Bafing Faunal Reserve
A reserve on the Bafing river in western Mali, at the northern edge of the chimpanzee range.
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The Bafing reserve protects wooded savanna and gallery forest along the Bafing river in western Mali, and its significance is the chimpanzee: the West African subspecies reaches its northern limit here, living in drier country than chimpanzees occupy anywhere else, which has made the population a subject of study. Hippo use the river and the reserve also holds antelope and a substantial bird list.
What you actually see
- The chimpanzees - the West African subspecies at the northern edge of its range.
- The dry-country adaptation - apes living in savanna rather than rainforest.
- The Bafing river - the water the reserve runs along, with hippo in it.
- The gallery forest - the wooded strips the chimpanzees depend on.
When to go
November to February is the cool dry season and the practical window. The rains from June close access. March to May is extremely hot.
Honest expectations
Chimpanzee sightings are very unlikely; the population is dispersed and unhabituated. There is no infrastructure of any kind. Visits require an expedition with permits and guides arranged well ahead.
Nearby
Kayes is northwest, and Bamako is east.
What to pack for Bafing Faunal Reserve
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.