Mali & Senegal cultural adventure holiday
Click here to enquire about or book this holiday!
Basic information
Location: Senegal-Mali: Dakar, Goree, St Louis-Bamako, Timbuktu, Mopti, Pays-Dogon, Djenne, Segou.
Departures: January - December
Duration: 12 days
Group size: 2+ people
Price: From £1578, including: Hotel accommodation, meals as listed, private ground transportation, flights between sites, experienced English and French-speaking guide, airport transfers upon arrival and departure, all hotel taxes and local tourism taxes, all site visits and entry fees. Excluding: International flight to Mali, travel insurance, visa fees, drinks, and gratuities.
What will I be doing on this trip?
Witness the inter-connection and the many differences that exist between the sister countries of Mali and Sénégal. Here is your chance to compare, contrast, and enjoy a cross-cultural experience that you won’t soon forget. Visit, Dakar, Gorée Island, St. Louis, in Sénégal and Bamako, Ségou, Mopti, Djénné, and Timbuktu, in Mali.
My holiday itinerary...
Day 1: Arrival/Dakar, Sénégal
Upon arrival in Dakar you are met, assisted with airport formalities and transferred to the hotel by your guide and driver. Visit the Musée National and its rich collection, considered to be one of the best ethnographic museums in West Africa.
Day 2: Dakar
Continue your tour of Dakar, the capital city of Sénégal, including the bustling markets and the picturesque residential quarters such as Medina, the presidential palace, the African Museum, sand painting gallery, etc.
Day 3: Gorée Island
This morning visit the infamous Gorée Island, a World Heritage site, known for its vital role in the slave trade. Visit the "Door of No Return" where slave ships left for Europe and the Americas. The tour also includes a visit to the ethnographic museum and a lecture/story-telling by curator Joseph N’Diaye on the history of Gorée Island.
Day 4: Pink Lake/ Saint Louis
After breakfast, depart for Saint Louis in the north of Senegal with a tour of Pink Lake, a rare natural phenomenon caused by a unique combination of micro-organisms and a high concentration of salts giving the lake its pink color. Interact with the women collecting salt; visit the Fulani village where you will be welcomed by the Chief and his wives. Continue to Saint Louis. In the afternoon, city tour of Saint Louis including a visit to the fishing village of Guet Ndar.
Day 5: Saint Louis/Dakar/Bamako
Tour the city of St. Louis, by exploring the narrow streets and their houses with carved wooden balconies. Visit the National Bird Sanctuary of Djoudj, which has a vast array of bird species (more than 400 species) including pelicans, ducks, flamingos, African Jacana, Ibis, and many others. Continue to Dakar where you will board your two-hour flight to Bamako, Mali. Arrive in Bamako where you will be met, assisted, and transferred to your hotel.
Location: Senegal-Mali: Dakar, Goree, St Louis-Bamako, Timbuktu, Mopti, Pays-Dogon, Djenne, Segou.
Departures: January - December
Duration: 12 days
Group size: 2+ people
Price: From £1578, including: Hotel accommodation, meals as listed, private ground transportation, flights between sites, experienced English and French-speaking guide, airport transfers upon arrival and departure, all hotel taxes and local tourism taxes, all site visits and entry fees. Excluding: International flight to Mali, travel insurance, visa fees, drinks, and gratuities.
What will I be doing on this trip?
Witness the inter-connection and the many differences that exist between the sister countries of Mali and Sénégal. Here is your chance to compare, contrast, and enjoy a cross-cultural experience that you won’t soon forget. Visit, Dakar, Gorée Island, St. Louis, in Sénégal and Bamako, Ségou, Mopti, Djénné, and Timbuktu, in Mali.
My holiday itinerary...
Day 1: Arrival/Dakar, Sénégal
Upon arrival in Dakar you are met, assisted with airport formalities and transferred to the hotel by your guide and driver. Visit the Musée National and its rich collection, considered to be one of the best ethnographic museums in West Africa.
Day 2: Dakar
Continue your tour of Dakar, the capital city of Sénégal, including the bustling markets and the picturesque residential quarters such as Medina, the presidential palace, the African Museum, sand painting gallery, etc.
Day 3: Gorée Island
This morning visit the infamous Gorée Island, a World Heritage site, known for its vital role in the slave trade. Visit the "Door of No Return" where slave ships left for Europe and the Americas. The tour also includes a visit to the ethnographic museum and a lecture/story-telling by curator Joseph N’Diaye on the history of Gorée Island.
