For most people, Timbuktu is a place that really just means somewhere far away. It has long been used colloquially to simply mean a faraway place. More recently, the phrase, “From Kalamazoo to Timbuktu” (or from Timbuktu to Kalamazoo) has been used to indicate a very long trip.

While most people have heard these phrases, a large number believe that they are just symbolic or mythical, especially Timbuktu. In 2006, a survey of 150 people in the UK revealed that 34% of respondents think that Timbuktu never existed and 66% think that it was just a mythical place.

The reality, however, is that both of these two interestingly named locations can be found on a map, and visited today.

Kalamazoo is actually pretty simple. It is a mid-sized city located in Southwest Michigan.

Timbuktu, however, is a little trickier.

To visit this iconic place, you will need to travel to the edge of the Sahara in West Africa. Years ago, it was an important city and was associated with tales of gold and other riches, which may be how the name first became popularized in Western culture.

Timbuktu was a popular hub in the 15th and 16th centuries, serving as a major stop from Europe down into Africa. It had important contributions to wealth, wisdom, and faith. Even today it is home to three grand mosques, which have been around for centuries.

Many people will also be interested to learn about their sixteen mausoleums.

This city is so important for world history, in fact, that it was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

Unfortunately, the city today is a shadow of its former glory. It struggles with desertification, poverty, and a variety of other issues that make this interestingly named location challenging to live in or visit. There are, however, efforts to maintain and restore the city, especially its important monuments and structures that have been around for ages.

So, if you are looking to take a unique trip, now you know that you truly can travel from Kalamazoo to Timbuktu, even if it will take a while.

I’d love to visit either place!

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