Bandiagara Cliffs (Dogon Country) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Bandiagara Cliffs (Dogon Country)

Bandiagara Cliffs (Dogon Country)

Bandiagara Cliffs (Dogon Country)
5
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & LandmarksHiking Trails
About
The 150-kilometer-long sandstone escarpment has served as home to the Dogon people, believed to be one of the oldest surviving African cultures.
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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles47 reviews
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45
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1
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duende10
San Francisco, CA1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Trekking through the Dogon Country was one of the main reasons we wanted to visit Mali. However, once we got to Mopti and met up with the guide that someone recommended to us, we were immediately discouraged by his prices, and nearly opted out of visiting the Dogon Country all together.

Whatever you do, don't give up! Visiting the Dogon Country was one of the most incredible adventures I've had yet. Ours is an example of one of the many cheaper (albeit slightly "rougher") options that can offer a most enchanting experience for those willing to go with the flow of local lifeways. If you enjoy hiking and camping and learning about different cultures first-hand, this is for you. If you are pressed for time, impatient, easily irritated, unwilling to trust strangers, have low stamina, or have difficulty hiking, there are several other options to visit the Dogon Country via air-conditioned 4x4s and can be arranged through any hotel in Mopti. If you're still interested in trekking, bring as little as possible: comfortable and lightweight backpack, good hiking shoes/boots, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, few clothing items, lots of change (CFA), some light-weight snacks, kola nuts (to give to elders), camera, few toiletries, and a few small gifts for locals (preferably things that don't quickly turn into non-biodegradable trash [baseball caps, t-shirts, flip-flops are some good ideas]). You'll have to purchase water as you go (roughly 1,000 CFA for a big bottle)--carrying enough water for 5 days is impossible.

Daouda Guindo was our guide. His small business is called "Dogon Vison." I highly recommend him. His prices are great, he is Dogon and lives between his home village and Mopti. He is incredibly informative, patient, speaks French and English, and has a positive attitude. Unfortunately Tripadvisor will not allow me to post his email or phone number here, but once in Mopti, if you go to "Bissap Café" or the hotel called, "Y'A Pas de Problème," ask for "Daouda" (pronounced DOW-dah) and they should have his card/contact information. I might even recommend calling these places in advance to see if they can give you Daouda's phone number so you can arrange the trip with him in advance.

Below is a short summary of our itinerary:
Day 1: Taxi brousse early in the morning from Mopti to Sêvaré. Wait a bit in Sêvaré for taxi brousse to fill up and then drive to Teli (the 1st Dogon village on our trek). Hike 1/2 hour and stop in a village for lunch. Rest a few hours (to avoid hiking in the hot sun), explore the village, and then continue on to Ende where we slept.
Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4: Wake up early, have breakfast and start hiking. Stop for lunch, rest a few hours, visit the village, hike to the next village to visit, relax, eat and sleep. Each day has roughly the same itinerary (though the hikes and sites to see and learn about are always different and there are always little stops along the way).
Day 5: The reverse of Day 1, arriving back in Mopti in the evening.

The best 2 pieces of advice I have for those unfamiliar with and traveling to Mali and the Dogon Country are the following: 1) Have patience (there are always unexpected delays, transportation often breaks down, so just sit back, relax and soak up the local way of life) and relatedly, 2) trust. Trust that everything will work out (in due time, it will). Don't be afraid to trust strangers. That said, don't act like an idiot and flaunt your money and belongings. Show that you're not gullible, but also go with your intuition. Once someone has demonstrated to you that you can trust him/her, chances are pretty good that you can continue to do so.

Have an amazing trip, and if you meet Daouda, tell him that Tim and Jonathan send their best!
Written June 14, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

