Niafunké

Niafunké is a small town on the Niger where the river leaves the inner delta and turns towards the desert, and it is known far beyond Mali because Ali Farka Touré lived and farmed there for most of his life, turning down the touring circuit to stay, serving as mayor and recording an album named after the town using a generator hauled out from Bamako. The country around is rice fields and river, and the town remains very small.

What you actually see

• The river position - the point where the Niger leaves the delta for the desert.
• The Ali Farka Touré connection - the guitarist who farmed and served as mayor here.
• The rice fields - the cultivation worked on the flood plain.
• The small town - a place that stayed small despite its musical fame.

When to go

November to February is the comfortable season with high water. Water drops from March. The rains run June to September.

Honest expectations

There is nothing built to commemorate the town's musical association. Facilities are minimal. Access depends on water levels or a rough track.

Nearby

Lake Débo is upstream, and Tondidarou is nearby.