In the Inner Niger Delta

Because of the low water level in the Niger River (due to the dry season), the big passenger boats that connect various cities along the river didn't operate. Thus, I took the road from Bamako to Ségou though I would have loved to travel by boat. However, when I heard about the possibility to take a pinasse (see foto below) from a small town not far from Djenné to Mopti, the fourth largest city of Mali, I decided to give it a try.

Although only 50 km from Djenné, the small town of Kuakourou is quite a different world. There's no electricity (though drinking water supply has improved of late) and transport conditions aren't easy. In the rainy season which starts in June, the town is surrounded by water and only accessible by boat. In the dry season, a small track connects it with Djenné and the Niger River with Mopti. The best chance to get to Kuakourou by public transport is before the town's big Saturday market. Together with Nouhoum, my friend from Djenné, I took a truck that brought traders and their goods to the market.

A dusty ride on a truck with traders on their way to the market

The three hour ride on the small, dusty track was great fun as the traders were in a good mood and the landscape was really interesting. This is the Inner Niger Delta where the great river spreads to create a system of streams, lakes and islands. I tried to picture how this area looks in the rainy season but found it hard to imagine this dry landscape to be a world of water and islands.

Dry now but in the rainy season a system of streams and islands

The Niger River at Mopti gives an impression of what a really large area might look like in the rainy season

In Kuakourou, the mayor of the town allowed us to sleep on the roof of his new house which was still under construction. The following day was market day.

Marketwoman selling potash

Part of the Saturday market in Kuakourou

With the market continuing until the evening, I decided to wait until the next day to take a boat down the Niger to Mopti. This proved to be a good decision as the trip in the dried fish-laden pinasse took five hours.

My pinasse (left) and a smaller pirogue used for crossing the river

Fellow passengers on the way to Mopti