It was an early morning when we started our hike to the most famous sight of Sibi – Arch of Kamadjan. The best time to visit the arch is either early morning or before sunset when the sun is low. Preferred time to visit is morning so that you can be back at camp before it gets dark in evening in case of any delays during the hike.
Arch of Kamadjan
One of the best places to visit in Sibi is this natural rock arch located up on the hills. To reach up here is a 30-40 minute easy hike from the camp site in Sibi.
This cultural landscape, which houses the cave of lions, the place of divination, the cave of sacrifices, the shelters under the rocks and the Telikourou site, served as a protective wall to the village of Sibi. At the time of Soundiata Keita, meetings of troops, councils of war, demonstrations of knowledge took place there. It is historically linked to the legendary Epic of Soundiata, an epic poem of the Mandinka people that tells the story of Soundiata Keita, the founder of the Mali Empire in the 13th century AD. Legend has it that the king of Sibi, Kamandjan Camara pierced the mountain with his sword to make this rock arch.
A round-trip hike takes about 2 hours including time up there to take pictures and relax. We returned to the camp site and had breakfast before leaving for Bamako.
Bamako
A drive of about 2 hours took longer because of an accident on the highway, reaching Bamako around 1pm.
We headed straight to the main market bustling with activity, watching locals go around on their routine! A good friend of our guide had a shop in one of the buildings, giving us an aerial view of the market down. The main mosque of Bamako can also be seen from the roof of the building.
We stopped by a local restaurant called Resto Bafing for our last lunch in Mali – chicken with sautéed vegetables and plantains.
After a late lunch and a shower at the hotel, we headed to the airport for a late night flight out of Mali.
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Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = XOF 595 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult. Note that the expenses do not include international flights to and from Mali.
| What | Cost | Notes |
| None | $0.00 | No additional costs for the day. |
| Day Costs | $0.00 | Per person |
| Overall Costs | $1,795.86 | Per person |
Day 5
Sibi, Bamako and out
Sights of Sibi, drive back to Bamako and fly out.