Dreams of Timbuktu.

Mali is the land of the Dogon, the Lehmstädte and spectacular music festivals - and suffering in the north under criminal gangs. The region, which is now in a German was kidnapped, German tour operators offer only isolated to.

 

Who says Mali, dreams of Timbuktu: The very name sparked the Africa-fever, the yearning for adventure on the black continent. Their wedding experienced Lehmstadt while already on the Niger in the 15th and 16 Century, when slaves, salt and gold caravans the then largest metropolis in the region ourselves, and the center of Muslim scholarship here in the desert was.

But their legendary Nimbus seduced the researchers nor Africa in the 19th Century expeditions to life in the west of the continent - and now attracts many tourists. What they are in about 1000 years old town to find, is a carefully restored houses Ensemble, the protected UNESCO World Heritage stands in the hinterland of the bitterly poor Mali showed.

But Mali tourists has more to offer than the famous desert city. Cultural highlights during the year are the magnificent and spectacular music festivals like the world-famous "Festival au Desert in Essakane, about 70 kilometers west of Timbuktu, which takes place annually in January. Thousands of Tuareg in traditional clothes from the surrounding West African countries flocking to the oasis days is drumming, dancing, celebrating. Or, the festival sur le Niger in Ségou in February, which only a few years ago as the counterpart of the successful Festival au Desert was founded.

Less well known is the music of Andéramboukane to the border with Niger. There was a German tour group organizers on Thursday attacked a 75-year-old German, a Swiss couple and a Briton were kidnapped. At the biennial festival celebrating the Tuareg tribes of the border region, its culture - Tourists are rare here.

And the reason is because prior to the visit of the area north of Niger also warned the German Foreign Office (AA) expressly and takes only the cities of Timbuktu and Gao: "The security situation in northern Mali by armed cross-border groups operating at considerable risk "writes the AA has long been in his travel warning.

Mali-Africa attracts connoisseurs

The major German tour operators, the study or hiking trips to Mali in the program, such as Viking or Studiosus, a visit to this Tuareg festivals not offered. "We go to customers in regions facing the Foreign Office warns," says Xenia Kuhn excursions by Hauser in Munich, the trekking tours worldwide.

Most German tour operators are focused on goals, on or near the Niger lie. These include the UNESCO World Heritage city of Djenné, which every Monday one of the largest markets in Africa's largest Lehmgebäude the world, the 100-year-old Grand Mosque, is experiencing. The programs are also Mopti, known as Venice of the Sudan at the confluence of Bani and Niger, Ségou, the Sudanese-French colonial architecture up all time, the capital Bamako, a visit to the Dogon tribes and often also a Pinassenfahrt on the Niger.

Mali, like other West African countries, particularly Africa reizen-Kenner, Xenia Kuhn says, so customers, the continent have already been several times. "Mali is still original. The trips are not luxurious, there are no nice hotels, often in the tent overnight." What the expert Hauser and their customers fascinated Mali, are the special African light, especially the enthusiastic photographers, the colors of the country and the happiness of the people.

The next trip from Hauser will likely take place as planned, said Kuhn. If the warnings of the AA, however, extend the company could still very short notice.