Festival of desert Timbuku 07 Days

Culture and History tour in Bamako

Tour Price : 1800 dollars US Duration : 07 days Languages: English, French

Day 1: Arrive in Bamako, Mali Jan 04/2011 International flight arrives in Bamako. You will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel.

Day 2: Tour of Bamako Jan 05/2011
Today you will explore this capital city of Bamako situated on the Niger, one of Africa's great rivers. Mali is a country of many tribal peoples, each with your 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 skills. You will visit the Grand MarchÈ, 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. One area of the market is devoted entirely to traditional African medicines. Here you'll find the freshly shrunken heads of birds, monkeys and crocodiles, along with lizard skins and other gruesome treatments.

Day 3: Bamako/Timbuktu Jan 06/2011
This morning take an early flight to legendary Timbuktu. Located at the terminus 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 heart of Africa. Wander the dusty streets of Timbuktu, admiring such magnificent mud-brick structures as the Djinguiraiber Mosque, the Mosque of Sankore, and the Palace of Bouctou. See the houses of the various 19th century European explorers who used Timbuktu as a base.

Days 4, 5 & 6: Festival in the Desert Jan 07,08,09/2011 Drive to Essakane and enjoy 3 days of world music, dancing, camel races and other activities. Meals prepared by private chef.

Day 7: Essakane/Timbuktu/Bamako/Depart Jan 10/2011
Return to Timbuktu and fly to Bamako for departure or extended tour begins.

Notes: Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Tour Price Includes:
- Hotel accommodation as indicated in the itinerary
- Day-room in Bamako on the last day
- 3 nights camping in private tents with mats
- All ground transportation by 4x4 vehicle
- Hot Meals prepared at Festival site
- Bottled water during the festival
- Meals indicated
- Tours as outlined in the program
- One tour guide per vehicle
- Roundtrip airport to hotel transfers
- All taxes and admission fees to included sites
Tour Price Does Not Include:
- Travel insurance
- International airfare to Mali
- Meals not listed
- Visa fees
- Gratuity to driver and guide
- Festival entry pass
- Domestic flights
- Sleeping bags

Additional information