Mali visa requirements for Sierra Leoneans
Travel and visa requirements
Malian Visa is not required for Sierra Leoneans
Stay Duration: 90 days
Entry Requirements
- Sierra Leone citizens visiting Mali are not required to obtain a visa for a duration of 90 days.
- Visitors are expected to present a passport with at least one blank page for visa stamps.
- The passport of visitors must be valid within the duration of stay.
- Visitors are required to provide a certificate of Yellow Fever vaccination at entry.
- Visitors with pets must provide an animal health certificate and certificate of vaccination against rabies on entry.
- The estimated flight time from Freetown, Sierra Leone to Bamako, Mali is 1 hour, 25 minutes.
- Visitors in possession of arms, ammunition and explosives are required to accompany them with a permit authorised by the Customs Department at Bamako, The capital of Mali.
- In Mali, the power plugs and sockets are of type C and E. The standard voltage is 220 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.
- Because the time zone currently used in Mali is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), there is no time difference between Mali and Sierra Leone.
- Bush taxis known as taxi-brousse are the most common way to get between communities without bus services in Mali.
- Mali is the eighth-largest country in Africa.
- Mali adopts the West African CFA franc as its official currency.
- Mali is predominantly inhabited by Muslims with a few others involved in Christianity and other religions.
- Mali has distinct summer and winter months characterized by three main seasons. The rainy season lasts from June to October. The winter season is between October and February, which is followed by an extremely hot and dry climate till June.
- Depending upon the latitudes, Mali climate differs from one place to another.
- Desert or semi-desert covers about 65 per cent of Mali's total area.
- French is the official language. However, Bambara is the most widely spoken language in the country.
- Visitors might want to pick up some basic Bambara phrases to help navigate communication in rural places such as “I ni wula” which means Good evening and “I ni tile” which means Good afternoon.
- Visitors taking pictures are advised to be respectful and conscious of their environment while at it. Photo subjects or their guardians might need to be tipped in some cases.
- When invited to dinner at someone’s home, it is rude to bring a hostess gift.
- Visitors are advised to be careful when carrying out monetary transactions in Mali, from currency changes to relatively expensive purchases.
- Since Majority of Mali’s population is Muslim, most people tend to drink fruit juices rather than alcohol.
- Mali is blessed with beautiful natural spots, unique religious landmarks, cultural attractions, and popular historical monuments that attract lots of tourists.
- Pouletyassa (Fried chicken in chilli sauce) and Tigadeguena(meat served in peanut sauce) are some of the readily-available special dishes in the country.
- Some of Mali’s tourist sites are The National Museum of Mali, National Park of Mali, The Grand Mosque of Djenné, Boucle du Baoulé National Park, The Bandiagara Cliffs and The Djinguereber Mosque.
Frequently Asked Questions
How hot does it get in Mali?
Except during the hot months (April, May, sometimes June) when every day is 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more, the maximum daily is usually in the 80s or 90s; at night the temperatures may drop into the 60s or 50s, or lower in the desert.
Will I be able to use a credit card for transactions in Mali?
As in all developing countries, Mali's economy is a cash economy. Only the large hotels and restaurants in Bamako and other capital cities accept credit cards and most of them take only Visa Card, a few may take MasterCard.
Am I likely to get sick from the food and water in Mali?
Visitors are not likely to get sick from the food and water in Mali but they must take certain precautions. They are advised to only drink water that's been boiled or bottled mineral water, soft drinks or beer. They are also to avoid street-corner food. Lastly, they are to wash and/or disinfect their hands often, especially before eating.