About Timbuktu

Timbuktu budge travel offers the chance to visit one of the most fascinating ancient cities in the world, which has also been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Timbuktu Budget Travel

Timbuktu budget travel is very easy with great value for money backpacking tours and fantastic highlights. Below is useful information on Timbuktu to help you plan your budget holiday in Timbuktu. We offer a variety of budget tours and backpacking advice in Timbuktu.

Airports

Timbuktu airport information includes:
• Senou International Airport is the nearest international airport
• Timbuktu Airport

Birdlife

Along the Niger, many Timbuktu birds such as fishing and wading birds including grebe, pelican, cormorant, darter, herons bitterns, egrets, hamerkops, storks, shoebills, Ibises, spoonbills, ducks, geese and osprey can be seen. Large birds of prey such as hawks, kites, eagles, buzzards, vultures, falcons and owls can also be seen near the desert.

Conservation

Timbuktu conservation plays a vital role in protecting the many ancient buildings and mosques, along with nature conservation that aims to save water and ensure better agricultural practices. A conservation and management plan has also been implemented to avoid Timbuktu being taken off the World Heritage Site list due to negligence in preserving the old city.

Culture

Timbuktu cultures include the following:
• Music and dance plays a key role in modern and traditional cultures
• Food and drink are a common part of social gatherings
• Art is an important traditional form of expression
• Tribal traditions and pastimes play a key role in all cultures
• Markets and trade play a crucial role for most locals

Health

Timbuktu health information is as follows:
• The most common health risk is travellers tummy from rich foods or tap water
• Health facilities are not easily found in this area
• Pack a basic first aid kit with medication for upset stomachs, nausea and other minor ailments
• Avoid drinks that may contain tap water
• Check with your doctor about any health risks or disease outbreaks that may have occurred recently before leaving for your trip

Languages

Timbuktu languages include:
• French
• English
• Bamanankan
• Bamu

Money

Timbuktu money and banking information includes:
• There are no banks to be found nearby
• Credit and debit cards are rarely accepted in Timbuktu and the rest of Mali
• It is best to withdraw cash and do your banking when arriving at the international airport
• Markets will only accept cash in local currencies

People

Timbuktu people include the following groups:
• Tuareg
• Dogon
• Fula Macina
• Soninke
• Sanghai
• Bambara

Phrase

Timbuktu local phrases in French include:
• Do you speak English? - Parlez-vous Anglais?
• I don't understand - Je ne comprends pas
• Hello - Bonjour
• Goodbye - Au revoir
• Thank you - Merci

Plants

There are very few Timbuktu plants to be found in this dry, desert area. Occasional scrub, grasslands and trees can be seen, with rice crops grown on the banks of the Niger River. The land around the river is more fertile and green, but even then crops are limited due to the lack of rain received in Timbuktu.

Religion

Timbuktu religion includes the following:
• Islam
• Christianity
• Traditional beliefs

Safety Tips

Timbuktu safety tips include:
• The northern areas are very dangerous with reports of banditry and terrorist attacks
• Be careful when walking near houses, as the sand can sometimes sink into doorways that lie below
• Keep valuables safe and out of sight when traveling by car or foot
• Avoid large crowds and street demonstrations which may turn violent
• Be wary of con artists when visiting markets and shops

Transport

Timbuktu local transport options include:
• Boat
• Taxi
• Donkey
• Camel
• Foot

Travel Books

Timbuktu recommended travel books include:
• To Timbuktu: Nine Countries, Two People, One True Story by Casey Scieszka and Steven Weinberg
• The Race for Timbuktu: In Search of Africa's City of Gold by Frank T. Kryza
• To Timbuktu: A Journey Down the Niger by Mark Jenkins
• Somewhere in the Sand: In Search of Timbuktu by Chris Berggren
• To Timbuktu by Mark D. Jenkins

Visa Requirements

Get more information on visas in Mali

What To Buy

What to buy for Timbuktu travel:
• Backpack plus a decent moneybag
• Mali guide book plus a bird guide
• First aid kit with basic supplies
• Travel kit with toilet paper, wet wipes and bottled water
• Torch with spare batteries

What To Pack

What to pack for Timbuktu travel:
• Long-sleeved clothing in neutral colours
• Comfortable walking or hiking shoes
• Camera, batteries, film and binoculars
• Warm top for cooler months
• Sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses

When To Go

When to go to Timbuktu:
• The best months are October to February, when the weather is relatively cool
• December and January are the busiest and most crowded months
• The rainy season from July to September offers the richest vegetation with scattered showers
• March to May is the hottest time to visit, with unbearable temperatures

Wildlife

Timbuktu wildlife varies from domesticated farm animals, donkeys, camels and cats (which are eaten, and sometimes skinned and left to dry on telephone wires) to wildlife such as aardvark and a large number of bats. There are also desert-dwelling species further into the Sahara.