Timbuktu
Mali · Tombouctou · 261 m
Description
Timbuktu stands where the Niger bends closest to the Sahara, the point at which river trade met the camel caravans, and its name became a byword in Europe for the ends of the earth. Between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries it was one of the great centres of Islamic learning, with the university of Sankoré drawing scholars from across the Muslim world. Three earthen mosques survive, Djingareyber, Sankoré and Sidi Yahya, along with sixteen mausoleums of saints. Private family libraries still hold tens of thousands of manuscripts in Arabic and African languages. It carries UNESCO World Heritage status.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: November – February
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Djingareyber Mosque
- Timbuktu (UNESCO)
- Sankoré Mosque & university
- Ahmed Baba manuscript institute
- Sidi Yahya Mosque
- Private family manuscript libraries
- Mausoleums of the saints
- Sahara camel excursion & dune camp
- Explorers' houses of Laing & Barth
- Timbuktu earthen old town
- Tuareg craft & silver market
- Korioumé river port
Getting there
- Airports:
- TOM
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry