Visitors arriving to Mali will be surprised by the tender smiles and the warmth with which they will be welcomed by the local population. This human wealth contrasts deeply with the economic poverty of the country.

Mali -which means hippopotamus in Mandingo- is located in the heart of Africa, expanding over a total surface of 1,240,000 square kilometers. It limits with Argelia, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal. It s main geographical areas are three: the Sahara desert, the Sahel, and the savanna.

It is a safe country to travel, with a politically stable government based on a democratic system since 1992. Mali’ s official language is French; yet Bambara is the most common language as the Bambara people of Mandinga origin form the majority of the population. Many other local languages can also be heard in this country of great ethnical diversity.

Mali is homeland of a number of ethnical groups like Bambara, Fulani, Senufo, Songhai, Mandingo, Tuareg, and Dogon. They all have different origins, beliefs and traditions. Some are nomadic, like the Bozo, who are itinerant fishermen establishing different villages along the shore of the Niger River as they follow their catch. Or like the Fulani or Peul ethnical group, or the Tuaregs, who wander from one place to another in search of pastures for their animals.

Mali is basically a rural country with an agricultural based economy. Most of the population is Muslin, with a small minority being Christian, although virtually everybody is still attached to their old animistic beliefs.

Hottest season is between March and June; rainy season goes from July to October, and the coolest season, where cold nights can be expected, particularly at the desert or around the river, is between November and February.