The Great Tour – 13 days across Mali
13 days Tour – All inclusive
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Day 1: Arrival at Bamako
Arrival at Bamako-Senou airport on a scheduled flight. Transfer to your hotel in Bamako. Overnight.
Day 2: Bamako-Djenné
Breakfast, then depart very early to Djenné city. On the way, tour of Ségou to see the tapestry of local women (carpets made from sheep’s wool), local breweries, manufactures of traditional fabrics called “Bogolan”. Lunch and resume our travel to Djenné, the twin sister city of Timbuktu. Arrival in Djenné. Dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Djenné – Sangha (Dogon Country)
Breakfast – Walk in the City to discovers Djenné sights :
– The grave of the girl who was sacrificed in the 12th century for the prosperity of the town.
– The weekly market (on Mondays),
– The masterpiece : the grand Mosque, the largest mud building in the world, built in 1906. T
– The cooperative of women crafting traditional fabrics called “Bogolan” which is obtained from the trees bark.
Continue to Sangha. Check-in and installation in Sangha camp.
Day 4: Dogon Country
Breakfast – trekking on the Bandiagara cliffs, home of the Dogons. This ethnic group arrived in this region in the 12th century fleeing tribal war of their neighbors, the Malinke ethnic group, who wanted to impose Islam. The Tellem ethnic group fled to find refuge near Burkina Faso. The Dogons are truly fascinating people, as there are very few ethnic groups who kept their traditions alive. We’ll see Dogon villages of Bongo, Gogoly, Banani, Pegu, and Ireli.
In these villages we appreciate the very unique Dogon architectural style, ancient trogodyte houses of Tellems, and gifts of nature as the great baobab and tamarind.
Dinner and overnight in the cliff or at the camp.
Day 5: Dogon Country
Breakfast and departure for another day of trekking in the cliff, to further discover the Dogon country. It really is a country in another country. We’ll see the villages of Tireli and Amani. Overnight at camp or in the cliff.
Day 6: Dogon Country-Mopti
Breakfast and departure for Mopti. Stop to visit Songo en route (prehistorical cave paintings).
Arrival and installation at hotel Kanaga.
In the afternoon, walk along the River Niger to discover the camps of fishermen, the Bozo ethnic group.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 7: A cruise from Mopti to Timbuktu
Breakfast – Walk trough Mopti, the Venice of Mali, visit of its old mosque built in 1897, the fishing port, the fish market, the market for condiments, the craft market, the pinace workshop.
Depart of the cruise for Timbuktu in a motorized pinnace, equipped with tents and sheds. Traveling to Timbuktu with pinnace takes us back to ancient times when Western explorers like French René Caillié , German Heinrich Burt, English Alexander Gordon Laing and Mungo Park wanted to discover the “mysterious city of Timbuktu” from the Niger river. Along the river we will discover Lake Debo, a natural reserve for migratory birds, the Bozo villages and Fulani herders.
Food is provided by our Chef on the pinnace.
Dinner and overnight in tents on the banks of river.
Day 8: on the river Niger
Breakfast on board – and depart for another day of sailing, visiting villages and discovering traditoan lway of life of authentic Africa along the way.
Dinner and overnight in tents on the banks of river.
Day 9: Niger River – Timbuktu
Breakfast – arrival in Timbuktu in the afternoon – Transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Day 10: Timbuktu
Breakfast – Walk in the “city of the 333 saints” where we’ll see the great Friday mosque or the mosque Djingareberg, the Ahmed Baba center, houses of explorers like Rene Caillié, Alexander Gordon Laing, Heinrich Burt or Mungo Park, the oldest Arabic university, the city museum, local furnaces manufactured in the corner of each district to ensure supplies of the population in traditional bread, the traditional Tuareg market.
Afternoon: camel ride near the Tuareg encampments.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 11: Timbuktu – Mopti
Breakfast – departure to Mopti (fligh or 4×4) – Arrival – Transfer to hotel Kanaga.
Day 12: Mopti – Segou
Breakfast, depart for Segou, visit the San mosque en route. Continuation to Segou, arrival and transfer to hotel.
Day 13: Ségou-Bamako-Europe
Breakfast – Walk on the Niger River banks and meet the women of a pottery village named Kalabougou. Arrival in Bamako in the afternoon. Visit the city of Bamako: the pink market, the panorama from the Koulouba hill, the traditional markets, the National Museum.
Rest at the hotel. Dinner. Flight to Europe.
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