West Africa tour 15-day Tour: Mali and Burkina Faso

Discover the magic of Mali’s landscapes and people, and the rich history of Burkina Faso, home to the Mossi, the largest ethnic group in the nation.

Bamako, Djenne, Dogon Country, Mopti, Bobo, Gaoua, Segou, Bamako

Day 1: Saturday - Bamako
Upon arrival at the airport in Bamako, your guide is there to welcome you and accompany you to dinner. Stay overnight at the Hotel Tamana.**

Day 2: Sunday - Bamako to Djenne
Depart in the morning from Bamako to Djenne via an air-conditioned 4x4. We will pass beautiful mud villages and meet with villagers who will explain the tradition of millet and the traditional costumes made from bazin. Lunch will be en route. Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel.**

Day 3: Monday - Djenne
In the morning you will enjoy breakfast in the lovely shaded terraces and then tour the city and learn its rich history, with the largest and most beautiful mud mosque in Africa and the world. Monday is the day of the colorful weekly market, where you can find lovely traditional fabrics. You will walk through the narrow alleys to explore the majestic Sudanese-style mud buildings. Behind each door a warm welcome awaits you.

Djenne is the ideal setting to enjoy the great variety of ethnic groups that inhabit the Niger River valley and the inland delta. Lunch will be in a local restaurant and the afternoon is free to enjoy the market. Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel.**

Days 4 – 7: Tuesday to Friday – Dogon Country
Depart in the morning for Dogon country via the Bandiagara cliffs. Lunch en route. This will be a change of scenery for four days amid Dogon villages with their unique cultures and long-held traditions.

Hike along the cliffs to meet the villagers and see the ancient dwellings of the “Tellem.” You will discover the Dogon country traditions of weaving cotton to make bogolan (mud cloth) and carving wooden masks and fertility statues. Each village hosts its Tougouna, a place of exchange that welcomes all village elders, called the “house of words.” Discover Dogon cliffs, plateaus and plains through trekking. Nights are spent in safe, comfortable village encampments.  The trekking in the Dogon country will take us to Songho, Bandiagara, Kani Kombole, Telli, Ende, Wabatalou and Begne Matou.

On the seventh day, we return to the 4x4 and depart for Mopti, the crossroads of trade on the Niger River. After lunch you will have a guided tour of the city of Mopti and observe dugout canoes, pirouges, and pinasses being built. You will be surprised by the elegance and unique colors of each pinasse; this is how the city of Mopti gained the prestigious name “the Venice of Mali.” You don't want to miss a meal of capitaine skewers, a succulent white fish and local Mopti specialty! Dinner and stay overnight at the hotel “Ya Pas de Problème” - the quaintly named “There is No Problem” hotel.**

Day 8: Saturday - Mopti to Sikasso
After breakfast we drive to Sikasso, considered to be the green belt of Mali. The city still has the remnants of the Tata, an ancient palisade that encircled the city and for a time held off the French colonial army. You will see the Mamelon, the residence of the kings of Sikasso and a sacred site that housed the city’s protector spirits. Later we visit the Missirikoro Mosque. We will travel about 15 km from Sikasso to the Mansa Daoula Tomb of the founder of Kenedougou Kingdom and visit Farako Falls. Stay overnight at the Hotel Zanga, Sikasso.**

Day 9: Sunday – Sikasso to Bobo Dioulasso
This morning we leave Sikasso and cross the border from Mali to Burkina Faso. After a smooth ride we arrive in Bobo Dioulasso, “house of the Bobo merchants,” where we check into our hotel first, then have a brief tour of of the city.

Bobo Dioulasso is a very relaxed place and it will be a pleasure to spend a day. It has boulevards and interesting market places with a chilled-out feel and very little hassle even in the Grand Marché. Among the major highlights to see is the Musée Provincial du Houet, but without a doubt the most interesting sight is the Grande Mosquée (the old great mosque). Stay overnight in the Hotel Auberge, Bobo.**

Day 10: Monday – Bobo to Gaoua
Today we complete our tour of Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso's second largest city and visit the old mosque and visit the old Kibidwé artisan's district.

The old Kibidwé district is a great area to stroll around and it's well worth the experience to see how this side of the city lives. If we are lucky we may be treated to a performance by some of the musicians who live in the part of the town.

