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 - Segou (235 km: ~3hrs)

Begin your discovery journey through Mali: after breakfast, drive to and visit Segou, Mali's former colonial capital; see the interesting mix of traditional and colonial architecture, and stroll through the pottery market on the waterfront; overnight in Segou (Hotel Independance, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 03 & 04: Segou - Djenne (330 km; ~4hrs) - Mopti / Niger River (130 km; ~1½hr)

Onward to Djenne, ancient sister-city of Timbuktu, arriving in time to see the large and colorful weekly market day; see the magnificent Great Mosque, the world's largest mud brick architecture (originally constructed in the XIIIth century), one of Unesco's World Heritage sites; onward to Mopti for a relaxing sunset sail on the Niger River; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 05 & 06: Mopti - Timbuktu (550 km; ~6hrs)

Interesting drive across the Sahel ecosystem, to the legendary city of Timbuktu, gateway to the Sahara Desert; overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 07: Timbuktu - Sahara Desert

Visit the legendary and historical city of Timbuktu: see the ancient mosques and former universities, the museum and the Ahmed Baba Institute archives of ancient Islamic manuscripts, the explorers' houses, and the market which receives the azalaïs, the salt caravans from the desert — at one time salt was literally worth its weight in gold; in the afternoon, depart on your camel caravan into the desert to visit a Tuareg camp on the dunes; the Tuareg people are known as the Princes of the desert, or the Blue Men of the desert (for the blue tinge on their skin from their indigo-dyed clothing); return to Timbuktu for overnight (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

with Breakfast

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

Day 08, 09 & 10: Timbuktu - Dogon country (670 km; ~8hrs)

Return drive across the Sahel, all the way to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; lunch break and sightseeing en-route; overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)

with Breakfast, Dinner

Day 11: Dogon country

Visit Dogon villages along the Bandiagara escarpment (another Unesco World Heritage site); you will see many examples of the classic traditional Dogon architecture and contemporary fetishism; descend the escarpment to visit Banani village, one of the most beautiful cliff villages; also visit Dogon seers, and option to witness a traditional Dogon mask dance; overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 12 & 13: Dogon country - Mopti - Segou (525 km; ~6½hrs)

Visit the Dogon village Songo, renowned for its circumcision grotto and rock paintings; traditional circumcision ceremonies are held here every three years, and the rock paintings are historical representations of noble Dogon families; drive to Mopti for a city tour: Mopti is called "the Venice of Mali" because it is surrounded by the waters of the Niger and the Bani rivers; see the Komoguel mosque, the fishing port (see pirogues being made by hand), and the bustling market where many of Mali's ethnic groups come to trade: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Tuareg and Songhay; onward to Segou for overnight (Hotel Independance, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 14: Segou - Bamako (235 km; ~3hrs) - final departure

Onward drive to Bamako; city tour of Bamako: over-view of this sprawling city from Point G; visit the National Museum, the city market, the artisans' village, and 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