The Mamelon is the small hill at the centre of Sikasso, a deliberate man-made platform that once held the king's palace and now hosts a scattering of administrative buildings and a viewpoint over the rooftops. Climb up in the late afternoon for the cooler air and the best light over the surrounding mango orchards.
The hill is also where you get a sense of why Sikasso was such a difficult place to take — the surrounding plain is flat enough that the Mamelon, modest as it is, gave defenders a clear line of sight in every direction.