In the afternoon we leave Bobo and drive to Gaoua. En route we stop in Banforo to visit the Karfiguela waterfalls and Lac Tengrela. We also stop at the mysterious stone ruins of Loropeni whose origins are unknown, but the local Gan people call them the “house of refusal.” Arrive in the evening at Gaoua for an overnight stay in the Hala Hotel.**

Day 11: Tuesday – Gaoua to Ouagadougou
After breakfast we'll drive to explore Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capitol city. Ouagadougou, as the capitol is generally known, is home to the Mossi, the largest ethnic group in the nation. All the sights can be easily reached on foot. The city’s atmosphere is relaxed and the Burkinabe arevery hospitable and friendly people. We’ll visit the Grand Market and the National Museum with its interesting collection of regional clothing, masks, household utensils and ancestral statues. We will also visit the crafts market at the Artisans Centre, where we will find basketry, batik fabrics, wooden statues and masks, jewelery, leather-work and bronze castings. Stay overnight at the Hotel Relax Ouaga or a similar hotel.**

Day 12: Wednesday – Ouagadougou to San (Mali)
Depart from Ouagadougou and drive to San. We stop to visit beautiful mud villages, take pictures, and meet with the villagers. You will marvel at the giant, luxurious baobab trees lining the roads, as well as the Bambara and Bobo villages. We will stop briefly to admire the mosque in San and stay overnight at Hotel Teriya.**

Day 13: Thursday – San to Segou
Depart in the morning and arrive in Ségou in about 2.5 hours. You will have the opportunity in the market to discover the pottery made by a cooperative of women, and visit the dye house where everyone can paint a bogolan. We will have dinner and stay overnight at the Hotel Esplanade.**

Day 14: Friday – Segou to Bamako
Depart in the morning and arrive in Bamako after 3 and a half hours; enjoy the afternoon at leisure; dinner is at a local restaurant. Stay overnight at the Hotel Tamana.**

Day 15: Saturday – Bamako
We will tour Bamako in the morning and see the home of artisans, the market with fruit and spices, and the National Museum. Lunch is at a restaurant and the afternoon is at leisure. Finally, transfer to the airport with the help of your guide.

** Accommodations are deluxe by African standards. Actual lodging may change subject to availability.

The price for the 15-day West Africa tour: 2080 Euros   

Included:

The rental of the car and driver throughout the stay including fuel, pinasse (boat) rental, hotel and encampment overnight stays, three complete meals per day, bottled water, your guide, local guides in the cities, tourist and hotel taxes and fees.

Not included:
International flights, visas for Mali and Burkina Faso, alcoholic beverages, laundry, personal cell and internet access costs. If you have enjoyed the tour, it is allowed to tip the guide(s) and driver.

16-day Cultural tour of Mali:  A cultural adventure from the niger river to the desert.

Bamako, Djenne Dogon country, Mopti, Niger River, Timbuktu and the desert, Segou, Bamako.

Day 1: Saturday – Bamako
Upon arrival at the airport in Bamako, your guide is there to welcome you and accompany you to dinner. Stay overnight at the Hotel Tamana.**

Day 2: Sunday – Bamako to Djenne
Depart in the morning from Bamako to Djenne via an air-conditioned 4x4. We will pass beautiful mud villages and meet with villagers who will explain the tradition of millet and the traditional costumes made from bazin. Lunch will be en route. Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel.**

Day 3: Monday – Djenne
You will enjoy breakfast in the lovely shaded terraces and start with a morning tour of the city of Djenne and learn its rich history. Visit the largest and most beautiful mud mosque in Africa and the world, one of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mali.

Monday is the day of the colorful weekly market, where you can find lovely traditional fabrics. You will walk through the narrow alleys to explore the majestic Sudanese-style mud buildings. Behind each door a warm welcome awaits you.

Djenné is the ideal setting to enjoy the great variety of ethnic groups that inhabit the Niger River valley and the inland delta. Lunch will be in a local restaurant and the afternoon is free to enjoy the market. Enjoy dinner and stay overnight at a hotel.**

Days 4 – 7: Tuesday to Friday – Dogon Country
Depart in the morning for Dogon country by way of the Bandiagara cliffs. Lunch en route. This will be a change of scenery for four days amid Dogon country villages with their unique cultures and long-held traditions.

Hike along the cliffs to meet the villagers and see the ancient dwellings of the “Tellem.” You will discover the Dogon country traditions of weaving cotton to make bogolan (mud cloth) and deep blue indigo, as well as carving wooden masks and fertility statues. Each village hosts its Tougouna, a place of exchange that welcomes all village elders, called the “house of words.” Discover Dogon cliffs, plateaus and plains through trekking. Nights are spent in safe, comfortable village encampments.  The trekking in the Dogon will take us to Songho, Bandiagara, Kani Kombole, Telli, Ende, Wabatalou and Begne Matou.

On the seventh day, we return to the 4x4 and depart for Mopti, the crossroads of trade on the Niger River. After lunch you will have a guided tour of the city and observe dugout canoes, pirouges, and pinasses being built. You will be surprised by the elegance and unique colors of each pinasse on the niger river; this is how the city of Mopti gained the prestigious name“the Venice of Mali.” 

