RegionUsable guide

Dogon Country

Region of Mali and Burkina Faso

Photo: JialiangGao www.peace-on-earth.org, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Dogon Country (French: Pays Dogon) is the name used for a region of south-central Mali renowned for its secluded villages embedded on cliffs that are up to 500 m tall which were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989. These are near the city of Bandiagara.

Getting there and around

Getting there

Unfortunately you have to hire some kind of car to get in to the heart of Dogon, whether you rent it with or without a driver. With a driver, cars in Mopti will generally costs 50,000 CFA per day plus gas.

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Getting around

There are almost no roads in the region, except those connecting a couple of towns used as base camps with the neighboring regions. You will need to go on foot and be in relatively good shape.

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Airports and nearby hotels

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Mopti Airport

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Read before you go to Dogon Country

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Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

VillagesThe main reason to take on the expense and time of going to Dogon Country is to hike the many small villages that exist there, perched either up on the plateau or down in the sandy lowland.

UnderstandDogon Country's villages lie among the plains, and especially the cliffs along the Bandiagara Escarpment.

TalkThe local Dogon language is spoken by everyone, but due to its popularity with tourists French remains the lingua franca.

Get inUnfortunately you have to hire some kind of car to get in to the heart of Dogon, whether you rent it with or without a driver. With a driver, cars in Mopti will generally costs 50,000 CFA per day plus gas.

Get aroundThere are almost no roads in the region, except those connecting a couple of towns used as base camps with the neighboring regions. You will need to go on foot and be in relatively good shape.

SeeThere are hundreds of unique towns scattered throughout the region and while all are unique and, while there is no "typical" Dogon village, most can be found built into the sides of hills and escarpments.

Buye. chiefs). Most villages will sell arts and crafts to tourists.

EatTowns will generally sell small quantities of food to tourists, but there are no restaurants outside the couple of major base towns. You will likely be sharing a meal with a family.

DrinkThere is no alcohol to be found outside of the couple of base towns, where you'll find beer, coke, and bottled water for about 1,000CFA.

RespectDogons are very spiritual and visitors should be very keen to respect their beliefs. One should always ask if it is appropriate to photograph something.

Stay safeIf trekking, you should be in good physical shape and carry and drink lots of water to prevent dehydration.

Go next

MoptiIt is the nearest large town with all the supplies people could need as well as good connections back to Bamako.

Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Dogon Country" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Dogon country", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: JialiangGao www.peace-on-earth.org, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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