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 journey with a city tour of Bamako, including the National Museum and the artisans' village; after lunch, drive to Segou, Mali's second largest city and former colonial administrative center; visit Segou as time permits; overnight in Segou (Hotel Independance, or similar)

with Breakfast

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

Onward drive to Djenne, arriving in time to see the bustling weekly market, 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; in the afternoon, drive to Mopti for a relaxing sunset sail on the Niger River; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

with Breakfast

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

City tour of Mopti: see the beautiful mosque, the fishing port, and the lively local market where many of Mali's cultural groups can be seen: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Tuareg and Songhay; onward drive to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; visit Songo village (see the circumcision grotto and rock paintings) and Sangha, comprised of 10 distinct animist and Islamic villages; overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 06: Dogon country - Mopti (120 km; ~2hrs)

Visit Dogon villages along the Bandiagara escarpment (exact villages to be determined, depending on the degree of difficulty you wish to experience; villages can be reached on foot or by vehicle); option to witness a spectacular traditional Dogon mask dance; at day's end, return drive to Mopti for overnight (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 07 & 08: Mopti - Bobo Dioulasso, BURKINA FASO (485 km; ~6hrs)

After breakfast depart Mali for Burkina Faso; sightseeing and photo opportunities along the way; overnight in Bobo Dioulasso (Hotel Auberge, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 09 & 10: Bobo Dioulasso - Ouagadougou (360 km; ~4hrs)

Tour Bobo Dioulasso ("house of the Bobo merchants"), Burkina Faso's second largest city; see the old mosque, the Houet Museum, and visit the old Kibidwe artisans' district where you will see blacksmiths, potters, and dyers at work; in the afternoon, drive to Ouagadougou for overnight (Hotel Silmande, or similar)

with Breakfast

Day 11: Ouagadougou

Explore Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital city; visit the Grand Market and the National Museum, with its interesting collection of regional clothing, masks, household utensils and ancestral statues; also visit the crafts markets at the Artisans' Center, where you will find basketry, batik fabrics, wooden statues and masks, jewelry, leatherwork and bronze castings; in the evening, transfer to the airport for 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 in a village - upon request