Gorgeous and Historical Timbuktu, Mali

No doubt Africa is full of historical places that have a long and rich history attached to them. But no other place in the continent can compete with Timbuktu when it comes to a fairy tale like the fame that it enjoyed throughout the past few centuries. Timbuktu was the link that connected central Africa with Berber northern Africa. Its strategic position on the most lucrative trade route of ancient Africa made it one of the most influential and rich city-states of ancient Africa.

It became a household name in Europe when the Europeans started exploring the continent. It was not only the gorgeous landscape and the architecture of the city that made it so famous but also its inaccessibility because of it being situated in the middle of a desert made it seem a lot more attractive for the explorers.

Today Timbuktu is an impoverished town in the present day Mali, but its attraction to the tourists have not yet faded away. Thousands of tourists take a cheap flight to Bamako the capital of Mali each year just to visit this dream city. Because of it being located in the centre of the desert there is no regular bus service available for getting there. Most tourists prefer hiring a 4wd along with a driver for this journey which takes more than 24 hours. Tourism is the main source of income in the city of Timbuktu so you will find quite a few good quality hotels in the city that cost a lot less than what you expect to pay in the tourist destinations of other regional countries.

The city still has the gorgeous architecture of its glorious medieval years and there is no better place for witnessing it than the Djingbreir Mosque, the largest mosque in the city. This is the most impressive mosque of the city and is part of the world heritage program. Unesco made Timbuktu a world heritage site in 1988 and also put it in the list of the endangered sites because of the threat that was posed to the city by the rising sand dunes around it. To get the best view of the whole town and the adjacent desert head to the town’s market Grand Marche. It’s a two storey complex and provides the best view of the town from its rooftops. This is the largest market of the town and will provide you with an awesome insight into the daily lifestyle of the Timbuktu residents.

Although there is a tourism office in the city and you are required by law to report there and get your passport stamped but do not expect a lot of guidance from them. Instead, you can hire a guide with the help of the hotel you are staying with. The city and the adjacent desert provides a stunning setting for enjoying a sunset and you can ask your hotel to arrange a short tour of the desert at the back of a camel at this time of the day.