<Travel Guide to Africa

Musicians from Mali have made quite an impact on world music. The music of Mali is dominated by forms derived from the ancient Mande Empire. The Mande people make up most of the country's population, and their musicians, professional performers called jeliw (sing. jeli, French griot), have produced a vibrant popular music scene alongside traditional ...

The Bandiagara Escarpment is home to the Dogon people whose traditional homes are literally carved out of the cliffs. Actually, this is bedded sandstone ridge that rises more than 1,000 feet above the surrounding landscape. The 125-mile-long Bandiagara Cliffs is home to the Dogon cliff dwellers, who came to the area, quite possibly from the ...

The word "Timbuktu" (or Timbuctoo or Tombouctou) is used in several languages to represent a far-away place but Timbuktu is an actual city in the African country of Mali. Located near the edge the Niger River during the rainy season (but about 8 miles from the river during much of the year), Timbuktu was founded by ...

Eric and Amaya are cycling through Africa and have reached Mali and Niger. The Sahel region has been a tough ride for the couple. Eric's health suffered and he was forced to seek treatment in an open air clinic, but luckily the IV did the trick and he was able to cycle on. Being vegetarians ...