Timbuktu (region)

Timbuktu is in a region in Mali named after the largest city within the region.

	WARNING: In Jan 2013, the Timbuktu region fell to Islamist rebels. As of 2018, Malian, West African, & French forces have outed the rebels. However, Timbuktu remains unsafe, and therefore travel is not recommended at this time. More information is available in the warning at the top of the Mali page.
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	(Information last updated Feb 2018)

Cities

• 🌍 Timbuktu
• 🌍 Arouane in the desert to the north.
• 🌍 Goundam- A mainly Tuareg settlement, based near Essakane where the Festival in the Desert used to be held.
• 🌍 Taoudenni - in the far north of the department (some 700 km North of Timbuktu)
• 🌍 Niafunké
• 🌍 Diré
• 🌍 Gourma-Rharous

Other destinations

Understand

Even though Timbuktu is the largest department in Mali, it is largely empty. The majority of Timbuktu is nothing more than empty Sahara Desert. The main towns are all concentrated in the south along the Niger River. The desert areas are largely the domain of the Tuareg.

Get in

Get around

The towns in the south can be accessed by bus/taxi. However the desert to the north requires a 4x4 or a camel, you will probably want a guide who knows what they are doing.

See

The city of Timbuktu itself is the main attraction in the department.

Do

Eat

Drink

Stay safe

If you are heading into the desert to the North there is usually considered to be a threat of bandits in addition to the risk of getting stranded. Be sure to register your itinerary and expected return date with the tourist office in Timbuktu.

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