12 Days Mali: Desert Caravans Tour Package

Duration : 12 Days / 11 Nights
Priced From : $4,760 ( Price is per person, based on double occupancy )
Dates :  October

Tribal mask dances, mud mosques, roadside granaries and painted caves represent Mali's vibrant culture.

DAYS 1-2: USA or Canada/Bamako, Mali
Board a flight to Bamako where you are met and transferred to your hotel. Hotel Salam

DAY 3: Bamako/Segou
En route to Segou, stop in Wolodo, and watch as rural Bambara women extract shea butter from the fruit of the Karite tree. In Kasobané, discover the techniques of preparing mud cloths - bogolan, bassilan and indigo - and make your own to take home. Hotel Independence B L D

DAY 4: Segou/Bandiagara
Visit the Bobo village of Kanga with its beautiful roadside granaries. Meet the family of the local Griot (storyteller) and join villagers who play African rhythms on xylophone, drums and by hand clapping. Sit down to lunch before continuing to Bandiagara in the heart of Dogon country. Hotel Kambary B L D

DAY 5: Bandiagara/Sangha/Tirelli/ Bandiagara
Explore the culture of the Dogon people in Sangha. Gaze at villages adorned with mud houses perched on cliff sides. Watch a tribal Dogon mask dance in Tirelli before joining the village chief for a picnic lunch. Later, return to Bandiagara. Hotel Kambary B L D

DAY 6: Bandiagara/Songho/Mopti
Drive to Songho and view the rock paintings in the famous Dogon ritual cave. Continue to Mopti, one of Mali's liveliest trading centers. The harbor is filled with hundreds of pirogues (dugout canoes) transporting both goods and people to and from neighboring villages. Visit the port, the market and the mosque before sitting down to a riverside lunch. Hotel Kanaga B L D

DAY 7: Mopti
Float down the majestic Niger River by pirogue and visit a Bozo fishing village and Fulani village of nomadic herders. Hotel Kanaga B L D

DAY 8: Mopti/Djenné/Mopti
Explore ninth-century Djenné on foot to see the famous Grand Mosque, the largest mud building in the world. Stop in Sevaré to visit Peace Corps Baba's Art Gallery Bead Museum, housing a fascinating collection of West African beadwork. Hotel Kanaga B L D

DAY 9: Mopti/Timbuktu
Wing your way to Timbuktu. Visit local monuments before meeting the nomadic Tuaregs, the "blue men of the desert," so named for their bright indigo robes. Dine under the desert stars for a traditional barbecue dinner and dancing. Hendrina Khan B L D

DAY 10: Timbuktu/Bamako
Learn about Mali's culture and history during a private lecture led by the curator of the National Museum. Explore Bamako's markets and monuments. Hotel Salam B L D

DAY 11: Bamako/USA or Canada
Your day is at leisure. This evening a local Griot spins tales during tonight's farewell dinner. Later, board your international flight. Hotel Salam B D

DAY 12: USA or Canada
Connect with your homebound flight

This program contains some active elements, and a minimum level of fitness is required.

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

10/08