"The explorers houses" Top 5 Page for this destination Timbuktu Things to Do Tip by SirRichard

Another attraction here are the "explorer's houses". These are the houses where the first european explorers that arrived here lived. Most of them entered Timbuktu disguised as muslims, as entrance was forbidden for "non-muslims". The first one, Alexander Gordon Laing, died on the way back to Europe, so all the honours went to the 2nd to reach, Rene Caillie (1827)... fame is unfair sometimes...
At the time I visited, they were under restoration, but I think normally you can visit the houses (not much to see inside though)