Good Time to Visit
Weather
There are three main seasons in Mali: the rainy season runs from June to October, October to February is cool, which is then followed by extremely hot, dry weather until June. (More information can be found in Climate in Mali).
Visitors are advised to bring lightweight cottons and linens for most of the year, though warmer clothing will be needed between November and February. Waterproofs are recommended during the rainy season.
Festivals
The principal Islamic festivals are marked with public holidays. These include Tabaski, the Feast of the Sacrifice, celebrated nationwide early in the year and Ramadan, the month of fasting (dates vary).
Public Holidays
The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Mali:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day |
| 20 January | Armed Forces' Day |
| March/April (variable) | Easter Monday |
| 26 March | Day of Democracy |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 25 May | Africa Day |
| 22 September | Independence Day |
| 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Variable* | Mawloud (Prophet's Birthday) |
| Variable* | Korité (End of Ramadan) |
| Variable* | Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice) |
* Although Muslim holidays always fall on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date they are celebrated on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, due to the fact that the Islamic calendar is lunar whilst the Gregorian calendar is solar. Because this lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Islamic holy days usually shift 11 days earlier each successive solar year. The method used to determine when each Islamic month begins also varies from country to country.
