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Re: Sierra Leone
funny how this post has turned into a general west africa forum.... but that is how it is in west africa, travel in and out of different countries is easy, like europe, lots of countries close to each other, linked by train, bus, car etc.
not like caribbean!! not even a ferry boat to be had
anyway, had a link - previous post - about the festival in the desert.
so, for those of you planning your next holiday to another exotic location, and want to rough it a bit (not an american thing I know
)
here's the gen:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Doing the Festival au Desert on your own</span>
It seems that many people have questions about getting to the Festival au Desert on your own, and what you can expect to be able to buy there so I've put together some notes from my own experience doing it by myself this year. Perhaps it will be helpful for people planning to go next year.
It is very possible to do the festival on your own and not book through a tour company.
You can fly to Timbuktu from Bamako (round-trip 250,000CFA in 2009) from any travel agent in Bamako, or through the contacts on the website (it is possible just to buy the ticket for the charter flights for the festival without booking a whole package). This year it was possible to just show up at the airport around the time of departure and buy a spot, but I'm not sure if that is always the case. Or you can take the bus to Mopti (about 9 hours, about 8,000CFA). From Mopti it is easy to find drivers going to Timbuktu, usually they will find a group of people to fill a 4x4 and you are off (about 13,000CFA per person, about 10 hours depending on the ferry). This even ends up usually cheaper than taking the public transport 4x4 which only leaves certain days and is more crowded.
Once in Timbuktu you can find again many drivers headed to Essakane for the Festival waiting at the airport or around Timbuktu. Going rate one way per person was 20,000CFA but you can always try to bargain it down. Make sure you check out the vehicle before agreeing to anything because your spot can range from a Toyota Land Cruiser down to being cramped into the back of an old pickup truck full of luggage and other people. After a 3 hour drive through the sand and sun you might not find that an enjoyable journey! You can arrange with your driver to take you back to Timbuktu (probably the best idea) but you can also wait until the last day and find some way back.
Once in Essakane there are people renting out tent space in traditional Tuareg tents, these were about 20,000CFA per night and can sleep at least 6-8 people. You can also bring your own tent and camp for free. There are some mattressess available but there wern't enough to go around. Having one might not be a bad idea because it was very cold at night and sleeping off the ground could make it a lot warmer. Most of the camping areas have a guard to watch your stuff while you are away. Make sure you find out for sure if the guard is being paid out of the amount you pay for your tent, or tip him a bit when you leave.
You can buy your ticket at the entrance to the Festival, or you can pick it up in Timbuktu on your way.
There are lots of little canteens selling street food (rice and sauce, coucous, fries, eggs, pasta...) for reasonable prices (about 500CFA) and there is even a little market where you can buy vegetables, bread (10CFA per piece of Tuareg bread), roasted sheep, and a few other basics if you want to make your own snacks. Water is available for about 1,000CFA a bottle, brining your own from Bamako (or Mopti) is a lot cheaper (350CFA per bottle). Soft drinks and beer are also available at the canteens, market and the few bars for about 750-1,000CFA per bottle. There is one 'nice' bar/ nightclub under a tent where you can buy meals for 4,000CFA for (generally) pretty basic pasta as well as beer, wine and alcohol of all sorts.
In order to keep costs down, I brought a box of water from Bamako as well as all my food. However, food at the festival was not that expensive, I was impressed to discover. You can find cans of tuna salad, humus, veggies in Bamako or Mopti/Sévaré that make easy but good sandwich filler.
If you want to travel around Mali it is very easy to do that on your own as well, before or after the festival. You can just show up in Mopti and arrange boat rides up to Timbuktu or guided trips to Dogon country for example. As well, you can easily get to most 'touristy' places such as Djenné, Ségou, Gao with regular public transportation
can't wait and can't wait to take my malian son with me.....(his family is waiting.....)
for fxconverter
funny how this post has turned into a general west africa forum.... but that is how it is in west africa, travel in and out of different countries is easy, like europe, lots of countries close to each other, linked by train, bus, car etc.
not like caribbean!! not even a ferry boat to be had
anyway, had a link - previous post - about the festival in the desert.
so, for those of you planning your next holiday to another exotic location, and want to rough it a bit (not an american thing I know
)here's the gen:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Doing the Festival au Desert on your own</span>
It seems that many people have questions about getting to the Festival au Desert on your own, and what you can expect to be able to buy there so I've put together some notes from my own experience doing it by myself this year. Perhaps it will be helpful for people planning to go next year.
It is very possible to do the festival on your own and not book through a tour company.
You can fly to Timbuktu from Bamako (round-trip 250,000CFA in 2009) from any travel agent in Bamako, or through the contacts on the website (it is possible just to buy the ticket for the charter flights for the festival without booking a whole package). This year it was possible to just show up at the airport around the time of departure and buy a spot, but I'm not sure if that is always the case. Or you can take the bus to Mopti (about 9 hours, about 8,000CFA). From Mopti it is easy to find drivers going to Timbuktu, usually they will find a group of people to fill a 4x4 and you are off (about 13,000CFA per person, about 10 hours depending on the ferry). This even ends up usually cheaper than taking the public transport 4x4 which only leaves certain days and is more crowded.
Once in Timbuktu you can find again many drivers headed to Essakane for the Festival waiting at the airport or around Timbuktu. Going rate one way per person was 20,000CFA but you can always try to bargain it down. Make sure you check out the vehicle before agreeing to anything because your spot can range from a Toyota Land Cruiser down to being cramped into the back of an old pickup truck full of luggage and other people. After a 3 hour drive through the sand and sun you might not find that an enjoyable journey! You can arrange with your driver to take you back to Timbuktu (probably the best idea) but you can also wait until the last day and find some way back.
Once in Essakane there are people renting out tent space in traditional Tuareg tents, these were about 20,000CFA per night and can sleep at least 6-8 people. You can also bring your own tent and camp for free. There are some mattressess available but there wern't enough to go around. Having one might not be a bad idea because it was very cold at night and sleeping off the ground could make it a lot warmer. Most of the camping areas have a guard to watch your stuff while you are away. Make sure you find out for sure if the guard is being paid out of the amount you pay for your tent, or tip him a bit when you leave.
You can buy your ticket at the entrance to the Festival, or you can pick it up in Timbuktu on your way.
There are lots of little canteens selling street food (rice and sauce, coucous, fries, eggs, pasta...) for reasonable prices (about 500CFA) and there is even a little market where you can buy vegetables, bread (10CFA per piece of Tuareg bread), roasted sheep, and a few other basics if you want to make your own snacks. Water is available for about 1,000CFA a bottle, brining your own from Bamako (or Mopti) is a lot cheaper (350CFA per bottle). Soft drinks and beer are also available at the canteens, market and the few bars for about 750-1,000CFA per bottle. There is one 'nice' bar/ nightclub under a tent where you can buy meals for 4,000CFA for (generally) pretty basic pasta as well as beer, wine and alcohol of all sorts.
In order to keep costs down, I brought a box of water from Bamako as well as all my food. However, food at the festival was not that expensive, I was impressed to discover. You can find cans of tuna salad, humus, veggies in Bamako or Mopti/Sévaré that make easy but good sandwich filler.
If you want to travel around Mali it is very easy to do that on your own as well, before or after the festival. You can just show up in Mopti and arrange boat rides up to Timbuktu or guided trips to Dogon country for example. As well, you can easily get to most 'touristy' places such as Djenné, Ségou, Gao with regular public transportation
can't wait and can't wait to take my malian son with me.....(his family is waiting.....)
for fxconverter
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