Mali Explorer
Travellers and explorers alike have been inspired by tales of the fabled city of Timbuktu, once a major stop on the trans-Saharan route through Mali. This is a rugged journey through the exotic crossroads of Mali, where influences from all of the Sahara and West Africa come together. We discover the diverse cultures of this land where the Niger River brings water to the vast and arid Sahara Desert. The nomadic Tuareg or 'blue men of the desert' with their indigo robes and turbans may be seen leading their camel caravans. The industrious farming and elaborate art of the Dogon people is revealed as we trek across the great sandstone escarpment of the Falaise de Bandiagara. Passing dazzling pink sandstone houses and precariously cropped cliff ledges we may hear the music of the Griots, playing the traditional rosewood kora. To complete the cultural experience, we visit the colourful markets of Djenne, considered to be one of the most vibrant marketplaces in West Africa. As the desert nomads say: "salt comes from the north, silver from the white man's land, but the word of God, wisdom and the most beautiful stories ever heard come from Timbuktu..."
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0800 0744 135 direct 02085459030 |
Itinerary / Highlights
DAY 1 Arrive BamakoDAY 2 To Djenne
DAYS 3/4 Pinasse boat on Bani River to Mopti, the City of Fish
DAY 5 Mopti
DAY 6 To Dogon Country
DAYS 7/8 Walking amongst the escarpment villages of Dogon Country
DAY 9 Drive to Hombori
DAY 10 To Timbuktu
DAY 11 Timbuktu and Tuareg nomadic camp
DAY 12 To Segou
DAY 13 Return to Bamako where trip concludes
