Festivals: The Festival in the Desert at Essakane, 65km from Timbuktu, Jan. 7 to Jan. 9 ,with an unbeatable line-up of West Africa's top musicians (festival-au-desert.org). A Tuareg festival of music, food, camel rides and swordsmanship is held at Essouk, near Gao, Dec. 31 to Jan. 2 (kidal.info/FETE/Essouk).
When to go: April and May are unbearably hot and dusty before the rains break in June, then from August onwards temperatures drop markedly. The dry though hotter season is November-May.
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