You don't want to miss a meal of capitaine skewers, a succulent white fish and local Mopti specialty! Eat dinner and stay overnight at the hotel “Ya Pas de Problème”  - the quaintly named “There is No Problem”  hotel.**

Days 8-10: Saturday to Monday – Mopti to Timbuktu by Pinasse
Depart in the morning for Timbuktu in a fully equipped, motorized pinasse to sail on the Niger River. We will spend three days and two nights and experience the tranquility of the river. We will meet Bozo fishermen, visit villages and witness the smoking of fish, see the roaming livestock, and witness petty trade while crossing Lake Debo, Mali's largest lake, where many species of migratory birds gather. Maybe we will swim with our friends the hippos!

Every night at sunset, we reach beautiful places to camp along the niger river banks in complete safety. Somehow the river will make you work up quite an appetite for fresh-caught fish, eaten sitting around the campfire under a brilliant sky of stars.
On the tenth day, arrive in Timbuktu in the afternoon and stay overnight at the hotel .**

Day 11: Tuesday – Timbuktu
Tour in the morning on the city of Timbuktu with a historian who will unveil the rich cultures and traditions of this most famous, mysterious city. Discover its mosques, the center of 16th century manuscripts, the houses of early explorers, the museum, the traditional spice market, and witness the creation of handicrafts and silver jewelry.

During lunch with a Timbuktu family, you will taste a local specialty with 12 spices. In the afternoon, depart for a camel ride in the desert. You can savor the beauty and total silence of the desert. Meet my friends the Touareg and their leader Ibrahim who will tell you the legends of the Sahara under a star-studded night sky by the fire. We will partake in traditional Touareg meals and tea, and spend the night under the dazzling stars or in a Touareg tent.

Day 12: Wednesday – Timbuktu
Return to Timbuktu by camel. Afternoon is free in the city of 333 saints. Enjoy dinner and stay overnight at the hotel.**

Day 13: Thursday – Timbuktu to Mopti
Depart in the morning from Timbuktu in an air-conditioned 4x4and enjoy the magnificent scenery as we return to Mopti, stopping for a picnic along the way. Arrive in Mopti in the early afternoon. Dinner and stay overnight at the hotel “Ya Pas de Problème.”**

Day 14: Friday -- Mopti to Segou
Leave for Ségou in the morning. You will marvel at the giant, luxurious baobab trees lining the roads, as well as the Bambara and Bobo villages. We will stop briefly to admire the mosque in San. Arrive in Segou in the mid-afternoon, then dinner and stay overnight at the hotel Esplanade.**

Day 15: Saturday – Segou to Bamako
In a morning tour of Segou, you will have the opportunity to discover the pottery in the market made by a cooperative of women, and visit the dye house where everyone can paint a bogolan.

Lunch in the restaurant, then depart for Bamako, a 3 and a half hour drive. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure, and have dinner at a local restaurant. Stay overnight at the hotel Tamana**  

Day 16: Sunday – Bamako
We will tour Bamako in the morning and see the home of artisans, the market with fruit and spices, and the National Museum. Lunch is at a restaurant and the afternoon is at leisure. Finally, transfer to the airport with the help of your guide.

** Accommodations are deluxe by African standards. Actual lodging may change subject to availability.

The price for the 16-day cultural tour of Mali : 3140 Euros

Included on the cultural tour of Mali:
The rental of the car and driver throughout the stay including fuel, pinasse (boat) rental, hotel and encampment overnight stays, three complete meals per day, bottled water, your guide, local guides in the cities, tourist and hotel taxes and fees.

Not included on the Cultural tour of Mali:

International flights, visa for Mali, alcoholic beverages, laundry, personal cell and internet access costs. If you have enjoyed the tour, it is allowed to tip the guide(s) and driver.

17-day tour: 
Music Festival on the Niger River at Segou

Witness the must-see Festival on the Niger in Segou. Set on the river’s edge, this very popular cultural festival gathers top Malian musicians, artists, craftsmen, dance and traditional puppet troupes from across the country, celebrating Mali’s diverse cultures in the ancient Bambaran Capital.

Bamako, Djenne, Mopti, Niger River, Timbuktu and the desert, Dogon country, Segou Festival on the River Niger, Bamako.

Day 1: Saturday – Bamako (2025 dates TBA - early February) 

Upon arrival at the airport in Bamako, your guide is there to welcome you and accompany you to dinner. Overnight at the hotel Tamana.**

Day 2: Sunday – Bamako to Djenné 

Depart in the morning from Bamako to Djenné via an air-conditioned 4x4. We will pass beautiful mud villages and meet with villagers who will explain the tradition of millet and the traditional costumes made from bazin. Lunch will be en route. Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel.**

Day 3: Monday – Djenné and Mopti

You will enjoy breakfast and start with a morning tour of the city, learning about its rich history. Visit the largest and most beautiful mud mosque in Africa and the world - one of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mali.

