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Introduction
BAMAKO: The capital is a modern town and the educational and cultural centre of Mali. The main places of interest are the markets, the Botanical Gardens, the Musée National, the zoo and the craft centre at the Maison des Artisans.
DJENNÉ: Known as the ‘Jewel of the Niger’, Djenné was founded in 1250. It has a beautiful mosque, the Grande Mosquée, and it is one of the oldest trading towns along the trans-Saharan caravan routes. Old Djenné is located about 5km (3 miles) from Djenné and was founded around 250BC. The town quickly developed into a market centre and important link in the trans-Saharan gold trade. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it became one of the spiritual centres for the dissemination of Islam. Nearly 2000 of its traditional houses, built on hillocks (toguere) and adapted to the seasonal floods, have survived. Old Djenné is today listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
MOPTI: The centre of Mali’s tourist industry, Mopti is located at the confluence of the Bani and the Niger and is built on three islands joined by dykes. There is another fine mosque here. The market in the town centre, Marché des Souvenirs, and the area surrounding the port are also worth visiting.
BANDIAGARA: Southeast of Mopti is the Bandiagara country, peopled by the Dogons, whose ancient beliefs have remained largely untouched by Islam. Visitors should treat villagers with respect. The Cliffs of Bandiagara have been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Dogon people are believed to have been the original inhabitants of the Niger river valley and, for thousands of years, inhabited villages cut into the cliffs of the 200-kilometre (80-mile) long Bandiagara escarpment. Although most the Dogons have now relocated to the plains, the ancient villages on the cliffs are still standing.
TIMBUKTU: Timbuktu is a name that has passed into English vernacular as a byword for inaccessibility and remoteness. It is, however, neither of these things owing to the magnificent camel caravans (some of them comprising over 3000 animals) which arrive every year from the Taoudenni salt mines to distribute their produce throughout the Sahel. By the 15th century, Timbuktu was the centre of a lucrative trade in salt and gold, straddling the trans-Saharan caravan routes, as well as being a great centre of Islamic learning. Much of this ancient city is in decay, but it is the site of many beautiful mosques (Djingerebur, Sankore and Sidi Yahaya for example) and tombs, some dating back to the 14th century.
ELSEWHERE: Another ancient city which had its heyday in the 15th century is Gao. Gao houses the mosque of Kankan Moussa and the tombs of the Askia Dynasty. There are also two excellent markets. The city has recently undergone much urban development. San and Ségou are both interesting towns. The National Park of La Boucle de Baoule contains an array of southern Sahelian species of wildlife, including giraffe, leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo and hippo.
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