Dynamic Tours to Timbuktu and Beyond!
Pre-Departure Information
Preparing for Your Maliba Tours/ Before Your Maliba Tours
Visa and More
Entry Requirements
An entry visa is required for everyone except citizens of ECOWAS member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo, Algeria, Cameroon, Andorra, Monaco, Chad, The Gambia, Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia, South Africa We recommend obtaining a visa prior to your trip to avoid unnecessary complications. The websites of the Malian Embassies and consulates have all of the pertinent information.
Note: Only 5-day entry stamps are available if you arrive at Bamako airport without a visa. You may apply for a tourist visa in Bamako, if your stay in Mali will exceed five days, but this process requires 2-3 business days. To prevent delays on your tour, we strongly recommend that you apply for a visa before departing for Mali.
Health and Insurance
*** You will need a Yellow Fever vaccination to enter Mali*** Make sure other vaccinations such as tetanus and rabies are up-to-date. Also, make sure to ask your doctor about malaria prophylaxis - options are mefloquine (Lariam), doxycycline, or Malarone).
Finally, if you are on any medication bring enough to last for your trip, as well as a letter or relevant prescription from your physician to avoid any difficulties with customs officials. You can consult the CDC website as well as a travel physician for more information:
Here is a list of suggested items for a travel medical kit; this list is only a guideline and is not all-inclusive; use your own judgment to include or exclude items.
- your personal prescriptions, including refills; pack in your carry-on bag
- Malaria tablets (by prescription)
- anti-diarrheal (e.g. imodium)
- small packets of Gatorade or oral rehydration solution
- aspirin or tylenol/paracetamol
- betadine or other topical antiseptic
- bandaids and an antibiotic crème
- nasal decongestant, antihistamine or allergy medication
- antacid
- eye drops
- insect repellent
- hand-sanitizer
- sun screen
- lip balm
- motion sickness pills, if you are prone to motion sickness
Insurance
Though not required, it is a good idea to have travel insurance. There are several companies that provide short-term travel insurance policies. Check to make sure your current insurance company does not have options to cover you during your trip before contacting other companies.
Money
Traveler’s checks: This is the preferred method for bringing money. However, be prepared to pay a commission of 2-5% on traveler’s checks. Also, be sure to have your purchase receipt as some banks and exchange bureaus will not exchange traveler’s checks without the purchase receipt.
Cash: Euros and US Dollars are readily exchangeable in Bamako and other capital cities. It is best to arrive with a small amount of currency as well. Note: Large denominations ($50, $100, 100€, 200€, 500€) are preferred and provide a better exchange rate than smaller bills.
Credit and Debit cards: Credit cards are not accepted everywhere — only at a few banks, large hotels and restaurants in Bamako and other major cities. Visa card is usually the only card accepted sometimes MasterCard and American Express. It is still a good idea to bring a credit card for emergency use. Check with your bank to make sure your card will work in Mali. Do not expect easy access to cash through ATMS. Though are banks in Bamako and other major cities that have ATM machines for credit/debit card withdrawals. Please confirm with your bank that you can withdraw money overseas.
Note: There are several Western Union and MoneyGram outlets throughout West Africa so it is very easy to wire or have money wired to you during your travel.
For the current exchange rate please see The Full Universal Currency Converter.
Flight Information
Airlines providing regulars flights to Mali are:
Communication
Mali is wireless friendly, pay phones, and phone cards are common throughout the country. There are also many Internet cafes throughout Bamako and other popular destinations in Mali that will allow you to keep in touch with folks back home.
