Mali cultural music festival holiday
Click here to enquire about or book this holiday!
Basic information
Location: Mali
Date: 29th December 2010
Duration: 12 days
Group size: 2 - 10 people
Price: From £1600 including accommodation, ground transport, full-board of festival sites, half-board in hotels. Excluding flights.
What will I be doing on this trip?
En route we pass by Djenne, a beautiful World Heritage island city with the largest mud building in the world - The Grand Mosque. This tranquil, timeless city will erupt in the morning with the cacophony of sounds, colours and smells of one of West Africa’s largest and most vibrant markets.
From Djenne to the Dogon country and three days of leisurely trekking between the villages of the Dogon escarpment. A journey into the Dogon country with its distinctive architecture, animist culture and the strangely beautiful barren landscape is like stepping onto another planet. We camp on their open roofs beneath the extraordinary stars which are so important to the Dogon belief system.
We then return to the Niger River for a three day river boat trip through the Inland River Niger Delta to Timbuktu. Here flat wetlands and lakes give out great bird life and spits of land on which perch fishing villages and towns which will host us at night. After the market at Dire we pass the hippos who announce that we are approaching Timbuktu.
Timbuktu reverberates with mystery, myth and journey. There is a day either side of the Festival to explore the city. From Timbuktu we take a journey into the desert for the ultimate destination of this trip; Essakane and the spectacular Festival In The Desert.
My holiday itinerary...
Note: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner
Day 1: December 29th 2010
Arrive in Bamako International flight arrives in Bamako. You will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2: December 30th 2010 Bamako
Today you will explore this capital city of Bamako situated on the Niger, one of Africa's great rivers. Mali is a country of many tribal peoples, each with your own exuberant styles of clothing and jewellery. There is nowhere better to see this colorful diversity than in the streets and markets of Bamako. Bamako has a large art and craft centre where sculptors, weavers, leather workers, jewelers and metal workers exhibit their wares and skills. You will visit the Grand Marché, or 'Great Market', where you can spend hours exploring the hundreds of stalls. From carvings and cassettes, to fabrics, beads, brass and gold, the variety of goods is staggering. One area of the market is devoted entirely to traditional African medicines. Here you'll find the freshly shrunken heads of birds, monkeys and crocodiles, along with lizard skins and other gruesome treatments. Accommodation at Hotel Wassulu. Includes: (B).
Day 3: December 31 2010 Bamako / Segou
Breakfast, then drive to Segou, Mali's second largest city and former colonial administrative center; admire the beautiful Sudanese-style colonial architecture, visit the port, the pottery market, traditional weavers and other artisans. Overnight stay in Segou at Esplanade Hotel. Includes: (B).
Day 4: January 1st 2011 Dogon Country
Drive to Dogon Country, considered one of the most extraordinary places on earth. Built up high on the narrow ledges of the cliffs are the villages of the Dogon people. In the 11th century, the Dogons fled the advancing Arabs coming from the north, and found shelter in one of West Africa's most inhospitable areas. This is such a unique place that the United Nations has declared it a World Heritage site. Visit the village of Songo, renowned for its rock paintings and circumcision grotto. Overnight stay at Hotel Guina. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 5: January 2nd 2011 Dogon Country
Continue tour of Dogon Village. The Dogons are animists, worshipping their ancestors and the spirits of nature. Having preserved their traditions down through the centuries, they are considered to be one of the most original civilizations of West Africa. Today’s sightseeing involves walking over rough ground to visit some of the villages, and fairly steep and rough paths have to be negotiated. Experience the authentic traditional Dogon Mask Dance. Early evening drive to Bandiagara for overnight stay at Cheval Blanc. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 6: January 3rd 2011 Dogon / Dejenne / Mopti
Drive to Djenne, Timbuktu's ancient sister-city on the Niger; visit Djenne on its weekly market day, when Djenne is at its colorful best; see the magnificent Grand Mosque, the largest mud brick architecture in the world and one of UNESCO’S World Heritage sites; Return to Mopti for overnight stay at Hotel Flandre. Includes: (B).
Location: Mali
Date: 29th December 2010
Duration: 12 days
Group size: 2 - 10 people
Price: From £1600 including accommodation, ground transport, full-board of festival sites, half-board in hotels. Excluding flights.
What will I be doing on this trip?
En route we pass by Djenne, a beautiful World Heritage island city with the largest mud building in the world - The Grand Mosque. This tranquil, timeless city will erupt in the morning with the cacophony of sounds, colours and smells of one of West Africa’s largest and most vibrant markets.
From Djenne to the Dogon country and three days of leisurely trekking between the villages of the Dogon escarpment. A journey into the Dogon country with its distinctive architecture, animist culture and the strangely beautiful barren landscape is like stepping onto another planet. We camp on their open roofs beneath the extraordinary stars which are so important to the Dogon belief system.
