The ancient city of Djenne is like no other. Sat on an island in the Bani River, the oldest known city in sub-Saharan Africa is a symphony of mud-brick buildings – over 2,000 of these traditional dwellings stand here, built on hillocks as flood protection. Exploring is an endlessly fascinating experience – an utterly alien landscape of dusty streets and sandcastle-style houses. The undoubted highlight is the Great Mosque. The world’s largest adobe building is an extraordinary concoction, seemingly rising from the earth organically. The vibrant colours of the market traders in front of the mosque provide a spectacular counterpoint to the building’s uniform tawny hue. And best of all, the mosque takes on the colours of the day magnificently – don’t even think about leaving here without snapping some photos at sunset.
Gallery
Video
Our Favourite Trips
-
West Africa Expedition
- 26 days
- From US $9,130
- Countries Visited: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Togo
-
Mali & Burkina Faso
- 12 days
- From US $3,850
- Countries Visited: Burkina Faso, Mali
