Cookies Policy

Last updated: 22nd February 2026

Cookie Policy for The Road to Timbuktu

The Not-So-Delicious Digital Footprints

Let’s get the disappointing news out of the way first: the cookies we use on this site are unfortunately not the warm, chocolate-chip variety you’d find tucked away in a quiet Parisian bakery.

In the digital world, a cookie is a tiny text file that a website drops into your browser when you visit. They help the site remember you, figure out if you’re a real human, and keep the whole operation running smoothly. We keep our use of them strictly to the bare essentials, we are far too busy planning our next solo escape to be tracking your every move across the internet.

1. The Essential Cookies (Keeping the Lights On)

Some cookies are just required to make the website function without catching fire.

  • Spam Protection: We use Google reCAPTCHA on our contact forms. It places a temporary cookie to verify that you are a genuine human traveller and not a malicious bot trying to flood our inbox with rubbish. Think of it as our digital mosquito repellent.

2. The Analytical Cookies (Counting Heads)

As a couple of introverts, we much prefer observing the crowd from a quiet corner rather than mingling.

  • Google Analytics: We use this to see which blog posts are actually helpful and which countries our readers are tuning in from. It uses cookies to tell us things like, “100 people read the guide to surviving overnight buses in Vietnam today.” It does not tell us who you are, what your email is, or what you had for breakfast. It’s strictly anonymous head-counting.

3. The Affiliate Cookies (Funding the Journey)

Running a blog unfortunately costs more than just blood, sweat, and missed train connections. To keep the lights on and keep us in cheap noodles, we partner with a select group of affiliate programmes.

  • Our Travel Partners: We work with around a dozen trusted affiliate networks (including the likes of GetYourGuide and other similar travel services). If you click on one of our recommended tours, hotels, or gear links and make a purchase, these partners drop a tracking cookie into your browser.

  • Why do they do this? Simply to remember that The Road to Timbuktu sent you their way. It allows us to earn a small commission from the company at absolutely zero extra cost to you. It’s a brilliant way to support our caffeine habits as we write our next survival guide, and it saves us from plastering the site with annoying pop-up adverts.

4. How to Sweep Up the Crumbs (Your Choices)

If the idea of cookies entirely puts you off your pint, you are in full control. You can dive into the settings of your internet browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.) and choose to block or delete cookies entirely. Just bear in mind that if you block the essential ones, some parts of the site might act a bit wobbly.