Mali - Kidal security
 

Thanks to those who have given info to my previous questions on Mali trip. Now in Bamako. Have hooked up with a decent sounding outfit, Mali Discovery, who seem able to sort out decent value walking north of Tim. However, they say they won't do anything around Kidal due to bandits - OK just driving there, but not walking outside the town.

I've no idea whether this is because they don't operate in Kidal and so want to persuade us to stick with Timbuctou, or whether the threat is real. We have been unable to contact Cheik ag Baye at Affala Voyages, mentioned by some of you, to get his view, and don't want to travel to Kidal to find we can't then walk from there.

Discovery will take us walking to an area known as La porte du Desert and assure us that despite its name, it is up a different route to the one used by people just going out for a couple of nights in desert with crap Tuareg canp for souvenirs etc. Does anyone know La Porte du Desert who can tell us whether this is the real thing, or just the local tame "have a night in the desert circuit".

Thanks - Simon

Be - Aware
 

Hi,

I am having a good scout around about Mali, current situation etc and have been reading a thread on Lonely Planet Thorn Tree/ Mali tonight.

There is quite a lot being said about Mali Discovery- you may want to check it out, as it seems travellers are warning others.

I have no personal knowledge, just thought it was prudent to alert you.

Have a great trip.


Warning - Lonely Planet travel forum

Hi Simon,

northern Mali, especially everything north of Mopti-Gao and in particular the Adrar des Ifoghas and Timetrin area are very unsafe areas thees days. For locals the danger is mostly banditry and for tourists the risk of being kidnapped is very high. I travelled in that region between 2005 and 2007 but would not do that now, even with a good guide.
Do a search in this forum and you will find many posts about the risks there.

Worth noting that the original post is nearly 8 years old.
'Good places go bad and bad places go bust...' or however LP puts it.

As Yves says, Mali north of the river is not a place to go these days.

Ch

Why go there now? Go some other day.

The thread Waipai is drawing attention to is about apparently poor service from a tour operator (beds too hard, sand in the food sort of stuff) rather than the security situation.

As Yves, Chris Scott and Priffe have all noted, there's a lot more to worry about than that in N Mali.