love

Once you land in Mali, you will be able to sense the aroma of love with a lot of feminine grace in the air. Even though you will find that the country is too busy to involve in any kind of love relationship, yet if you are lucky, then you will certainly find love in Mali. Apart from that, you will also find a lot of cultural differences as well. So, you will come across many girls as well as women belonging from various cultural backgrounds. Along with African beauties, you will also find foreigners from other countries as well.

Also, you will have to be careful about the low-class African girls, who can turn out to be harmful to you if you have the intention of going into long term relationships as these girls are not into long term relationships. You will find plenty of beautiful date locations throughout the cities of Mali, and such places can turn out to be life-changing for you. Visiting there will let you enjoy every aspect of dating and even decide whether you want any future with her.

How to Make Sure She Is the One

Before you jump into any conclusions and decide on marrying, make sure to talk to her, know about her background, her family. It is better not to make any kind of mistakes that immediately after meeting a woman, you directly jump into getting into a relationship. Love is not that easy and you have to be quite careful about every step that you are taking.

Being a man, if you only miss her when you suffer from sexual frustration, then chances are there that you are not in love. But, if you genuinely miss her then certainly you are in love.

Marriage

It is easy to marry girls in Mali since families are unique and are quite open-minded. Once you get approved there is no chance of going back. This means that all you have to do is accept the cultures of the girl and you are all set to marry the girl of your dreams. Depending on your dream wedding, both the families will arrange a wedding for you.

Wedding

Weddings are mostly done in a traditional way in cathedrals or churches but if you want you can also choose for a beach wedding. Depending on your personal budget, the wedding will be done. With all the glamour, significance, as well as charm, your wedding will be done so that both of you can cherish the memories forever.

Family Life

The economic condition in Mali is quite developed and is perfect for starting your family. Starting from a good education system, healthcare to the basic necessities, you will get almost everything here. If you know the networking skills, then you can also begin with your own business or start working with any good company to support your family.

Regions

Southern Mali

Mali regions map.png
Kayes
Koulikoro
By far Mali's most populous province, owing to the fact that it houses the capital, Bamako
Mopti
Most of Mali's travel riches are concentrated in this region: unique rock formations at Hombori, the architecture of Djenné, and the unbelievable escarpment villages of Dogon Country
Segou
Sikasso

Northern Mali

Gao
Bordering Niger, this region has ethnic Songhai, Tuareg, Tadaksahak, and Zarma. Arid, but not as arid as places farther north.
Kidal
Mali's most remote Saharan region, with a small population of Tuareg nomads, and the incredibly remote annual Saharan Nights festival in Essouk
Timbuktu (Tombouctou)
The name isn't the only reason to visit; the town itself is a unique Tuareg desert trading center, and nearby is the magical Festival of the Desert in Essakane

Cities

  • Bamako — the booming capital and largest city by far, fastest growing city in Africa, with a good claim to be the music capital of West Africa
  • Gao — small city on the Niger in the far east of the country, one time capital of the Songhai Empire, and home to the Tomb of Askia
  • Kayes — Mali's westernmost big city, by the border with Senegal, and best known for being the hottest continuously inhabited location in Africa
  • Kidal — a remote Tuareg city, with notoriety as a centre of the Tuareg rebel movement and for Al Qaeda activity
  • Mopti — a city across three islands in the middle of the Niger; gateway to Dogon Country
  • Ségou — Mali's third largest city and one-time capital of the Bamana Empire
  • Sikasso — Mali's second largest city and one-time capital of the Kénédougou Empire
  • Timbuktu — the legendary Saharan city of gold, trans-Saharan trade, and Islamic scholarship is nowadays a (fairly commercialized) centre of Tuareg culture.

See Also