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jenne, Mali is an exotic and enchanting island oasis in the middle of the Niger inland delta. It is the oldest known city in Sub-Saharan Africa, founded as a center for traders between the deserts of Sudan and the tropical forests of Guinea. Gold, slaves, and kola nuts were traded here for Saharan salt, making Djenne one of Africa's richest and most cosmopolitan cities at one time. The town of 10,000 people is sustained by its agricultural industry, but still retains the mystical feeling of its past.
Djenne became known as a center of Islamic scholarship in 1240 when King Koy Konboro, the 26th ruler of Djenne, knocked down his royal palace and replaced it with the original Great Mosque. The new Great Mosque that dominates the large market square in the center of town replaced the old one which fell into disrepair in the early 1800's. The present-day Great Mosque is the largest adobe structure in the world. It is classically Sudanese with three minarets standing 30 feet high. The whole mosque is raised 3 meters above the level of the market place, symbolizing the transition from the profane to the sacred.
The Djenne market is one of the most colorful and vibrant weekly markets in Africa. Every Monday people from the surrounding villages and as far as Bamako and Sikasso flock to trade and sell their goods. It is a great place to buy mud cloth and other Malian artifacts. There are also frequent camel markets in Djenne and all over Mali where many of these great beasts are bought and sold.
THE PERFECT MONTH TO VISIT DJENNE, MALI is January when it is the middle of the cool and dry season. The temperature is extremely hot from March through October and the rains end in November, making January a very pleasant time to visit. It is also when Mali's Festival in the Desert, a music and Tuareg culture festival, is held in the desert oasis of Essakane. It is a musical event, drawing musicians from Mali, Mauritania, Niger and other countries. It is also a great opportunity to interact with the Tuareg people, and the festivities will include traditional singing, dancing, swordplay, camel races and artisans' exhibits.
A GOOD VALUE is the Campment Hotel Djenne, which is located 2 blocks from the Great Mosque and has a central restaurant and courtyard. Accommodations are fairly basic, but they are the best available in Djenne.
Festival in Desert Essakane - The 7th edition is planned for January 11 ,12 and 13, 2007 in Essakane Tombouctou.
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Benguerra Island, Mozambique
Djenne, Mali
Evengue Island, Gabon
Ile St Marie, Madagascar
Impalila Island, Namibia
Iranja and Tsarabanjina Islands, Madagascar
Mafia Island, Tanzania |
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Mauritius
Praslin, Seychelles
Siankaba and Sindabezi Islands, Zambia
Ngamba Island, Uganda
Paradise Island, Botswana
Zanzibar |
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