Timbuktu: Getting there & around

The best way to get to Timbuktu is by river, either by passenger boat or pinasse (motorised boat) or by pinasse transporteur (cargo pinasse). Getting a ride on a large pinasse is an option; it takes about two days. Smaller pinasses take about three days from Mopti to Korioumé, but with breakdowns and cargo stops they can take up to six. Pinasses go to Diré a few times a week, especially Monday, and return Tuesday afternoon (after the market); other pinasses go on to Mopti. If the river is too low for boats you can also take a bus or plane from Bamako. Timbuktu is 690km (430mi) from Bamako.

The flash new airport is 6km (4mi) by taxi from Timbuktu. Air Mali, African Airlines and SAE all fly to Bamako via Mopti. In the dry season, battered Land Rovers run from Mopti to Timbuktu a few times per week. The road is bad: waterlogged and muddy after the rains, sandy and dusty in the dry. It's a very uncomfortable journey, often with a night under the stars, and many tourists either pay extra for the front seat or hire a 4WD themselves. The journey should take around 12 hr but can take 24 after breakdowns, river crossings and other holdups (no pun intended). Trucks sometimes run this route, but take even longer.

The most-used route from Mopti goes via Douentza to Bambara-Maounde then to another ferry directly south of Timbuktu.

The route via Gourma-Rharous and Gossi has fallen out of favour because of security problems. In the dry season there are also truck-buses from Bamako to Timbuktu (24 hr, but can take two days), with Gana Transport and Alfarouk Transport. Buses leave Bamako Place G and Medina Coura, respectively. The journey goes via Ségou, Nampala and Niafounké.

If you're heading east, trucks also run a couple of times each week between Timbuktu and Gao along the north side of the river. Sometimes 4WDs make the trip, but vehicles have been hijacked along this route. Ask around at the Grand Marché and steel yourself for a tough two-day trip.

There's some transport to and from Diré and the occasional bâché (bush taxi or truck) travelling to Goundam and Niafounké at the weekend.

Touring the hotels, looking for other tourists who want to share a vehicle, is a good ploy.

Between late July and late November, the large Comanav passenger boats stop at Korioumé, Timbuktu's port. If you want to leave Timbuktu on the Comanav boat, the ticket office is in Kabala (the old port). Azalaï Voyages can reserve a ticket for a small fee.

There's very little transport to/from Gao, although an occasional pinasse goes to Gourma-Rharous where you might find another pinasse going to Gao or (more likely) a place in a truck. You can charter a pinasse to Mopti or Gao (boats loaded with tourists regularly come from these destinations). Beware of guides charging you for a chartered pinasse and then putting you on a public one carrying cargo and dozens of other passengers.

There are private taxis/bâchés to Kabara and to Korioumé; overcharging is rife. There are no taxis as such, just guys with underused vehicles.