Mali 🇲🇱 - A Country 99% of People Will Never Visit

Finally made it to my 10th West African country—Mali! Once home to the gold-rich Mali Empire, now one of the world's least developed nations. 70% illiteracy rate for ages 15+ Many lack access to education & healthcare Ongoing instability (even street photography is often restricted) Arriving in Bamako, dust-choked roads and curious stares reminded me: This is a place few will ever see. ✨ Bamako Day Trip 📍 Mali National Park One of the few green spaces—locals picnic here. The zoo (🎫1,000 XOF) is attached. 📍 National Museum of Mali Right by the park (🎫1,500 XOF, no photos inside). Outdoor exhibits include a moss-covered Djenné Mosque replica—since I can’t visit Timbuktu, this’ll do! 😅 📍 Bamako Museum Tiny but heartfelt (🎫1,500 XOF + 100 XOF photo fee). Staff were so warm! 📍 Sacred Heart Cathedral A quick stop near the museums. 📍 Grand Mosque of Bamako Area felt unsafe—be cautious. 📍 Tower of Africa 30 mins from downtown (only worth it if en route to the airport). 🍴 Food Adventures 📍 Le Loft Upscale French cuisine—stepping inside from Bamako’s dust felt like teleporting to Paris! ✨ 📍 Jia Jian Bubble Tea After weeks in West Africa… PEARL MILK TEA! 🧋 Happy tears. 📍 Restaurant Balasoko Solid meals inside the national park—great value! 🏨 Staying Safe 📍 Hôtel l’Amitié Bamako Opted for a 5-star hotel due to security concerns. Tight checks, but pools & AC made it worth it. Why travel here? Mali has few "tourist attractions." Infrastructure is rough. But no secondhand story compares to being here—where life operates on a totally different rhythm. Beyond our modern bubbles, this is reality for millions. And for many, there’s no escape hatch. #Mali #WestAfrica #Bamako 🌍