Treasures of Mali 15 Days

Excursion in Bamako

Languages: English

Arriving Bamako, Mali, you will travel visiting Segou, Mopti, Hombori Mountains, Douentza, Timbuktu. Also you will visit the most famous all over the world Sahara Desert, enjoy seeing Niger river, Sikasso and Dogon Country.

DAY 1 Thursday - ARRIVE BAMAKO, MALI

International flight arrives in Bamako. You will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel. Overnight Grande hotel or similar

DAY 2 Friday - BAMAKO - SEGOU

Breakfast, then drive to Segou, Mali's second largest city and former colonial administrative center. Observe the old, beautiful Sudanese-style colonial architecture. Visit the port, the pottery makers, traditional weavers and mudcloth artisans. Drive to the village of Sekoro former capital of the Bambara kingdom, see the tomb of King Biton Coulibaly; Overnight in Segou Auberge hotel (B)

DAY 3 - Saturday - SEGOU - MOPTI

Drive to Mopti, known as the Venice of Mali, partly because of its location between the Bani and the Niger rivers. You tour of Mopti includes the Komoguel mosque, the fishing port (see how traditional pirogues in various stages of construction) and the bustling market where many of Mali's ethnic group including , Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Tuareg and Songhay come to trade their wares. Overnight in Mopti at Kanaga hotel or similar(B)

DAY 4 Sunday - MOPTI - HOMBORI MOUNTAINS - DOUENTZA

Drive to Douentza via the Hombori Mountains. Visit the Kondjo cliff and the Hand of Fatima. Overnight in Douentza (B,L,D)

DAY 5 Monday - DOUENTZA - TIMBUKTU

Drive to the legendary city of Timbuktu, gateway to the Sahara Desert. Your tour of Timbuktu includes visits to the ancient mosques and former universities, the museum and archives of ancient Islamic manuscripts, the explorers' houses, and the market which receives the Azalaïs salt caravans from the desert. This evening you may opt for a camel ride on the dunes around Timbuktu. Overnight in Timbuktu at Hendrina Khan hotel (B, L)

DAY 6 Tuesday - TIMBUKTU - SAHARA DESERT

Using a 4x4 vehicle we embark on an excursion into the desert. See the picturesque sand dunes, and visit a Tuareg camp where the Princes of the Desert, the Tuaregs reign supreme. Return to and overnight in Timbuktu at Hendrina Khan hotel (B,L)

DAY 7 Wednesday - TIMBUKTU - MOPTI

Drive across the Sahel to Mopti. You may wish to visit a few villages en-route. Arrive in Mopti where the evening is at leisure to relax at your hotel or take a sunset stroll along the banks of the Niger. Overnight in Mopti at Kanaga Hotel (B,L)

DAY 8 Thursday - MOPTI - NIGER RIVER

Full day's sailing excursion on the Niger River; visit Bozo fishing villages and nomadic Fulani camps; observe the large variety of birds. You will likely see a number of hippos in the river. Overnight in Mopti at Kanaga hotel (B,L)

DAY 9 Friday - MOPTI - DOGON COUNTRY

Depart to Mali's fascinating Dogon country. In some of these villages life has stood still for centuries. The culture is as pure and unadulterated as you willl find in all of Mali. Visit Songo village, renowned for its rock paintings and circumcision grotto; continue to Sangha, consisting of 10 Dogon villages, some Islamic but most are animist. Visit Dogon seers and witness a divination ceremony. Overnight in Sangha at Campement hotel (B,L,D)

DAY 10 Saturday - DOGON COUNTRY

Descend the Bandiagara escarpment and visit Dogon cliff villages Banani, Ireli, Amani (see the sanctuary of sacred crocodiles), and Tireli. Witness a traditional Dogon mask dance. Overnight in Sangha at Campement hotel.(B,L,D)

DAY 11 Sunday - DOGON COUNTRY - DJENNE

Drive to the southern end of the Bandiagara escarpment to visit the villages of Tely and Ende villages. You may pay a call on the Hogon, spiritual leader of the Dogon people. This afternoon, drive to Djenne, sister-city of Timbuktu. Overnight in Djenne at Campement hotel (B,L)

DAY 12 Monday - DJENNE - SEGOU

Visit Djenne on its colorful weekly market day, when villagers from miles away come to buy and sell; hundreds of market stalls are spread before the magnificent Grand Mosque, the world's largest mud brick architecture; constructed in the XIIIth century, it is one of Unesco's World Heritage sites; when the market winds down, drive to Segou; Overnight in Segou at Hotel Auberge (B)

DAY 13 Tuesday - SEGOU - SIKASSO

After completing your tour of Segou drive to Sikasso, in Mali's green belt. See the Mamelon (residence of the former kings of Sikasso), the Tata (remnants of a large palisade that encircled the city and for a time held off the French colonial army). Overnight in Sikasso at Zanga Hotel (B)

DAY 14 Wednesday - SIKASSO - BAMAKO

Visit the grotto of Misiri Koro, home of the protector spirits of the Mande people. Return to Bamako. Overnight in Bamako at Grand Hotel. (B)

DAY 15 - Thursday - BAMAKO - FINAL DEPARTURE

Tour Bamako: panoramic overview of the city from Point G; visit the National Museum, the city market and the artisans' village; in the evening, transfer to the airport for your final departure (B)

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