Day 4: Pink Lake/ Saint Louis
After breakfast, depart for Saint Louis in the north of Senegal with a tour of Pink Lake, a rare natural phenomenon caused by a unique combination of micro-organisms and a high concentration of salts giving the lake its pink color. Interact with the women collecting salt; visit the Fulani village where you will be welcomed by the Chief and his wives. Continue to Saint Louis. In the afternoon, city tour of Saint Louis including a visit to the fishing village of Guet Ndar.
Day 5: Saint Louis/Dakar/Bamako
Tour the city of St. Louis, by exploring the narrow streets and their houses with carved wooden balconies. Visit the National Bird Sanctuary of Djoudj, which has a vast array of bird species (more than 400 species) including pelicans, ducks, flamingos, African Jacana, Ibis, and many others. Continue to Dakar where you will board your two-hour flight to Bamako, Mali. Arrive in Bamako where you will be met, assisted, and transferred to your hotel.
Day 6: Bamako
Take a city tour of Mali’s vibrant capital city of Bamako. Visit the national museum, women’s museum and Médine recycling market. Have lunch at the African restaurant “Le Santoro” then visit the handicraft centre and enjoy a panoramic view from “the hill of knowledge.” A visit to Bamako is hardly complete without a trip to its world-renowned “Great Market” in the heart of the city.
Take a city tour of Mali’s vibrant capital city of Bamako. Visit the national museum, women’s museum and Médine recycling market. Have lunch at the African restaurant “Le Santoro” then visit the handicraft centre and enjoy a panoramic view from “the hill of knowledge.” A visit to Bamako is hardly complete without a trip to its world-renowned “Great Market” in the heart of the city.
Day 7: Bamako-Timbuktu
After breakfast, transfer to airport for departure for Timbuktu. Arrival in Timbuktu mid morning and transfer to hotel. Spend a full day in legendary Timbuktu and see the houses of explorers (René Caillé, Mongo Park, and Gordon Laing), the Mosque Djingareiber built by the emperor Kankan Moussa upon his return from his legendary trip to Mecca, the museum, city markets, the handicraft center, and the center «Ahmed Baba» which is home to 14th century manuscripts. Enjoy an afternoon camel back ride to a Tuareg campground on the sand dunes in the heart of the Sahara desert.
Day 8: Timbuktu-Mopti
Transfer to the airport for a flight to Mopti, known as the Venice of Mali because it is located between the Niger and the Bani rivers on three islands. Arrive in Mopti mid morning and transfer to hotel. Tour the Komoguel mosque and then experience life on the river by visiting fishing villages, witness the making of handmade traditional pirogues (fishing boats), browse through vibrant markets displaying pottery and other arts that showcase Mopti’s ethnic diversity. Life around the Niger River will be an unforgettable experience as you take a boat cruise in the afternoon to admire the aquatic life and the most amazing sunset.
After breakfast, transfer to airport for departure for Timbuktu. Arrival in Timbuktu mid morning and transfer to hotel. Spend a full day in legendary Timbuktu and see the houses of explorers (René Caillé, Mongo Park, and Gordon Laing), the Mosque Djingareiber built by the emperor Kankan Moussa upon his return from his legendary trip to Mecca, the museum, city markets, the handicraft center, and the center «Ahmed Baba» which is home to 14th century manuscripts. Enjoy an afternoon camel back ride to a Tuareg campground on the sand dunes in the heart of the Sahara desert.
Day 8: Timbuktu-Mopti
Transfer to the airport for a flight to Mopti, known as the Venice of Mali because it is located between the Niger and the Bani rivers on three islands. Arrive in Mopti mid morning and transfer to hotel. Tour the Komoguel mosque and then experience life on the river by visiting fishing villages, witness the making of handmade traditional pirogues (fishing boats), browse through vibrant markets displaying pottery and other arts that showcase Mopti’s ethnic diversity. Life around the Niger River will be an unforgettable experience as you take a boat cruise in the afternoon to admire the aquatic life and the most amazing sunset.
Day 9: Mopti - Dogon Country
Depart for Dogon country, stop at Songo, the village of underground caves to see magnificent rock paintings and visit the grotto of circumcision a place of great importance in Dogon culture.
You may also visit the Hogon, the spiritual leader of the Dogon people and attend a traditional Dogon mask dance.
Depart for Dogon country, stop at Songo, the village of underground caves to see magnificent rock paintings and visit the grotto of circumcision a place of great importance in Dogon culture.
