500 Adrenaline Adventures (Frommer's) - Lois Friedland [139]
The Dogon country is bisected by the Bandiagara Escarpment, a sandstone cliff that reaches nearly 500m (1,640 ft.) high and about 150km (100 miles) across. Its walls allegedly provided some defense when the Dogon refused to convert to Islam almost a thousand years ago. The choice of this location was probably also based on its proximity to the Niger River.
Today, the Dogon are best known for their unique mask dances, wooden sculptures, and architecture. They perform moving, time-honored mask dances at the end of mourning periods to encourage a loved one’s spirit to depart the village and join his or her ancestors. Sculptures revolve around religious ideals, and often portray figures with raised arms, bending from the waist, or covering their faces; women with children, grinding grains, or carrying vessels on their heads; and animals such as horses, dogs, and donkeys. They are not intended for public viewing, and are often kept inside houses and sanctuaries. Dogon villages are composed of beautifully intricate mud buildings, many with pointed roofs and multiple levels.
To visit, you’ll need a visa, proof of your yellow fever vaccination, and anti-malarial pills. With those in hand, you’ll take a long flight to Bamako, followed by a 9-hour bus ride to Sevare. After an overnight there, and perhaps a side trip to Djenne (home to the world’s largest mud mosque), you’ll take another (albeit shorter) bus ride to the Dogon country where the much-anticipated trekking portion of your trip begins. As you travel between small villages, you’ll hike between 10km (6.2 miles) and 20km (12.4 miles) each day, eat what’s put in front of you (and don’t expect it to be vegetarian), and sleep in a no-frills tent on the ground.
The Dogon country remains an exciting destination for anyone fascinated by different kinds of culture, art, and religion. The money generated by tourism is also an important revenue source for the local community. —JS
The U.S. Embassy of Mali ( 202/332-2249;http://maliembassy.us).
Tour: Saga Tours, Magnambougou rural, Secteur 2 ( 223/2020-2708;www.sagatours.com).
When to Go: Sept–Feb.
Bamako Senou International Airport, followed by a bus ride to Dogon country.
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Trekking the Taman Negara Rainforest
Exploring the Land of the Lost
Taman Negara National Park, Malaysia
Most forest hikes will take you back into nature, but some treks can take you back in time. Taman Negara is the ideal place for such an experience; some 130 million years old, the forests that make up this immense park are relatively untouched by human hands, making it one of the rarest and most beautiful nature reserves in the world. The million-plus acres of this park are home to rare orchids and other exotic plants, as well as endangered animals such as the Malayan peacock-pheasant, leopards, the Sumatran rhinoceros, the Indochinese tiger, leaf monkeys, monitor lizards, and the Asian elephant. A glimpse of these creatures in their spectacular home is a breathtaking experience.
Located near the center of the Malay Peninsula, the park is easily accessible by bus from Kuala Lumpur, and traveling by boat to your resort destination only adds to the mystery and allure of this tropical rainforest. There are several resort operators who, in addition to providing meals and arranging treks and other activities, will provide a coach transfer to and from Kuala Lumpur.
There’s no shortage of things to do once you’re settled into your accommodations. Gunung Tahan, the tallest mountain in peninsular Malaysia at 2,150m (7,175 ft.) above sea level, can be reached by climbers departing from Merapoh or Kuala Tahan. The park’s canopy