Monday is the day of the colorful weekly market where you can find lovely traditional and modern fabrics. You will walk through the narrow alleys to explore the majestic Sudanese-style mud buildings. Behind each door a warm welcome awaits you.

Djenné is the ideal setting to witness the great variety of ethnic groups that inhabit the Niger River valley and the inland delta.

After lunch in a restaurant depart for Mopti, about 2 hours drive away, where you will have a guided tour of the port city, the crossroads of trade on the Niger River. Observe dugout canoes, pirouges, and pinasses being built. You will be surprised by the elegance and unique colors of each pinasse; this is how the city of Mopti gained the prestigious name “the Venice of Mali.” 

You don't want to miss a meal of capitaine skewers, a succulent white fish and local Mopti specialty! Eat dinner and stay overnight at the “Campement ”  hotel.** 

Days 4 to 6: Tuesday - Thursday – Mopti to Timbuktu

Depart in the morning in a fully equipped, motorized pinnase to sail on the Niger River. We will spend three days and two nights and experience the tranquility of the river. We will meet Bozo fishermen, visit villages and witness the smoking of fish, see the roaming livestock, and witness petty trade while crossing Lake Debo, Mali's largest lake, where many species of migratory birds gather. Maybe we will swim with our friends the hippos!

Every night at sunset, we reach beautiful places to camp along the riverbanks in complete safety. Somehow the river will make you work up quite an appetite for fresh-caught fish, eaten sitting around the campfire under a brilliant sky of stars. On the sixth day, arrive in Timbuktu in the afternoon and stay overnight at the hotel Hendrina Khan.**

Day 7: Friday – Timbuktu

Tour in the morning with a historian who will unveil the rich cultures and traditions of this most famous, mysterious city. Discover its mosques, the center of 16th century manuscripts, the houses of early explorers, the museum, the traditional spice market, and witness the creation of handicrafts and silver jewelry.

During lunch with a Timbuktu family, you will taste a local specialty with 12 spices. In the afternoon, depart for a camel ride in the desert. You can savor the beauty and total silence of the desert. Meet my friends the Touareg and their leader Ibrahim who will tell you the legends of the Sahara under a star-studded night sky by the fire. We will partake in traditional Touareg meals and tea, and spend the night under the dazzling stars or in a Touareg tent.

Day 8: Saturday – Timbuktu

Return to Timbuktu by camel; free afternoon in the city of 333 saints. 
Dinner and overnight at the hotel Hendrina khan **.

Days 9 to 11: Sunday to Tuesday – Timbuktu to Dogon Country

Morning departure for Dogon country via the Bandiagara cliffs and Douentza. Lunch en route. Change of scenery for three days, amid Dogon villages with their unique cultures and long-held traditions. Hike along the cliffs to meet the villagers and see ancient dwellings of the “Tellem.” 

You will discover the Dogon traditions of weaving cotton to make bogolan (mud cloth) as well as carving wooden masks and fertility statues. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness Dogon masked dancers on stilts performing their spectacular traditional ritual dances for you. 

Each village hosts its Tougouna, a place of exchange that welcomes all village elders, called the “house of words.” Discover Dogon cliffs, plateaus and plains through trekking.

Nights are spent in safe, comfortable encampments in the village.
On day 11, with the 4x4 we drive to Mopti, and stay overnight at hotel Campement .**

Day 12: Wednesday – Mopti to Ségou

Morning guided tour of Mopti: the crossroads of trade on the Niger River. 

Observe dugout canoes and pinasse boats being built. You will be surprised by number of boats, the elegance and the unique colours of each pinasse; this is how the city of Mopti gained the prestigious name "the Venice of Mali."

Then we will depart for Ségou. You will marvel at the giant, luxurious baobab trees lining the roads, as well as Bambara and Bobo villages. Enjoy the French colonial and red mud architecture of the City of one thousand Balanzan trees.

Arrive in the mid-afternoon; lunch on route. Dine and stay overnight on the Niger River in a comfortable hotel.** Esplanade hotel.

Day 13: Thursday – Ségou Festival

Day 14: Friday – Ségou Festival

Day 15: Saturday – Ségou Festival

Day 16: Sunday – Ségou Festival

Day 17: Monday – Ségou to Bamako

Depart for Bamako; enjoy the afternoon at leisure; dinner is at a local restaurant. Your guide will transport you to the airport for your return flight.

** Accommodations are deluxe by African standards. Actual lodging may change subject to availability.

The price for the Festival sur le Niger 17-day tour: 3350 Euros

Included:

The rental of the car and driver throughout the stay including fuel, pinasse (boat) rental, hotel and encampment overnight stays, three complete meals per day, bottled water, your guide, local guides in the cities, tourist and hotel taxes and fees.

Not included:

International flights, visa for Mali, alcoholic beverages, laundry, personal cell and internet access costs. If you have enjoyed the tour, it is allowed to tip the guide(s) and driver.