Will be in Mali in 3 months time. Are there anybody close or in Mali that can verify travelling conditions for overlanders?

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I just came out of Mali a month ago. My guess is that you'd be ok entering from Cote d'Ivoire to Bamako and then across to Sikasso for Burkina...

I wouldn't go anywhere near the Mauritanian border, and I would avoid the Senegalese border as well... Although people talk about the North being dangerous, I think the West is also vulnerable.

Obviously, in 3 months things could and will change considerably.

Thanks Brendan...

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I entered Mali yesterday, from Guinea.
10 days ago Polish cyclists entered Mali, from Senegal.
Last week Japanese fellow entered Mali

Malian NGO fellow says Djenne not safe. Foreigners say it's safe.

To enter BF from Bamako, not necessary to go via Sikasso ... can go via San , etc

The situation in Mali and Mori is being discussed more in the Sahara forum. Hope this helps.

Segou and San are seeing a lot of military traffic these days
Much better to stay south and go Bougoni-Sikasso to Burkina.

Coming from Senegal the question is whether to take the autoroute from Kayes to Bamako, or try to stay south. I described how we did it early January in this thread http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...y-2013-a-68384
Now the jihadists have disappeared from the cities and the problems with kidnappings may be over, but it is hard to predict what will happen next.

I think you want your head testing if your planning that part of the world !

No where around there is safe, and I believe it's only going to get worse.

You would be far better heading East and having a jaunt around Mongolia.

How many times when you pass into the African villages, ~~~it's a sorry case of "dollars $$$, dollars$$$," or I throw stones at your bike of car"~~~

Show me where you get that in Mongolia.

vette

@UK_Vette,

sure it may not exist in Mongolia, but perhaps people have visited Asia (Mongolia, etc) and want to visit Africa.

I'm in Mali. Journalists and Peace Corps persons have said it's safe going to Djenne, and the road Segou -> San -> BF (BurkinaFaso) is ok -- yes, checkpoints. Traveling as locals (sept-place / bus road transport) perhaps better than motorcycle.
Did not see anyone throwing rocks at motorcycles.

Of course, every day can make warning or prediction of something bad (or good) and eventually be correct.

How to lessen the risk? Be on alert. Travel by day. Sleep within walled / secure place. Have a relatively full tank of gas. Shorten the duration of your time in the country.

That you know before you start the trip - and you can handle it.

And it depends how you choose your route. Than more they know overlanders - than more it is worse.

Try to drive on less travelled routes - enjoy the small villages. And when you do a good job - for staying abroad - the locals not even ask for "gifts/money/cadeau" in the towns...

On our Trans-Africa (west route 2012-13) - we never see stones flying.

I would still do the west route again. Yes it is dangerous - but - thats life. Be careful! Don't do the Keyes-Bamako direct route...


Surfy

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Trans-Africa over the west coast

No way. I went Bamako-Segou-San-Mopti-Djenne and there are checkpoints at the entrance/exit to each major town .... this is far FEWER checkpoints than southern Senegal and Bissau !! No problem for foreigners to get to Mopti. Gao is difficult but soon foreign journalists will be permitted there and further north. The NGO gellow covering his home region of Kidal is Malian and drives from northern Nigeria to Kidal area.

After Djenne i went south headed for BF ... at Tion crossroad just south of Tenen (paved road at least for intial 300m as far as the human eye could see was tarmacked) - it's only about 25-30km to BF border, but if traveling w/o vehicle could be difficult as no regular taxis/mini buseshen i though Kampf___ for the Khoury border but people told me the road was bad and more transport options for Katialla, so i went to Katialla arriving 21:20h and got a mini-bus departing at 22:30h for the Khoury border.

I stood at the roundabout at highway south of San on the road to Kampf__ and Katialla, and attempted hitching as wanted 1) to go more distance before dark/attempt to reach border before closing 2) not so many mini-buses or other motor vehicles 3) yes, i felt safe enough at that roundabout junction - safe enough to set up my tent if needed to sleep there.

Did you go to Mopti/Sevaré and there was no military movements?

Gunfire in Bamako. red berets mutiny in Djikoroni.
And a motorcyclist sucide bombing in Bourem, near Gao.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2013/...s.html?hp&_r=0

yes military movement / checkpoints, of course expected that, depends on your expectation or frustration or how you react to such situation

Gao activity - thqt;s what i said abt going only qs far as Mopti for now

Bamako - well to one;s own choice to go or not

Street fighting in Gao, several suicide bombers
Mali: combats dans le centre de Gao après un nouvel attentat suicide - Dépêches - El Watan
more worrisome for travellers, islamists are using IEDs and mines
two cars blown up on the road Douentza-Gao

Thanks for the input guys.

I think the rule of thumb is to check out the situation when you hit the border. I am leaving SA in 20 days. Should be in Mali within the next 3 months. A lot can happen from now to then.

Good luck to the guys out there hope youre travel's go off without a hitch!

Will keep other overlanders updated when I hit Mali.

Riaan

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