>>2697012Buying a vehicle in west Africa is a bureaucratic nightmare, and in Mali in particular it's not so simple to just drive into the desert. From information I've been gleaning on FB in recent years, odds of encountering real trouble are low enough for a tourist to swallow, but not low enough for local authorities to let tourists arse around at will. So it's the omnipresent police and military that are gonna hamper your plans. It's not just a question of 'getting a fixer', you need to find the right fixer, which takes luck and money, lots of both.
I was in Mali in 2016 and have spent a lot of time in neighboring countries. The rewards are worth the trials and frustrations, so I wouldn't discourage OP from trying.
If you want an easier option, Mauritania is 100% safe and you can rent a guide and a couple of camels for cheap, I did that to visit the Richat Structure a couple years back, had a great time.
>>2697100Obviously, that's what his real intent is. Non-ironic travel in Africa hasn't been possible since the days of the missionaries.
