Looking out over Niger River and other Mali Hotel/Accommodation Reviews

On the outskirts of town, in a quiet neighbourhood, Hotel Mande has great views over River Niger.

Accommodation is either in little rondavels, or in the main buildings. Rooms vary in quality from mediocre to very good.

There is an excellent restaurant on stilts over the river - great for a colling breeze, but beware of mosquitos. There is also a very nice pool.

There is - supposedly - internet acces in the hotel, although it was not working when we were there.


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Theme: Hotel

The Campement consists of a few small traditional mud rondavels and some larger accommodation blocks. The rooms are basically a bed in a mud hut, with nothing else! There are mixed ablutions blocks, rather unclean and unsavoury. Electricity is erratic.

The highlight of our stay here was meeting Michael Palin, who was also staying at this place while filming his series Sahara. He is a thoroughly nice chap in real life, and every bit as funny as he is on TV!

The garden is a great spot for birding.

There is a reastaurant with mediocre food - they will provide you with a sandwich for a picnic if you ask.

Laundry is available - if you don't mind your knickers hanging next to the restaurant!

There are post cards for sale by the reception - some of the few post cards I saw in all of Mali.


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Theme: Pension/Guesthouse

We started our trek into Dogon Country from Sangha, staying in the Campement Sangha.

Rooms in a couple of accommodation blocks were mostly en suite, but basic. Don't leave anything on the floor - the bathroom was 4 inches higher than the bedroom, no sill or door and the floor sloped towards the bedroom. Hence we you had a shower, the entire bedroom became flooded.

Reasonable restaurant and you are able to leave stuff here safely while you go off on your trek which is very useful.


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Theme: Pension/Guesthouse

The last night of the trek, we pitched our tents on the Tigou Plateau. Although the ground was incredibly hard (rock), I slept surprisingly well. The villagers entertained us with dancing until the early hours of the morning (well, it probably wasn't any later than 10pm, but we'd been up since 5am and trekked for 15 miles, so snoozed off before they did.)

Toilets were - well, non existent. One rock for number ones, one rock for number twos. We weren't even able to bury the evidence in the sand as we usually did. (if you saw someone walk off with a spade, you knew where they were going)


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Theme: Campground

After six nights of rough camping, the hotel seemed the utmost in luxury.

Situated on the outskirts of town but within easy walking distance of the centre, the hotel is a haven of peace and tranquility. Said to be the best hotel in Mali, the rooms are airconditoned, and have TV and most importantly: running hot and cold water in a spotlessly clean bathroom.

There is a thatched roof bar and the restaurant served the best meal we had in Mali - real good quality steak and a yummy chocholate mousse!

The swimming pool is very welcoming and there are sunbeds scattered arond the patio with waiter service.

Unique Qualities: I must mention a very funny story at this point: We had spend six nights roughing it and all were very very pleased to be staying in such unashamed luxury. When we got up the first morning, we noticed that someone was camping out under a mosquito net on a sunbed by the pool. Thinking it was one of the staff, we were very surprised to discover it was one of our group: he had been unable to work the airconditoning in the room, and finding his room-mate's snoring too much to bear, decided it was better to sleep outside!

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Theme: Hotel

On the edge of town whilst still being within walking distance of everything, Hotel Colombe offers comfort for the weary traveller.

A downstairs bar and rooftop restaurant with views over the streets of Timbuktu, as well as a small shop by the reception.

The rooms were more than adequate with comfortable beds and en suite bathroom with hot and cold water.


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Theme: Hotel