DISCOVERING the source of the Niger, called the "river of rivers" in the Berber language, was a difficult challenge for the first European explorers and one that claimed the lives of some of the most intrepid. Its unpredictable course from west to east, heading up towards the desert only to curve downward once again before flowing toward the Atlantic ocean, was the enigma that the European "Discoverers" were determined to unravel. The river crosses over 1.700 km of Mali's territory in once enormous curve. It is this strange detour towards the desert that turned the river into a major transport route for goods crossing the Sahara towards the ocean. It was the endless comings and going of camel caravans that gave life to the sahel (the lands lying on the edge of the desert). Although the Niger is always the same river, during the rainy season it undergoes a drastic and dramatic transformations as its waters rise spectacularly. Its gentle gradient, varying barely two metres along 700 kilometres, gives rise to an island delta that stretches from Mopti to Lake Debo and floods nearly 30.000 km2 every year, an event which results in the area possessing an extremely rich and varied wildlife. During this flooding, the Niger becomes a natural refuge for hippopotamuses, hyenas, diverse species of fish and, above all, an incredible variety of birds which congregate in its wetlands, transforming the area into a paradise for both nature lovers and bird watchers alike. For curious travellers, observing the gentle flow of its waters or, even better, discovering the river for themselves by taking a ride in one of the local boats and enjoying the warm welcome offered by the villages located along its bank, provides endless opportunities for witnessing the myriad of fascinating scenes (many of which have remained unchanged for centuries) that unfold alongside this watercourse every day. to return