Location: Mali
Date: 05/01/12
Duration: 14 days
Group size: 16 max.
Price: €1050 All transport, Services of Tour Leader and assistant, All meals, all advertised highlights, specialist local guide in Timbuktu and Djenné. Festival Ticket.
Local Payment: €150 (Payable at predeparture meeting)
Highlights: Djenne, Tour of Mopti, Dogon Hike, Bandiagara, Overland journey to Timbuktu, Tour of Timbuktu, Festival in the Desert, Niger River boat trips, Niafounke (birthplace of Ali Farka Toure, Lac Debo & Touareg Campement.

This trip takes you along a part of the old trans Saharan trade routes, famous for the trading of gold, ivory, spices and cloth from every part of Africa to the Middle-east. Departing the vibrant capital of Mali, Bamako, you will travel to Djenne, famous for its mud built Mosque classed a World heritage site. Stop of in Segou, famous for its crafts, Dogon country, where the local communities knew about the Sirius star system before any modern astronomers, and where you will trek along the Bandiagara escarpments.

You will then head north, back towards the mighty Sahara desert, where you will stay in a Touareg camp and experience the tea ceremonies, hospitality and warmth of the 'Blue men' under a carpet of stars. From there on, the Festival in the Desert awaits! This music festival has been put on traditionally for hundreds of years as a 'get together' for the different Touareg tribes roaming the desert. Only recently has it attracted attention, and with it the amazing musicians and artists which are now becoming well-known all over the World.  

To end this awe-inspiring trip with a bang, you will embark on a three day river trip to Mopti along the Niger river, stopping off at several villages on the way to meet the Fulani herders and Bozo Fishermen. In the evening, your captain will find a nice spot on the river bank where you will set up a bush camp and reflect on your experiences whilst watching the sun set over Africa's third largest river.

This operator has developed strategic partnerships with several grass roots NGO's because they believe that giving something back should be an integral part of any visit to Africa. It also provides the people who travel with them an opportunity to meet real locals going about their everyday lives. 

You will hopefully share a small part of their hopes and dreams of a better life and not just hang around people associated with the tourism industry. This in turn provides their guests with a unique opportunity to take far more away from Africa than just photo's and souvenir’s. 

Their goal is that you will experience life in West Africa and take away memories that will last a lifetime. You will also have the chance to gain a greater understanding of the resilience and ambitions of the people on this amazing continent and then you can spread the word; Africa is moving forward. 

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