"Dogon Country Adventure" a Bandiagara Travel Page by atufft

While Bandiagara is a flat town of relatively little interest, beyond it lay the escarpment where the Dogon people live. The escarpement paths wind over barren rock and through canyon like passages reminiscent of the canyon lands of Utah. Along these often stepped paths, women convey stacks of calabashes full of milk on their heads as they head to market. Despite the steps, the average person can hike this two or so mile stretch without great difficulty, assuming the weather is not hot. We were lucky and had a rather pleasant day. See the advice sections on transportation...

The Tellum were pigmy sized people pushed south by the Dogon perhaps a thousand years ago. The remains of these early people are found in their cliff dwelling architecture. Below these ruins, the Dogon live in their distinctive villages today.

The artwork of the Dogon is famous the world over for it's fanciful spirtual design. Mostly wood carvings of one sort or another, the Dogon door or mask is certainly not the only souvenir to buy along the way. But, chose carefully, as the souvenirs must be carried out and back to Bandiagara.