Location: Bamako, Djenné, Mopti, Niger River, Timbuktu and the desert, Dogon country, Ségou Festival on the River Niger
Dates: 4th - 17th February
Duration: 17 days
Group size: 2+
Price: From 1950 Euros including transport, food, water and accommodation. Excluding international flights and drink other than water.
Associated activities: ancient city tours, boat cruise along the 3rd longest river in Africa, traditional music festival, visit a mysterious tribe.

Discover the music and magic of Mali’s landscapes and people through a journey to Timbuktu the mysterious city and beyond. Experience the world’s largest mud mosque at Djenne, the remote villages of Dogon, the peace of cruising the Niger River, and the vast Sahara desert outside Timbuktu. 

Last but not least, witness the must-see Festival on the Niger in Ségou. Set on the river’s edge, this very popular cultural festival gathers top Malian musicians, artists, craftsmen, dance and traditional puppet troupes from across the country, celebrating Mali’s diverse cultures in the ancient Bambaran Capital.

Being a 100% Malian operator, they try to provide the most direct, authentic experience for tourists, but also take maximum care to their comfort as for some, a trip to Mali is unlike anything they've ever experienced before. They are constantly trying to improve their understanding of other cultures so as to most effectively relate and welcome travellers in their country.

Mali is a country of diverse landscapes you will be introduced to the everyday life of local communities both within the destinations and along the journeys in between. For example, in Segou, which is known for crafts, you will be introduced to the markets where artisans make and sell their crafts.

On the drive from the Dogon Country to the next larger town of Douentza, you will stop and visit local village schools. On a river trip from Timbuktu to Mopti, you will visit local villages to see the men fishing, the women washing, and the children playing, and we will buy fresh-caught fish to support the local fishermen.

The operator is constantly working with their local contacts to arrange an opportunity to further enhance the authentic experience along the itinerary. 

This operator is also working with Aga Khan, a local NGO to recycle the many plastic bags littering Mopti and melt the plastic waste into a pulp that, mixed with sand, forms a tar from which pavement stones are made. The Aga Khan organisation employs local workers and is already transforming the streets of Mopti, a port town known as "the Venice of Mali."

The operator also has a policy to not partake in ceremonies which would turn into 'tourist attractions' over time, and visit the countless other places where travellers are freely welcomed.

They are heavily involved with the local communities in the destinations they visit, and encourage tourists to bring old t-shirts or items that they are not using anymore that can be used by people in Mali. Previous donations have been pens, old mobile phones, clothes and school material

All items needed along the tour are purchased from the local communities along the itinerary. We were told that travellers especially enjoy the fresh-caught fresh bought from fishermen in villages along the Niger River!

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