Tour Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival in Bamako, Mali

International flight arrives in Bamako in the evening; airport to hotel transfer; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar)

Day 02: Bamako - Timbuktu

Transfer to the airport for early morning flight to the legendary city of Timbuktu, gateway to the Sahara Desert; city tour: see the old mosques (built in the 14th century) and former universities, the museum and the Ahmed Baba Institute archives of scholarly Islamic manuscripts, the explorers' houses, the city market which receives the azalaïs, the salt caravans from the desert; in the afternoon, excursion into the Sahara Desert by camel caravan to visit a Tuareg camp; return to and overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

with Breakfast

Note: due to security concerns we do not go deep into the desert.

Day 03: Timbuktu - Mopti

Airport transfer for morning flight to Mopti, the Venice of Mali, nestled between the Niger and the Bani rivers; Mopti city tour: see the beautiful mosque, the fishing port, and the bustling market where many of Mali's cultural groups can be seen: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Tuareg and Songhay; enjoy a sunset sail on the Niger River in a traditional pirogue; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 04: Mopti - Djenne (130 km; ~1½hr) - Mopti / Niger River

Excursion to Djenne on its weekly market day, when Djenne is at its colorful best; stroll around the market stalls, spread out before the magnificent Great Mosque, the world's largest mud brick architecture and one of Unesco's World Heritage sites; return to Mopti overnight (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 05: Mopti - Dogon country (120 km; ~2hr) - Mopti

Day-trip to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; explore magnificent villages along the Bandiagara cliff, and see many examples of the unique traditional architecture and fetishes; option to witness a spectacular traditional Dogon mask dance; return to Mopti for overnight (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 06 & 07: Mopti - Segou (405 km; ~4½hrs)

Visit the Farafina Tigne boutique and bead museum in Sevare; beautiful hand-made local jewelry is available for purchase; onward drive to Segou, with sightseeing en-route; in Segou, enjoy a sunset stroll along the banks of the Bani River, as you browse through the pottery market; overnight in Segou (Hotel Independance, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 08: Segou - Bamako (235 km; ~3hrs)

City tour of Segou, Mali's colonial administrative center; also visit Sekoro village, the "old Segou" and former capital of the Bambara kingdom; see the tomb of King Biton Coulibaly; return drive to Bamako; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 09: Bamako - final departure

Bamako city tour: visit the National Museum, the city market, the artisans' village, the fetish market for traditional medicine; in the evening, transfer to the airport for your final departure

with Breakfast

1 km ~ 0.6 mile; driving times are approximate, depending on local conditions and stops

Level:
All tours are typical African road travel. Fairly comfortable. Though hot and dusty at times, the rewards of such a tour are substantial. Tourist infrastructure is unpredictable in these places, Venture Travel try our best to give the best accommodation, but travellers should understand we are in Africa, therefore be flexible to accept the odd delay or change of plan, then the tour can be a fantastic experience.

Inclusions & Exclusions

Our rates normally has the below items as included and excluded from the program rates. Each and every program has its own distinct included & excluded items.

Generally included items:

Not included:

Optional: Traditional Dogon mask dance - upon request