We then return to the Niger River for a three day river boat trip through the Inland River Niger Delta to Timbuktu. Here flat wetlands and lakes give out great bird life and spits of land on which perch fishing villages and towns which will host us at night. After the market at Dire we pass the hippos who announce that we are approaching Timbuktu.
Timbuktu reverberates with mystery, myth and journey. There is a day either side of the Festival to explore the city. From Timbuktu we take a journey into the desert for the ultimate destination of this trip; Essakane and the spectacular Festival In The Desert.
My holiday itinerary...
Note: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner
Day 1: December 29th 2010
Arrive in Bamako International flight arrives in Bamako. You will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2: December 30th 2010 Bamako
Today you will explore this capital city of Bamako situated on the Niger, one of Africa's great rivers. Mali is a country of many tribal peoples, each with your own exuberant styles of clothing and jewellery. There is nowhere better to see this colorful diversity than in the streets and markets of Bamako. Bamako has a large art and craft centre where sculptors, weavers, leather workers, jewelers and metal workers exhibit their wares and skills. You will visit the Grand Marché, or 'Great Market', where you can spend hours exploring the hundreds of stalls. From carvings and cassettes, to fabrics, beads, brass and gold, the variety of goods is staggering. One area of the market is devoted entirely to traditional African medicines. Here you'll find the freshly shrunken heads of birds, monkeys and crocodiles, along with lizard skins and other gruesome treatments. Accommodation at Hotel Wassulu. Includes: (B).
Day 3: December 31 2010 Bamako / Segou
Breakfast, then drive to Segou, Mali's second largest city and former colonial administrative center; admire the beautiful Sudanese-style colonial architecture, visit the port, the pottery market, traditional weavers and other artisans. Overnight stay in Segou at Esplanade Hotel. Includes: (B).
Day 4: January 1st 2011 Dogon Country
Drive to Dogon Country, considered one of the most extraordinary places on earth. Built up high on the narrow ledges of the cliffs are the villages of the Dogon people. In the 11th century, the Dogons fled the advancing Arabs coming from the north, and found shelter in one of West Africa's most inhospitable areas. This is such a unique place that the United Nations has declared it a World Heritage site. Visit the village of Songo, renowned for its rock paintings and circumcision grotto. Overnight stay at Hotel Guina. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 5: January 2nd 2011 Dogon Country
Continue tour of Dogon Village. The Dogons are animists, worshipping their ancestors and the spirits of nature. Having preserved their traditions down through the centuries, they are considered to be one of the most original civilizations of West Africa. Today’s sightseeing involves walking over rough ground to visit some of the villages, and fairly steep and rough paths have to be negotiated. Experience the authentic traditional Dogon Mask Dance. Early evening drive to Bandiagara for overnight stay at Cheval Blanc. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 6: January 3rd 2011 Dogon / Dejenne / Mopti
Drive to Djenne, Timbuktu's ancient sister-city on the Niger; visit Djenne on its weekly market day, when Djenne is at its colorful best; see the magnificent Grand Mosque, the largest mud brick architecture in the world and one of UNESCO’S World Heritage sites; Return to Mopti for overnight stay at Hotel Flandre. Includes: (B).
Day 7: January 4th 2011 Mopti
Mopti city tour (you will see the fascinating mix of Malian cultures: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Tuareg, Songhaï and Hausa): visit the beautiful mosque, the fishing port and the bustling market, where you can shop for gold or silver jewelry, Tuareg leatherwork, or Fulani blankets of cotton or wool. Overnight stay in Mopti at Flandre Hotel Or similar. Includes: (B).
Mopti city tour (you will see the fascinating mix of Malian cultures: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Tuareg, Songhaï and Hausa): visit the beautiful mosque, the fishing port and the bustling market, where you can shop for gold or silver jewelry, Tuareg leatherwork, or Fulani blankets of cotton or wool. Overnight stay in Mopti at Flandre Hotel Or similar. Includes: (B).
Day 8: January 5th 2011 Mopti / Timbuktu
This morning take an early drive to legendary Timbuktu. Located at the terminus of the great trans-Saharan caravan route, Timbuktu became fabulously wealthy in the 16th century. Loaded with blocks of salt and other trade goods, huge convoys of camels would spend weeks crossing the unforgiving Sahara to reach Timbuktu. It was here that they would trade salt, pound-for-pound, with African merchants bringing gold and ivory along the Niger from the heart of Africa. Wander the dusty streets of Timbuktu, admiring such magnificent mud-brick structures as the Djinguiraiber Mosque, the Mosque of Sankore, and the Palace of Bouctou. See the houses of the various 19th century European explorers who used Timbuktu as a base. Accommodation at La Colombe Hotel or similar. Includes: (B).
