Visitor's Information for Bamako

Mali's capital city (pop. 1,379,000), which lies astride the Niger River, is a great place to just people-watch and walk around. Although the original colonial-style Grand Marche burned down in 1993, the merchants continue to set up their stalls inside the market grounds in the city center, which lies on the river's north bank. The market has bargains on masks, food, rugs and pottery. Nearby is the Artisanat (carvings and leather handicrafts), where we enjoyed watching Malian artwork being made as well as sold. The market is a great place to find recordings of the ebullient local music. Just opposite the cassette sellers are the traditional medicine vendors, who sell an assortment of porcupine quills, dried birds, monkey heads, tusks and other curiosities that are said to cure any ailment. Other markets whose wares include masks and musical instruments line the Niger River. Wherever you shop, be prepared to bargain.

The city has plenty of colonial buildings. The Musee National, between the Presidential Palace and Omnisport Stadium, is worth a visit (textiles, masks and statuary). If you find yourself in the smart quartiere, or suburb, of Niarela, northeast of the city center, stop in the Campagnard restaurant and hotel, an air-conditioned expat hangout where you can exchange currency and traveler's checks. Bamako's best supermarket, Le Metro, is just underneath the Campagnard, and nearby is one of our favorite restaurants, Cafe Bozo. North of Bamako is Point G, a hill of ancient abandoned houses, rock paintings and a wonderful view of the city. Plan to spend two days in Bamako.

Get in by plane
Bamako-Sénou Airport is roughly 15km (30–40 minutes) from the city center, with flights from Paris on Point Afrique (cheap) and Air France (less cheap). Flights to Europe are also offered by Royal Air Maroc, via Casablanca -- the main drawback to this option is that the flight from BKO to Casablanca leaves at 3:35am. Taxi rides should cost about 4000 CFA from the city.

Passengers flying Air France should consider pré-enregistrement, or early check-in. This can be done at the Air France office on the day of the flight, between 10AM and 5PM. The office is located at Square Lumumba. Luggage is dropped off and boarding passes issued as would happen at the airport, minus the crowds and the hassle.

The airport is typical of many in this part of Africa. This is a small airport with a limited number of shops and space. Electricity outages, plunging the airport and the runway, into pitch darkness are common.

Disabled passengers will need help. The waiting area is up a spiral staircase, and the boarding area down another staircase. There are some questionable elevators, which shouldn't be relied upon if at all possible.

Get in by train
Trains run from Dakar and Koulikoro.

Get in by bus
At the Sogoniko bus station you can find busses to other cities such as Segou, Mopti (taking about 10 hours).

Buy
Prices are not fixed, and for many goods bargaining is expected. Beware, sometimes for common items (like food) the first price mentioned is just right. On the market it might be a good idea to first ask a couple of times at different stands before actually buying something. Near the area of Bamako-Coura is the lively artisan market where traders from all over Bamako come to sell silver jewelry, leather, musical instruments and wood carvings. Prices are reasonable but the vendors expect their customers to bargain and enjoy it when they do. Once inside the market the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant but be careful in the busy streets directly surrounding - it's easy to lose a bag to a thief. Euros are widely accepted. ATM's are difficult to find in Bamako. BDM banks have ATM's for VISA cards in several branches, and Banque Atlantique has ATM's for Maestro/Mastercard.

Eat
Pizzeria de Guido, Rue 250, off Blvd Nelson Mandela. Decent Italian restaurant - just don't expect taxi drivers to know where it is...
Love them or hate them, the French have left one decent legacy in West Africa: bread. Fresh delicious baguettes are ubiquitous, and travelers should not be worried about becoming sick because of the bread.
Vegetarians will have a hard time in Bamako. Asking for a meal without meat will usually be met with the kind of look reserved for children and elderly relatives one does not wish to upset. In a country where poverty is common and food is often scarce, turning down meat is an oddity.
Meat eaters will be pleased to learn beef and fish are exceptionally good. Beef kebabs and grilled Capitaine, a freshwater fish from the Niger river, are always a good choice. Chicken are usually left to fend for themselves, and tend to be on the scrawny side, especially compared to North-American chicken. Although the situation is improving, you might want to avoid disappointment and just give chicken a miss while in Bamako.


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