Travel to Mali can be an arduous trip.
The most direct way to travel to Mali is to fly to its capital city of Bamako. The country is located in western Africa, and its most recognizable city is Timbuktu. Depending on your city of departure, total flight times can last as long as 30 hours. As of September 2010, some terrorist threats lurk in the northern portion of the country so travelers should take caution to avoid those areas.
Instructions
1. Book your flight. Do this first, as you will need your itinerary in order to acquire the proper travel documents. You can schedule a flight with most U.S. airlines, although they do not fly directly to Mali. The most direct flight is from a U.S. city to Paris to Bamako in Mali, and many flights will take you through more than one city before you get to Paris.
2. Get a vaccination for yellow fever. As of September 2010, you must have proof of this vaccine to gain entry into Mali, according to the U.S. Department of State. Find a yellow fever vaccine clinic on the CDC website (see Resources) or talk to your doctor about getting the vaccination.
3. Acquire a visa for entry into Mali. Go to the VisaHQ website for Mali (see References) and fill out the application. Mail the application, your passport, two passport photos, your itinerary, your yellow fever vaccination certification, the necessary fees and either your hotel reservations or a letter of invitation from someone who lives in Mali to:
2005 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
The process should be completed within five days, but send in the application at least 10 days before your departure date to allow for contingencies.
Tags: yellow fever, entry into, entry into Mali, into Mali, most direct