This morning take an early drive to legendary Timbuktu. Located at the terminus of the great trans-Saharan caravan route, Timbuktu became fabulously wealthy in the 16th century. Loaded with blocks of salt and other trade goods, huge convoys of camels would spend weeks crossing the unforgiving Sahara to reach Timbuktu. It was here that they would trade salt, pound-for-pound, with African merchants bringing gold and ivory along the Niger from the heart of Africa. Wander the dusty streets of Timbuktu, admiring such magnificent mud-brick structures as the Djinguiraiber Mosque, the Mosque of Sankore, and the Palace of Bouctou. See the houses of the various 19th century European explorers who used Timbuktu as a base. Accommodation at La Colombe Hotel or similar. Includes: (B).
Day 9,10,11: January 6th, 7th, 8th 2011 Festival in the Desert
Drive to Essakane and enjoy three days of world music, dancing, camel races and other activities. Meals prepared by private chef. Accommodation in Private tents. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 12: January 9th 2011
Return to Timbuktu and fly to Bamako for departure or extended tour begins. Includes: (B).
Drive to Essakane and enjoy three days of world music, dancing, camel races and other activities. Meals prepared by private chef. Accommodation in Private tents. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 12: January 9th 2011
Return to Timbuktu and fly to Bamako for departure or extended tour begins. Includes: (B).
Additional information
How to get to us: Air France is the best airline to travel to West Africa
Services: Air conditioned vehicle, air conditioned rooms with en suite bathroom, VIP tents for camping, hotels offer Europeans and Africans meals.
Family friendly: Babysitting, changing rooms and staff trained to work with children. 5% discount for babies.
How to get to us: Air France is the best airline to travel to West Africa
Services: Air conditioned vehicle, air conditioned rooms with en suite bathroom, VIP tents for camping, hotels offer Europeans and Africans meals.
Family friendly: Babysitting, changing rooms and staff trained to work with children. 5% discount for babies.
How does this holiday make a difference?
All accommodation costs from the hotels in the towns and cities to the guest houses and camping in villages and in the desert go directly to local establishments or families.
Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world but by visiting and operating responsibly we are able to deliver economic benefits to a variety of local businesses. This means employing local guides in each town; using locally owned hotels, guesthouses and spreading our customers to small local restaurants and craft shops where possible. Even just stopping to buy fruit at a local market can really help supplement a family’s income.
Using local guides is also the best way to get in depth information on not only the historic and cultural aspects of villages but insider information on day to day life and learning to respect local traditions. Malians are very friendly and hospitable people and we try to find as many opportunities as possible for you to meet the people in a fun and positive way for both sides.
In the Dogon country each village gets a tax for people passing through and an additional local guide is hired. All accommodation food and water costs go directly into the community. Well managed tourism in the Dogon country has helped to preserve this fascinating culture bringing in valuable income to a people living in fine balance in a difficult environment.
By supporting the Festival In The Desert you are helping to promote the quality and diversity of Malian music to an international audience.
We support a charity project from a customer who gives school supplies, cow and chicken to ten villages in January 2010. We organise her tour and help her during her donation.
We help a bee protection organization in Ségou named (GIPA). They try to advice local people not to use fire to have honey.We provide them vehicle during their trip to inform local people how they could get honey without killing bees, because in our society they use fire to kill bees and obtain their honey.
During our trip we do lots of camping and staying in guesthouses in villages, because they have not got big hotels to waste water and some of them use solar energy.
All accommodation costs from the hotels in the towns and cities to the guest houses and camping in villages and in the desert go directly to local establishments or families.
Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world but by visiting and operating responsibly we are able to deliver economic benefits to a variety of local businesses. This means employing local guides in each town; using locally owned hotels, guesthouses and spreading our customers to small local restaurants and craft shops where possible. Even just stopping to buy fruit at a local market can really help supplement a family’s income.
Using local guides is also the best way to get in depth information on not only the historic and cultural aspects of villages but insider information on day to day life and learning to respect local traditions. Malians are very friendly and hospitable people and we try to find as many opportunities as possible for you to meet the people in a fun and positive way for both sides.
In the Dogon country each village gets a tax for people passing through and an additional local guide is hired. All accommodation food and water costs go directly into the community. Well managed tourism in the Dogon country has helped to preserve this fascinating culture bringing in valuable income to a people living in fine balance in a difficult environment.
By supporting the Festival In The Desert you are helping to promote the quality and diversity of Malian music to an international audience.
We support a charity project from a customer who gives school supplies, cow and chicken to ten villages in January 2010. We organise her tour and help her during her donation.
We help a bee protection organization in Ségou named (GIPA). They try to advice local people not to use fire to have honey.We provide them vehicle during their trip to inform local people how they could get honey without killing bees, because in our society they use fire to kill bees and obtain their honey.
During our trip we do lots of camping and staying in guesthouses in villages, because they have not got big hotels to waste water and some of them use solar energy.
Where is it?
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