Sahara Passion

The man at the Sahara Passion made all the difference to my stay at Timbuktu. He lives in the compound with his wife and children and were concerned for my safety as a female travelling alone. I stayed in the dorm room, which was a huge spacious room with high ceilings and mattresses on the floor with a shared bathroom outside. I was the only person staying there so the family took me under their wing. At night they cooked for me so I would not have to wander out at night alone. They also rigged up a mosquito net for me with string and chairs to form a tent and woke me for a taxi ride the morning I left.

The Sahara Passion is nicely located right on the edge of town but it is a bit hard to find, especially on arrival. I actually hired a local boy for 250 CFA to show me there as it was dark and late and the streets are not signposted. Even in the day I found it hard to find my way back there as the streets all look the same.

— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
March 2005