Tour Itinerary:
Days 1 & 2, Wednesday & Thursday December 30th – 31st: Depart USA / Arrive Bamako. New Year’s Eve options will be available. Overnight: Grand Hotel, Bamako.
Day 3, Friday - January 1st: Bamako-Segou. This morning we leave Bamako and travel east to Segou. We’ll tour Segou--one of Mali’s largest cities. We’ll have lunch here followed by a city tour, walking through the tree-lined streets just back from the riverbank and to the Quai Ousmane Djiri area. Evening with Traditional music. Overnight. Hotel Independence or similar. Includes: (B).
Day 4, Saturday - January 2nd: Segou / Sangha. The legendary Dogon Country is a World Heritage site and considered one of the most extraordinary places on earth. We’ll fully explore this incredible area over next few days and get to experience a traditional Dogon Mask Dance. Overnight Hotel Campement Guina. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 5, Sunday - January 3rd: Tireli. Morning hike down the falaise towards the village of Tireli, we’ll pass beautiful Tellem architecture, ancient burial caves, villages built precariously on the rocks of the cliff face and other quintessentially Dogon attractions. We’ll be met at the base of the cliff and transported to Tireli to have lunch and meet with the village elders and school officials. Here we’ll be get an overview of the garden project. Tireli must be one of the most spectacular Dogon villages, with the picture-postcard pointed thatched roofs crawling upwards along the escarpment. Overnight Hotel Campement Guina. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 6, Monday - January 4th: Tireli. Today we meet the students and work together on planting fruit trees in their garden. This will be a real cultural immersion experience as we will become part of the community, joining villagers for meals and actitivities as well as working on a project that will leave a lasting contribution to the school and village. Overnight Hotel Campement Guina. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 7, Tuesday - January 5th: Tireli. Continue work on community building in Tireli Overnight Hotel Campement Guina. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 8, Wednesday - January 6th: Tireli / Douentza. Today we’ll finish up our garden project for the school. After a farewell lunch with the villagers, we’ll begin our journey to Timbuktu, overnighting half way in Douentza. Overnight: Hotel Campement Falaise. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 9, Thursday - January 7th: Timbuktu / Essakane / Festival au Desert. Early morning departure from Douentza to the legendary city of Timbuktu, located at the terminus of the great trans-Saharan caravan Route. We’ll have lunch en route and arrive in time for quick tour around town. No trip to Timbuktu is complete without a stop at the local turban merchant who not only sells turbans in a rainbow of colors, but will teach you how to tie it properly for the desert. In the afternoon we’ll depart Timbuktu for Essakane, the site of the Festival in the Desert. There’s time to settle into camp before the evening music begins. Overnight: Festival Camp (Tents and mats provided). Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Days 10 & 11, Friday & Saturday - January 8th & 9th: Essakane Festival. Today we’ll take in all the festival has to offer--including camel rides, traditional songs and games. Interact with the musicians and traders before enjoying the music festival which goes into the wee hours of the night. Overnight: Festival Camp (Tent and mats). Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 12, Sunday - January 10th: Depart Festival for Mopti This morning we leave the festival for Mopti —the Venice of Mali. Overnight Hotel Kanaga. Includes: (B).
Day 13, Monday - January 11th: Mopti/Djenne. Day trip to Djenne on its weekly market day, one of the most colorful markets in West Africa, the market is located in front of infamous imposing Grand Mosque, the largest mud building in the world. We’ll return to Mopti and our 5 star hotel for a sunset cruise on the incomparable Niger River in a traditional pirogue (dugout canoe). Overnight Hotel Kanaga. Includes: (B).
Day 14, Tuesday - January 12th: Mopti/Segou. Travel to Segou stopping in Sevare at the Farafina Tigne boutique / museum and the Peace Corps Baba's Art Gallery Bead Museum (time permitting) Overnight Hotel Independence or similar. Includes: (B).
Day 15, Wednesday - January 13th: Bamako. Drive to Bamako, overnight at the Grand Hotel. Includes: (B).
Day 16, Thursday – January 14th: Bamako. City tour of Bamako’s neighborhoods, artisans, markets and monuments. Tonight we’ll have a farewell dinner before our departure from Bamako on an overnight flight to USA. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 17, Friday - January 15th: Afternoon arrival in USA.
Member discount:
10% discount for InfoHub customer. Request a free gift certificate.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Package Includes:
- 11 nights hotel, double occupancy
- 3 nights camping in Essakane; Tents and mats are provided, sleeping bags are NOT
- 29 meals: 14 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 8 dinners; excluding drinks/bottled water
- Bottled water (3 liters/person/day) is included at the Festival site
- Private ground transportation by air-conditioned 4x4 vehicles; max. 4 pax per vehicle
- Volunteer activity orientation with organization leader
- All materials needed for the garden project
- Traditional Dogon mask dance in a village
- Traditional music group in Segou
- Sunset sail on the Niger River
- Festival entry pass
- Experienced, English-speaking guide throughout
- Airport transfers upon arrival and departure in Bamako
- All hotel taxes and local tourism taxes
- All touring and entry fees, as per program
- On site tour coordinator.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Mali
Local Culture
Festival Tours
Women Tours
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