Days 1-3

Arrive in Dakar and spend several days exploring this fascinating capital city of Senegal. Visit the Soumbedioune craft village, the Presidential Palace, the European market of Kermel and Gorée Island, a poignant reminder of this center of the West African slave trade. Then wander through the Maison des Esclaves (Slave House), the Historic Museum and the Women's Museum.

Day 4

Meet the salt harvesters on the Pink Lake, an incredible rose colored body of water, and learn how the women extract its salt. Continue on your journey to Mali.

Day 5

Timbuktu is renowned for its ancient mud mosques. View their striking architecture during a walk through the town. Wander among the bustling food and artisan markets. Later, depart by camel to a Tuareg camp and explore the life of the "blue men of the desert." Enjoy an evening of traditional Tuareg dance and folklore.

Day 6

Fly to Mopti to visit traditional Bobo and Fulani villages as you embark on a journey via pirogue down the majestic Niger River. Gaze out at local villages and watch the people go about their daily lives as you drift lazily downstream. Stop at a Bozo fishing village and a Fulani village to learn the culture of these nomadic herders. At the river village of Sarakole, pause to visit its beautiful mosque. Throughout your cruise down the river, wildlife viewings are commonplace.

Day 7

 In Djenné, enjoy a walking tour and view the famous mud mosque (the largest mud monument in the world). Also visit the Koranic schools and explore the narrow streets decorated with Moroccan-designed windows and lined with Sudanese architecture.

Days 8 - 9

Drive to Sangha, exploring Dogon villages en route. Visit the remarkable stone houses of the vanished Tellem and the burial caves. Witness the Dogon mask dance, a ritual originally intended to guide the souls of the departed into the afterlife.

Day 10

Visit several authentic Bobo villages en route to Segou. The Bobo people are known for their colorful masks and elaborate costumes.

Day 11

Explore Segou's colonial buildings and harbor, then visit Bambara villages and Bamako before boarding your onward flight.
 

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