Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Thursday. This evening you will arrive at the Senou International Airport in Bamako. You will be met on arrival by your local English/French speaking guide.Going through Immigration/Custom formalities will take approximately 45 minutes to an hour. You will then be transfered in your 4 X 4 cross country vehicles into the Mirabeau Hotel. There will be a buffet dinner, orientation and a welcoming ceremony. You will then retire into your air conditioned rooms for the night.
Day 2: Friday. This morning breakfast will be at the Mirabeau Hotel. Bags and luggages will be packed for the begging of our journey into the real discovery of Mali. We shall drive around the city of Bamako. Monies will be exchanged into local currency. There will also be an opportunity to use an internet for messages to be sent home announcing your safe arrival in Mali. We shall visit the Main Post Office for post cards to be purchased. We would then visit the Relax Lebanese Restaurant for lunch. After lunch we would drive for about 2 and half hours into our next city called Segou. At Segou,we would check into the Auberge-another clean and well managed hotel with air conditioned rooms. After check in we would have the opportunity to walk along the river banks and visit the crafts shops along the river as well. Dinner will be served at the Auberge. There will be an elder from the old town to give a talk on the history of Segou.
Day 3: Saturday. Breakfast will be served at the Auberge. After breakfast, we would take a walk around the town to see its commercial usefulness. We shall also visit the workshops of the Mudcloth makers. We would then depart for our next town Bandiagara, the capital of the Dogon county.On our way we would see several "termite cities". We would break our journey at San for lunch at the Teriya Restaurant (An African styled restaurant). From San we would drive past Savary and finally arrive at Bandiagara. The Auberge Kambary(white horse in Dogon)will be our home today. It has its own uniqueness of being built out of Dogon stones, but has an excellent interior of western style with air condition. It also has a swimming pool for those who would like to cool off the heat from the temperature. Dinner will be served here today.
Day 4: Sunday. Breakfast today will be at the Kambary. Our first visit will be to Sango, one of the famous Dogon Villages located on a low lying plain. We shall have our first Dogon tour by a local guide.From Sango, we would then drive into Sanga our next Dogon Village. Here our hoe will be the Campment Guinea which is also air conditioned. After chack in we would go for our first drive down the cliffs to the crocodile pond.We would have a hike or walk through some of the Dogon villages and admire the Dogon architecture and camouflage designs. We would then return to the Le Campment for a very delicious lunch. There will be enough time to have some rest and the go for a walk in the village of Sanga. At dinner tonight we shall a Dogon Dance Performance by some locals. Thre will be chilled beer available on this occasion.
Day 5: Monday. This morning breakfast will be at the Le Campment. We shall depart early enough for a very rough and adventurous drive through the Dogon mountains to Bamba and finally arrive at Duentza. Snacks will be served instead of lunch today. We shall visit the Market at Duentza briefly and continue our journey to Timbucktu. We would catch the ferry for about 20 minutes and then drive for our final 9km into the ancient intellectual/cultural and religious capital of the old Mali Empire. We would check into the hotel Colombee. Dinner here is super at the rooftop restaurant. Rooms are all air conditioned.
Day 6: Tuesday. Breakfast will be at the Colombee Hotel. We would then leave for an early city tour because of the higher temperature of the city.The tour will take us to the 3 major mosques (The General, Interlectual and Business Mosques). We would also visit the Musuem as well as the houses of the Europen explorer. We would see the various cemeteries serving various purposes and the site of the famous University of Timbucktu.A visit to the internet cafe and the post office for post cards to be mailed will be arranged. Lunch will be at the Colombee today. Late afternoon to day, will be another high point of the trip. We would visit part of the Sahara Desert for a walk in the sand and great pictures to be taken at sunset. Sand domes,etc will be seen. There will be a brief drink up of chilled beer or soft drinks at the Booutu bar before returning to our hotel for dinner.
Day 7: Wednesday. Breakfast will be at the Hotel Colombee. This whole day will be for traveling. We shall travel from Timbucktu to Mopti. We shall have two main stop overs at the ferry bay and at Duentza. Snacks will be served at Duentza and then there will be a brief stop over at Salvary. We shall drive straight into the waterfront restaurant for an early dinner. We would then check in to the Kanaga Hotel.
Day 8: Thursday. Breakfast will be at the Kanaga. We would then go for an hour or two boat ride to see the salt makers and fishermen. There will also be an opportunity for us to visit their mosque and have a city tour of Mopti. Lunch will be at the Kanaga Hotel. After lunch we would drive to Djenne. At Djenne we would visit the famous mosque, see the statue of the virgin and also the Djenne day market. Dinner/Accommodation will be at the Campment.
Day 9: Friday. Breakfast will be at the Campment. We shall be given the opportunity to explore Djenne individually and make new friends with the locals. We would then continue our journey back to Bamako with a stop over at the Auberge at Segou for lunch. After lunch we would visit Segoukuraa and pay a courtesy call on the village chief. In Bamako we would check in to the Mirabeau Hotel and have dinner at the Lapalossa restaurant.
Day 10: Saturday. Breakfast will be at the Mirabeau Hotel. We shall today travel by road into Burkina Faso. Our first stop will be at Sikaso.At Sikaso we shall go through the police formalities and then continue our journey to the Frontier where we shall proceed through Immigration and customs formalities. Lunch will be at Sikaso and then our first town in Burkina Faso will be Bobodiolassou.In Bobo we shall check in to the Hotel Relax. Dinner will be at the hotel.
Day 11: Sunday. Breakfast will be at the hotel. After breakfast we shall then start our city tour of Bobo. Visit the ancient mosque, the old town centre, the grand marche. The sacred fish pond,etc Lunch will be at the Holy water restaurant operateed by catholic nuns. Dinner/Accommodation will be at the Relax Hotel.
Day 12: Monday. Breakfast today will be at the Relax hotel. We shall then travel to Banfora. In Banfora we shall go visit the crocodile pond depending on the road condition and also explore Banfora town. Lunch will be at the Sucre Cane Hotel. Dinner/Accomodation will be at the Sucre Cane hotel.
Day 13: Tuesday. Breakfast will be at the hotel. We shall then travel to Ouagadougou the capital of Burkina Faso. On our way,we would treck to see the ruins of Loropeni. In Ouagadougou we shall check in to the Palm Beach Hotel.
Day 14: Wednesday. Breakfast will be at the Hotel. We shall the have a city tour of Ouaga. Visit the National Museum, The Grand Marche,see all the important monuments, government houses like parliament,etc. We shall also visit the crafts market. After lunch we shall drive back to Bobo for dinner/accommodation at Relax hotel.
Day 15: Thursday. Breakfast will be at the Relax hotel. We shall then drive back to Bamako and prepare for our flight back.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
There could be an option to either visit Burkina Faso or Guinea for an extra 4 days thereby making the trip a 14 days tours.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Burkina Faso
Mali
Cultural Journey
Museum Tours
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