Day 1: ARRIVE IN BAMAKO
International flight arrives in Bamako where you will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2: BAMAKO / MANDE / BAMAKO
Travel to the mountain village of Mande in the Western region of Mali. Here you will learn about the history of Sundiata Keita, the legendary former king of the ancient Malian Empire. Several of Mali’s ethnic groups including Dogon, Bambara, Maalinke, Kassonke, Minianka, Senoufo, and Bobo originate from this area.
In Mande you will see the Fanfamba Grotto (the former meeting places of the village elders), the cave of Kamadian, with compartments for artisans including blacksmiths, hunters, traditional fortune tellers, and chiefs. There is a small sacred pool where sacrifices are made in an effort to achieve wealth and prosperity, better health and protection against evil. Visit Siby Market.
Day 3: BAMAKO / DJENNE
Drive to Djenne, Timbuktu’s ancient sister-city on the Niger, stopping at points of interest such as San, the capital of the Bobo ethnic group. Continue visiting other villages along the way.
Day 4: DJENNE
See the magnificent Grand Mosque of Djenne, the largest mud-brick architecture in the world and one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites.
Founded in the fourth century, Djenne has scarcely changed since the Middle-Ages. The atmosphere in the streets transports you back to medieval times. Visit Djenne’s colorful and bustling market.
Day 5: DJENNE / DOGON (SANGHA)
After breakfast, drive on to the fascinating Dogon country. Visit the Dogon village of Songo, renowned for its rock paintings and circumcision grotto. Travel to Sangha, on the top of the Bandiagara escarpment, visiting Ogols and Bongo along the way. See the traditional women’s house, the sacrificial altar of the Hogon (the Dogon people’s traditional and religious leader). Visit a Dogon seer.
Day 6: DOGON (SANGHA) / DOGON (BANDIAGARA)
Depart Sangha to descend the Bandiagara escarpment (45 Km). Visit the villages of Banani (note the ancient Tellem cave dwellings in the cliff face), Ireli, Amani (visit the sacred crocodile sanctuary), and Tireli, where you may see a traditional Dogon mask dance; climb up the cliff/ drive to stay overnight in Bandiagara.
Day 7: DOGON (BANDIAGARA) / TIMBUKTU
Depart Dogon to Timbuktu. Located on the edge of the great trans-Saharan caravan route, Timbuktu became fabulously wealthy in the 16th century. Loaded with blocks of salt and other trade goods, huge convoys of camels would spend weeks crossing the unforgiving Sahara to reach Timbuktu. It was here that they would trade salt, pound-for-pound, with African merchants bringing gold and ivory along the Niger from the heartof Africa.
Day 8: TIMBUKTU / TUAREG CAMP
Depart on your camel caravan into the desert to visit a Tuareg camp. The Tuareg people are known as the Princes of the desert. In the evening, experience camping on the dunes of the Sahara with your Tuareg hosts. Accommodation will be in the Tuareg Camp.
Day 9: TUAREG CAMP / TIMBUKTU / MOPTI
Return to Timbuktu early morning via camel. Drive to Mopti and tour the city where you will see a fascinating mix of Malian cultures including: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Tuareg, Songhai and Hausa. Visit the beautiful mosque, the fishing port and the bustling market, where you can shop for gold or silver jewelry, Tuareg leatherwork, or Fulani blankets of cotton or wool.
Day 10: MOPTI / NIGER RIVER CRUISE / MOPTI
After breakfast, board a traditional motorized boat for a seven hour cruise along the Niger River to Kona. Visit nearby villages including Kotaca, a river bank village with its beautiful mosque. Your lunch will be prepared (African cooking) and eaten in the boat. Upon arrival in Kona, you will be driven back to Mopti.
Day 11: MOPTI / TERIYA BUGU
Depart Mopti to Teriya Bugu, “the hut of friendship,” and the headquarters of the Association for Rural Development. The center is surrounded by thousands of eucalyptus plants, orchards, fisheries and a farm which supplies fresh food to its restaurant. Two beekeepers tend to 140 hives to produce honey.
Take a relaxing walk through mango trees and banana plants, watch birds, and see monkeys, camels, horses, crocodiles, peacocks and other wildlife in the on-site mini zoo.
Day 12: TERIYA BUGU / SEGOU
After breakfast, drive to Segou, Mali’s second largest city and former colonial administrative center. Admire the beautiful Sudanese-style colonial architecture, visit the port, the pottery market, traditional weavers and other artisans.
Day 13: SEGOU / SIKASSO
Drive to Sikasso in Mali’s green belt. Tour Sikasso where you will see the Mamelon (residence of the former kings of Sikasso) and the Tata (remnants of a large palisade that encircled the city and for a time held off the French colonial army).
Visit the grotto of Misiri Koro, home of the protector spirits of the Mande people
Day 14: SIKASSO / BAMAKO
After breakfast, continue to Bamako.
Explore the capital city Bamako, situated on the Niger River, one of Africa’s great rivers which flow through Mali. The city was founded in 1640, but didn’t really start to grow until the French colonial period began in 1898. Mali is a country of many tribal peoples, each with their own exuberant styles of clothing and jewelry.
There is nowhere better to see this colorful diversity than in the streets and markets of Bamako. Bamako has a large art and craft centre where sculptors, weavers, leather workers, jewelers and metal workers exhibit their wares and display their skills. Another highlight of your tour is the Grand Marche, or ‘Great Market’, where you can spend hours exploring the hundreds of stalls from carvings and cassettes, to fabrics, beads, brass and gold, the variety of goods is staggering.
Day 15: BAMAKO / DEPART
Prepare for your onward flight.