Warnings for Travelers in Mali
Mali is a poor country in Africa. When visiting the place, you must be careful of your valuable items. There have been many robbery cases that occur in Mali.
The provinces located north of Niger River are very dangerous. The regions included in the provinces are Kidal, Gao and Koulikoro.
Many people have reported to be hijacked by the terrorists from Mali. It is possible that it will occur again. On 22nd January 2009, a group of tourists from Europe were being attacked by the Malians. One of the travelers in the group is a British national who was killed by the kidnapper. The attacks are focused on tourists. You should not wear expensive jewelry to prevent being noticed by the local people. If you want to drive in Mali, make sure the car you rent is not luxurious. Tourists driving luxurious car is more likely to be stopped by the Malian robbers.
In Mali, there are a number of kidnap cases that aims at tourist visiting the local festival. Some of the festivals which you should avoid include Festival in the Desert and Sahara Nights festival. The Festival in the Desert and Sahara Nights festivals are held in Timbuktu.
During your visit, you may encounter people coming to show their wounds to you. Since there is a lack of clinic in the area, their wounds are unable to heal properly. Some of the wounds suffer from severe infection and require immediate medical attention. If they show you their wounds, you should not bring out your first aid medicine to assist them. If you want to help them, make sure you wear gloves to avoid contracting with germs. You can clean their wounds with water and sterile lints.
It can be difficult to travel in Mali. There are very few modern facilities in the rural areas. The highest kidnap rate occurs in the regions outside of the urban center. When visiting the villages, be sure to bring your friends with you.
