There are regular flights from Paris and Marseille to Mopti/Sevare offered by Point Afrique from October through March. The airport at Sevare, 13km from Mopti, is the closest airstrip to Pays Dogon and can also be reached by Compagnie Aerienne du Mali and Air Mali Express with spotty service connecting Mopti to Bamako and Tombouctou.

To Pays Dogon By Road

The town of Bandiagara serves as the gateway to Pays Dogon and is relatively easily accessed by a well-paved road from Mopti/Sevare.  From Bandiagara, the paved road turns to dirt, which can be impassable during times of heavy rains.  If renting a car yourself, four-wheel drive is a necessity to navigate these roads, and hiring a driver is highly recommended.

The buses that are highly recommended from Bamako are the bus lines Bani, Binke, and Bittar. They cost 7,500cfa to 8,000cfa, with service straight to Sevare. The Ghana bus line also runs directly to Bandiagara twice a week for 12,000cfa from Bamako. Another more economical option are taxis bâchés, which can be hired at special departure points and bus stations. Taxis bâchés are converted minivans with the seats removed and as many people as can fit crammed in the back, thus these trips tend to be a bit uncomfortable, albeit economical.

It is also possible to travel to Dogon Country from Burkina Faso. Ouagadougou, the capital, is only a 6 hour drive from Bandiagara.

Getting Around

You will discover much of Dogon Country by foot. Be aware that the interior of the Dogon Country is very steep and that many villages are not accessible by road. It is highly recommended that when traveling through villages that you hire a local official guide to accompany you to avoid wondering into protected or sacred areas as these are not marked. Trespassing into these areas may result in a confrontation with village elders.

3 kms avant d’entrer à Bandiagara sur la route venant de Sévaré. ]]> http://www.dogoncountry.com/hotel-togona/feed/ http://www.dogoncountry.com/nature-and-scenery/ http://www.dogoncountry.com/nature-and-scenery/#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:51:33 +0000 thibautr http://fit.websitewelcome.com/~visitpay/nature-and-scenery/ Dogon country offers beautiful views of vast plains rolling into the rugged cliffs of the Bandiagara Escarpment.

The escarpment, a sandstone cliff, rises about 500 meters above the lower sandy Gonodo plains to the south. Approximately 150 kilometers long and the highest peak rising 1,115 meters, the escarpment offers shelter to the Dogon people as well as a unique cultural tourism experience.

The Nyame, the picturesque river, runs along the eastern side of the town of Bandiagara. Pink and orange sand dunes can be seen at the bottom of the escarpment on the way to Indeli. Trekking through the region one can spot onion fields, Baobab trees, and red rocks. Sacred crocodiles are harbored near the Amani village.

There are many beautiful species of birds in Dogon country. Please have a look at them in the following 4 documents:  birds 1, birds 2, birds 3, birds 4.

Consult here the list of medicinal plants in Dogon Country.

(Informations gathered by the Mission culturelle of Bandiagara)

They believe in a God called Ama and remain faithful to their ancestral beliefs. The Dogon live in a mysterious world of symbols, signs, hieroglyphics, colors, and emblems. Objects - a language without words - lay down man’s relationship to the world: the reign of the sacred. Thanks to their adherence to their traditions (dialects, dance, music, worship, ritual practices,parties and so on), ancestor worship and animism are still very present among the Dogon people.

The Dogon are rich in their differences. However, they are linked to a single cultural heritage that provides a history with a very strong identity. Dogon country is not solely populated by Dogon: Bambara and Peul also live there. The official language remains French, although few people speak French well within Dogon country.