TRAVEL TIPS

Entry Requirements

1. an entry visa is required for everyone except citizens of:
   
   
   • ECOWAS member countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo
   • Algeria
   • Cameroon
   • Andorra
   • Monaco
   • Chad
   • the Gambia
   • Morocco
   • Mauritania
   • Tunisia
   • South Africa



2. Yellow Fever immunization

Entry Visa

Visas are required to enter Mali. The website of the Malian Embassy in Washington DC has all of the pertinent information. Click here to access it now - you will be able to download the instructions and application form.

NB: only 5-day entry stamps are available upon arrival at Bamako airport; you must apply for a tourist visa in Bamako, if your stay in Mali will exceed five days. This process requires 48-72 hours (Monday-Friday). We recommend obtaining a visa prior to your trip whenever possible.

Before traveling, you should also make sure that your passport is valid for at least six more months, and that it has sufficient blank pages for entry and exit stamps in each country that you will visit.

Health and medical issues

You will need a Yellow Fever vaccine to enter Mali. See your physician, public health office, or travelers' clinic; you can also visit the Centers for Disease Control website for more information. It would also be a good idea to make sure other vaccinations are up-to-date, such as tetanus, rabies, etc.; best to get a physician's advice.

Also, don't forget to ask your doctor about malaria prevention - this is usually mefloquine (Lariam), doxycycline, or Malarone in tablet form, taken for the length of your trip plus a short period before your departure and after your return. In the U.S., malaria prevention tablets are sold by prescription only; they are not available in Mali. Another important and complementary preventive measure is to cover your arms and legs, especially in the evening, and to utilize mosquito repellent.

Tip: the availability of medications in West Africa is limited, and the brands available will probably not be familiar ones, so bring along all medications that you're likely to need as you travel. And be sure to pack them in your carry-on bag, not your checked luggage.

Tip: food and water precautions - only drink boiled or bottled liquids, and make sure the intact bottle cap is removed in your presence; don't eat anything raw that you haven't peeled yourself. To avoid dehydration, do make an effort to drink more water than you normally do, even if you don't feel thirsty.

Tip: sports bars, dried fruit, trail mix or other snack foods can be very handy on long days, or if local food does not satisfy your palate (chocolate is not a good choice, as it melts). This is especially noteworthy for vegetarians, who should consider bringing along protein supplements and other items to complement the limited local variety.

Tip: Wash your hands every chance you get; this will help prevent many bacterial and viral infections.

Here is a list of suggested items for a travel medical kit; this list is only a guideline, and you should carefully include or exclude items according to your particular needs.

• your personal prescriptions, including refills; pack in your carry-on bag
• malaria tablets (by prescription)
• anti-diarrheal (e.g. imodium)
• aspirin or tylenol/paracetamol
• betadine or other topical antiseptic
• bandaids and an antibiotic creme
• rehydration powder or sports drink (e.g. gatorade)
• nasal decongestant, antihistamine or allergy medication
• antacid
• eye drops
• insect repellent
• hand-sanitizer (keep it handy)
• sun screen
• lip balm
• moisturizing skin lotion
• calamine lotion
• motion sickness pills, if you are prone to motion sickness

Insurance (See Terms & Conditions )

Insurance is not required, but is always a good idea. Check your other policies (health, homeowners, student, etc.) to see what coverage you may already have. Otherwise check into one of the specialist travel insurance companies such as Access America (800 284 8300; www.accessamerica.com) or International SOS Assistance (215 245 4707; www.intsos.com). Saga Tours does not offer travel insurance.

Money and Credit cards

Foreign exchange: Euros and USDollars are readily exchangeable in Bamako and other capital cities.

NB: Large denominations ($100, 100€, 200€, 500€) are preferred and provide a better exchange rate than smaller bills.

Travelers checks are also exchangeable, but not as readily as cash—you should expect to pay a commission of 5-20% on travellers checks.

**Be prepared for lengthy procedures to exchange travellers checks, and be sure to have your purchase receipt — some banks and exchange bureaus will not exchange travellers checks without the purchase receipt.

In the interior of Mali and other countries, cash may also be exchanged (not quite as easily as in the capital cities), but travelers checks likely not.

Credit cards: Please note that credit cards are very little used in our local cash economies — only at a few banks, large hotels and restaurants in Bamako and other major cities. Visa card is usually the only card accepted, and sometimes, MasterCard or American Express; despite American Express' publicity, it is not widely utilized in West Africa. In the interior of any country, do not count on using credit cards at all. It is nevertheless a good idea to bring a Visa card for emergency use in the capital cities.

There is one ATM in Mali, located in Bamako. It accepts only Visa card, and gives a maximum cash advance of 200,000 CFA (approximate value $450 USD, at current exchange rate).

There are also Western Union outlets in Bamako, Sikasso, Kayes, Segou, Mopti, and Timbuktu, where cash can be transferred and accessed the same day.

Local currency, exchange rates

The local currency is called 'CFA' and is utilized in several other West African countries, namely: Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast and Senegal.

Approximate exchange rates as of August 2008 are:
440 CFA = $1 US
650 CFA = 1 Euro
1 Euro = $1.50 US

When checking the exchange rate with a Currency Converter, remember that these sites typically list the interbank rate, whereas the retail rate is what you will get locally. Click here to access a currency converter now.

Food and meals

Restaurant meals are not cheap; in the smaller towns, expect to pay approximately 5-8 € for lunch, 7-12 € for dinner; in the larger cities, approximately 6-10 € for lunch, and 12-25 € for dinner (in the major hotels of capital cities, up to 20 € for lunch, up to 35 € for dinner).

Local street-corner food is cheap but not recommended for the uninitiated; it is a prime source of infection leading to diarrheal disease.

Bottled mineral water is approximately 1 € in stores (1.5-liter bottle), and 2-4 € in hotels or restaurants.