Border Crossing: Senegal to Mali at Kidira / Diboli
September 11, 2022 | Tagged: Africa, Border Crossings
Crossing from Senegal to Mali at the Kidira/Diboli border crossing back in February 2020 before the pandemic shut things down.
My day started in Tambacounda and ended 281km later in Kayes. Here is the minivan that broke down a few hours after leaving Tambacounda:
The road from Tambacounda to the border at Kidira was in crap condition, as per usual in Senegal. The journey was hardcore. I arrived in Kidira after 184 km at 4 pm.
In hindsight, what I should have done was found a hotel and crossed the border the next day. But I didn't.
I headed immediately for the border.
I got stamped out, walked across the bridge, over the Falémé River and into Mali.
In hindsight, what I should have done was found a hotel and crossed the border the next day. But I didn't.
I headed immediately for the border.
I got stamped out, walked across the bridge, over the Falémé River and into Mali.
I had secured my visa in Dakar so I just breezed through the immigration as if it's an everyday occurrence that a backpacker comes through here.
The guys were friendly. No attempt was made to extract a bribe.
They told me I could sleep in the Hotel La Falémé which had a nightclub attached and take a bus to Kayes at 6 am. Umm, thanks but no thanks.
The guys were friendly. No attempt was made to extract a bribe.
They told me I could sleep in the Hotel La Falémé which had a nightclub attached and take a bus to Kayes at 6 am. Umm, thanks but no thanks.
Above: my Mali visa. My proudest ever.
Below: Passport stamps for exiting Senegal and entering Mali:
Below: Passport stamps for exiting Senegal and entering Mali:
Mali, my 94th country, my 88th UN-listed country.
I rode a 5-seater minivan for the final 97km and arrived in Kayes at 11 pm. It took a while to find a hotel. But after lots of unhelpful help, I ended up at the colonial-era Hotel du Rail, across from the station that no longer serves any trains.
It had been a very long day. The roads had been tough, I'd snatched food and water where I could and I privately suffered in the heat. But I had made it to Mali. Pretty neat eh?
I rode a 5-seater minivan for the final 97km and arrived in Kayes at 11 pm. It took a while to find a hotel. But after lots of unhelpful help, I ended up at the colonial-era Hotel du Rail, across from the station that no longer serves any trains.
It had been a very long day. The roads had been tough, I'd snatched food and water where I could and I privately suffered in the heat. But I had made it to Mali. Pretty neat eh?
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This post is the property of Nomadic Backpacker
