Mali

Date: December 29th, 2003 |

The Paris-Dakar Rally, an annual road race, makes its way across West Africa in January and will create large crowds and heightened security in cities where it stops for the night. It will also command most hotel rooms, making accommodations difficult to find. Participants are due to spend the night of Jan. 12 in Bobo-Dioulasso, [read more]

Mali

Date: September 17th, 2003 |

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The UNESCO World Heritage city of Timbuktu is melting into the earth as heavy rains seeping into the soaked ground softened walls and foundations of its historic mud structures. More than 180 buildings have been destroyed in this city where some structures date back more than 600 years. The Niger River flooded in central Mali, [read more]

Mali

Date: July 7th, 2003 |

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The problem of carjacking in the Sevare-Mopti region has intensified in recent months and is getting so bad that some organizations are painting their vehicles in fluorescent colors so they can be identified when stolen, others are replacing SUVs with pickups (with limited success), while others are replacing new vehicles with old, beat-up ones. Enclosed [read more]

Mali

Date: May 30th, 2001 |

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Road travel in the region surrounding Timbuktu, Kidal and Gao in the north should be avoided because of increasing banditry. Robbers usually take everything, including the vehicle, and in a recent incident asked if any of the travelers were Americans. None were. Despite the seeking out of Americans in this case, authorities believe that these [read more]

When the urge strikes to

Date: October 21st, 2003 |

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When the urge strikes to set off overland to cross the Sahara, a romantic adventure beset with dangers and difficulties, be aware that a group of extremists who kidnapped 32 European tourists this year in Algeria remain in Mali and may be recruiting new members. They held 17 hostages until May and the rest until [read more]

Mali

Date: July 24th, 2003 |

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Violent carjackings appear to be on the rise in the Sevare-Mopti region of Mali, and in the north of Niger, with four-wheel drive vehicles the target of choice. A few tips to avoid becoming a victim: 1. Talk to locals and find out what the high crime areas are and avoid them whenever possible; 2. [read more]

Mali

Date: August 9th, 2001 |

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Banditry has increased in the regions of Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu, and nonessential road travel should be avoided. In the last three months an American group had their car hijacked, and three Dutch tourists were murdered on the road known as the “Road of the Smugglers” when traveling from Algeria to the ci [read more]