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    Afternoon Tea in Timbouctou

    Djingareiber MosqueMore Photos
    Maybe I’m a bit shallow, but for me the real highlight was actually being in Timbouctou. I was neither surprised nor disappointed by the place – it was pretty much how I’d expected it to be with one exception. Timbouctou is a dusty ramshackle town with streets of sand on the edge of a desert, and because it was the Muslim feast of Tabaski the streets were deserted. The majority of people kicking about town that day were Westerners getting stocked up for the Festival au Desert. Timbouctou is not completely devoid of glimmers, however, and the Manuscript Museum is one of them. If you like doors then you’re also in the right place because there are some beautiful carved and studded doors around town. The Maison des Artisans is worth a look although the hassle can be quite intense. Of course, if you’re into early 19th-century explorers then you can visit their houses. If you’re passing Timbouctou in February then the Festival au Desert is a highlight in its own right.${QuickSuggestions} You can get a "Timbouctou" stamp on your passport at the tourist office near the Djingareiber Mosque. ${BestWay} As with most towns in Mali, on foot. Many of the narrow back alleys are impassable by cars anyway. Any trips out into the desert would either be in a 4x4 or on a camel.
    From journal Afternoon Tea in Timbouctou