You may also visit the Hogon, the spiritual leader of the Dogon people and attend a traditional Dogon mask dance.
Day 10: Dogon Country - Djénné
Today you will visit Djénné; a city constructed almost entirely with mud and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The “Great Mosque", the biggest mud edifice in the world and UNESCO World Heritage. The ingenious use of local materials in the Sahelo - Sudanese style architecture will enchant you. The weekly Monday market is sure to amaze with its rich colorful displays. Stop by the archeological site of Djénné Jeno to see remains of the city dating back to 200 B.C.E, which provides further insight into the origins of this world-renowned city.
Day 11: Djénné - Ségou
Depart for Ségou, former colonial capital and Mali’s second largest city. Stop in San to visit the mosque, mud cloth workshops, and the animist village of Térékoungo. Once in Ségou, visit the busy port, and bustling market along the river where the best pottery artisans, and weavers are to be found.
Day 12: Ségou - Bamako - Departure
Arrive in Bamako around lunchtime. Visit the museum, handicraft center, local weavers, and the recycling market. Dinner and transfer to the airport.
Note: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner are included on each day of the itinerary.
Today you will visit Djénné; a city constructed almost entirely with mud and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The “Great Mosque", the biggest mud edifice in the world and UNESCO World Heritage. The ingenious use of local materials in the Sahelo - Sudanese style architecture will enchant you. The weekly Monday market is sure to amaze with its rich colorful displays. Stop by the archeological site of Djénné Jeno to see remains of the city dating back to 200 B.C.E, which provides further insight into the origins of this world-renowned city.
Day 11: Djénné - Ségou
Depart for Ségou, former colonial capital and Mali’s second largest city. Stop in San to visit the mosque, mud cloth workshops, and the animist village of Térékoungo. Once in Ségou, visit the busy port, and bustling market along the river where the best pottery artisans, and weavers are to be found.
Day 12: Ségou - Bamako - Departure
Arrive in Bamako around lunchtime. Visit the museum, handicraft center, local weavers, and the recycling market. Dinner and transfer to the airport.
Note: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner are included on each day of the itinerary.
Additional information
How to get to us: Available airlines to Mali are Air France, Royal Air Maroc, Point Afrique Voyage
Services: We stay at 3 star hotels, guest houses, or campgrounds that provide excellent services to our guests. These facilities are well-maintained and offer great amenities such as internet and long distance calls, entertainment, etc.
Family friendly: Our tours are family-friendly! We are very good at being flexible and innovative to incorporate activities for all members of the group. Whether it is by inviting local children for an informal soccer or basketball match we make sure youth in our group are as excited as their parents.
How does this holiday make a difference?
We provide interesting inter-cultural exchanges based on mutual respect and understanding. We provide our tours in a manner that respect s local cultures and are not invasive to people’s day-day lives.
We urge all our guests to give the "gift of a lifetime" by planting at least one tree in one the communities we visit and that we set-up volunteering opportunities for our guests with organizations in need.
We invest as much as 20% of our profits to local NGO such ASE-Mali, and Village D’Enfant SOS. We bring school and medical supplies to village schools during our visits.
We support community-based organizations promoting health and environmental protection such as Mali Health Organization, and Ecova-Mali.
Where is it?
How to get to us: Available airlines to Mali are Air France, Royal Air Maroc, Point Afrique Voyage
Services: We stay at 3 star hotels, guest houses, or campgrounds that provide excellent services to our guests. These facilities are well-maintained and offer great amenities such as internet and long distance calls, entertainment, etc.
Family friendly: Our tours are family-friendly! We are very good at being flexible and innovative to incorporate activities for all members of the group. Whether it is by inviting local children for an informal soccer or basketball match we make sure youth in our group are as excited as their parents.
How does this holiday make a difference?
We provide interesting inter-cultural exchanges based on mutual respect and understanding. We provide our tours in a manner that respect s local cultures and are not invasive to people’s day-day lives.
We urge all our guests to give the "gift of a lifetime" by planting at least one tree in one the communities we visit and that we set-up volunteering opportunities for our guests with organizations in need.
We invest as much as 20% of our profits to local NGO such ASE-Mali, and Village D’Enfant SOS. We bring school and medical supplies to village schools during our visits.
We support community-based organizations promoting health and environmental protection such as Mali Health Organization, and Ecova-Mali.
Where is it?
Click here to enquire about or book this holiday!
To discover other Responsible Tourism projects, click here.
To discover more about Mali, click here.
To discover more about Senegal, click here.
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