superbug_slayer
San Diego, CA206 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2012 • Couples
My husband and I toured Mali for a week after going to the Festival au Desert in Jan 2012. The highlight of the trip was Dogon Country. It is not far from Mopti but the roads are terrible, so be prepared and make sure you go in a 4 wheel drive. The accommodations all around are extremely rustic, but that makes the experience somehow even more authentic. The villages in this region are almost entirely animist, and the cultural beliefs steeped in a tradition that is almost too fantastical to believe. We visited a village where ritual circumcisions are carried out, and another where we met the spiritual elder who never bathes and is allegedly washed at night by an invisible snake. The carvings on the doors are fantastic. There are many parts of the villages that are forbidden for non-animists, so be careful not to go to these places or even touch places that your guide does not touch, or you may be forced to pay for an animal that is sacrificed to keep the peace. I know that all this sounds a bit far-fetched, but my husband and I are both scientists, and know other scientists who have been here who assure us it is the real deal. The only sad thing is that these villages still regularly practice female genital mutilation. There are efforts to end this terrible practice. If you go to Dogon, be sure to pay the extra money for a mask dance in one of the villages. It is really very wonderful and all the profits typically go to support the very poor local schools. We went through Saga Tours, and were very happy with them.
Written January 23, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lesvaches
Cotonou, Benin5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
We could only spend two days here, so we didn't trek, but rather went around with the 4x4 we had hired in Bamako already. But I would have loved to spend at least a week exploring the Dogon country. The views are absolutely breathtaking and the Dogon villages fascinating. We spent a night sleeping on the rooftops of the village chief's house in Enndé, a little way up the cliff.
I recommend getting a guide. While orientation is not so hard, a good guide can give you fascinating insights and prevent you from trampeling over sacred sites, which are not always easy to spot. We were very happy with our guide, who was recommended to us by the Hotel Kambary and called Abdoullaye "Le pélé".
If you do spend a night in a village I suggest to bring a small gift - it's much nicer to have an actual gift to give after the warm reception you get, rather than just giving extra money.
Written October 23, 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Janev_Australia
Sydney, Australia785 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2016 • Friends
I went for a day trek along the Biandiagara Cliffs (Dogon Country) with Ibrahim and Monique of Papillion Reizen tours in May 2016. Yes, this area of Mali is safe!!! This was during the wet season, so the landscape was sensationally green. We climbed up to see the old Tellum houses and granaries- they are one of the wonders of the world and something out of 'National Geographic'. The villages along the way were very welcoming. I bought some beautiful indigo fabric and gourd souvenirs at one of the villages. Because of the travel warnings (which, in reality, should apply just to the north of Mali) tourists are not coming to Mali anymore. This is causing great financial distress for a lot of Malian people, A terrible shame. Mali is an amazing country in terms of the incredible natural and human sights, the nature, the different and fascinating cultures and the welcoming people. (Note: Do not photograph people in this area - they really do not like being photographed).
Written September 20, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

K. CHAE
Seoul, South Korea199 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2014 • Solo
Dogon Country was supposed the highlight of Mali trip.. and yes it was an amazing site. Rocky mountains, mud brick villages built on the rocks and up high.. and the traditional villages in between. They were all very nice and Dogon masked dances were special as well. But I think about 3 days in Dogon is good enough time. After a while all the village visit gets little stale. They are nice, but village after village most of them are the same, don't have any unique characteristics. They are all westernised in some ways as well, so it's not exactly like you feel as though you're in 'another world.' Except for the architecture that is unique to this region, village life and people there are pretty much what you will see in any other African villages. And sure the kids are nice, but they're all like that in any African countries as well. I mean, in which African country you do not see children running to you asking for pictures.

Now I might seem like I'm being skeptical, but really, I am now. I throughly enjoyed my visit in Dogon, and I recommend you go if you visit Mali. All I want to do is put little bit of realistic perspective into this. In the end, I'd give 3 days to explore the area, I think that will be plenty of time enough to see what the region has to offer.
Written March 7, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Karin M
Montreux, Switzerland87 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2012 • Friends
Hiking, viewing fantastic villages and sceenery, meeting the Dogon people, assisting a funeral celebration, photographing and enjoying the very special atmosphere. Sleeping on the roof tops uner a mosquito net...I visited the Bandiagara cliffs 4 times, and I will certainly go back again.
Written February 22, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

michael c
Stockholm, Sweden1,081 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2018 • Friends
absolutely amazing site. Well worth the long trip to visit. spend time up inside the old buildings and enjoy a marvelous view.
Written March 5, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

edith h. f
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2017
It's been 10 years since our visit there & given the recent unrest one would need to check on personal safety issues before planning a trip there! But--assuming safety/stability in the region it's an incredibly exciting & beautiful region.The cliffs themselves are extraordinarily dramatic--and contain numerous sites of impossible-to-imagine habitation within the cliffs dating to the Middle Ages! Now one can hike to the base quite safely with the help of local guides, visit very small villages on the cliff margins, admire the men's houses which require extreme stooping to enter--a gesture of required humility. People greet each other in elaborate almost tuneful patterns. Local guides are very friendly, helpful; simple food, lodging are provided.MY TRAVEL THERE WAS 2008.(The date of March 2017 isn't correct but wouldn't erase! I doubt whether anyone has travelled there during the dates you give because of the extreme danger posed by guerrillas; my understanding is that travel stopped a few yrs ago.
Written February 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tiago P
Lisbon, Portugal123 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2015 • Solo
Dogon Country is the best hidden treasure of west Africa. A life time experience and place you will never forget.
With the exception of Timbuktu, I travelled all Mali (Fev 2015) alone, without car, and i had no problem at all. Completly safe, very kind people!
Written August 28, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Susan L
California82 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2012 • Couples
You have to put in some effort to really enjoy Dogon Country. Hiking in fierce heat is hard to avoid, but the rewards are worth it. Even sleeping on roof tops, taking cold showers and using hole-in-the floor toilets is all tolerable for the sights and experiences.
Written March 14, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Bandiagara Cliffs (Dogon Country) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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