How bad is jet lag flying to Bamako?

It depends where you start. From Sydney you cross 10 time zones travelling west, which typically takes about 7 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Bamako there is little or no jet lag at all.

Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Bamako?

Flying east — where you lose hours and have to fall asleep earlier — is generally harder than flying west, for the same number of time zones. The table above marks the direction of each route so you know which kind of adjustment to expect.

How long does it take to get over jet lag in Bamako?

A common rule of thumb is one day of recovery per time zone crossed when heading east, and a little faster heading west. Bright light at the right time of day and adjusting your sleep before you fly both speed it up.

Jet lag when you fly to Bamako

Bamako is on Africa/Bamako. How much jet lag you get depends entirely on where you start — how many time zones you cross, and in which direction. Travelling west is the easier direction. Stay up later than usual before you go and get evening light once you arrive.

Jet lag to Bamako by departure city

From	Time zones	Direction	Distance	Flight (approx.)	Recovery
Sydney	10	← west	16,849 km	20½ hours	~7 days
Tokyo	9	← west	13,660 km	17 hours	~6 days
Singapore	8	← west	12,339 km	15½ hours	~5 days
Los Angeles	7	→ east	11,017 km	13½ hours	~7 days
Mumbai	6	← west	8,608 km	11 hours	~4 days
New York City	4	→ east	7,084 km	9 hours	~4 days
Dubai	4	← west	6,746 km	8½ hours	~3 days
São Paulo	3	→ east	5,817 km	7½ hours	~3 days
Paris	2	← west	4,141 km	5½ hours	~1 day
Johannesburg	2	← west	5,813 km	7½ hours	~1 day
London	1	← west	4,383 km	6 hours	~1 day

Distances are great-circle; flight times are rough nonstop estimates. Recovery uses ~1 day per zone east, faster west.

Beating jet lag in Bamako

Jet lag happens because your body clock stays on home time for a while after you land. The bigger the offset between Bamako and where you flew from, the longer it takes to catch up — roughly a day for each time zone when you travel east, and somewhat faster when you travel west, because it is easier to stay up late than to force yourself to sleep early.

A few days before you fly, nudge your sleep schedule toward Bamako time — earlier if you are heading east, later if west. On arrival, get outside: daylight is the strongest signal for resetting your clock. Morning light helps after an eastward trip; evening light helps after a westward one. To see the exact current offset, check the current time in Bamako.

Frequently asked questions

How bad is jet lag flying to Bamako?: It depends where you start. From Sydney you cross 10 time zones travelling west, which typically takes about 7 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Bamako there is little or no jet lag at all.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Bamako?: Flying east — where you lose hours and have to fall asleep earlier — is generally harder than flying west, for the same number of time zones. The table above marks the direction of each route so you know which kind of adjustment to expect.
How long does it take to get over jet lag in Bamako?: A common rule of thumb is one day of recovery per time zone crossed when heading east, and a little faster heading west. Bright light at the right time of day and adjusting your sleep before you fly both speed it up.