SCHEDULE AND COST:
Dates: May 26 to June 6, 2022 Mzungu Leads
Duration: 12 days / 11 nights
Number of participants: 8 – 12
Cost per person:
- EUR 2 790 subject to 11 – 12 participants,
- EUR 2 990 subject to 10 – 11 participants,
- EUR 3 190 subject to 8 – 9 participants.
10% early booking discount (in case you book before January 26, 2021)
* If the expedition is finally carried out according to an alternative program (without
Timbuktu), the cost will be reduced by 300 EUR per person.
Everything is included except for:
- international flight to Bamako roundtrip
- international medical insurance,
- lunches and dinners,
- Mali visa (pre visa and Visa fee on arrival at the airport at 75 EUR)
Estimated cost of all flights – from Moscow to Bamako roundtrip: EUR 1000 – 1200
(Usually bought on your own)
Single supplement: EUR 370
TRAVEL PROGRAM: TOUR TO MALI
Day 1. May 26, 2022. BAMAKO
International flight arrives in Bamako at 1:55 pm, pick-up from the airport transfer to the hotel for rest.
Recommended flights from Moscow with Ethiopian Airlines, flights via Addis Abeba, departure at 21:30 on May 25, arrival in Bamako at 14:40 on May 26.
Or Air France, arrival in Bamako at 13:55 on May 26
Accommodation: Hotel Columbus
Meals included: no
Day 2. May 27, 2022. Bamako – Ségou - (235 Km)
Morning road to Segou. Get the ancient village of Sekoro on the way and get a look at the tomb of Biton Coulibaly's mother where we will have the chance to meet the king.
Arrival in Segue visiting the bagolan factory and french colonial heritage buildings designed in Sudanese style.
Sunset walk across on the Niger quay where you can catch beautiful pictures. The final act – is a musical evening in the hotel in appropriate atmosphere after an emotional day.
Accommodation: Hotel Esplanade
Meals included: breakfast
Day 3. May 28, 2022. Ségou-Djenne - (320 Km)
After breakfast an engaging trip to Djenne. Stop off at San village to a look around.
Arrival in the adobe historical city - Djenne. In San we will visit the Sudanese style mosque near the market. Arrival in the adobe historical city.
Djenne was one of the first commercial centers of the Sahel region: it was the meeting place of the nomads from the Sahara, the local farmers and cattle herders, and the fishermen from the inland delta of the Niger.
Check-in to the hotel.
Accommodation: Wilingara Hotel
Meals included: breakfast
Day 4. May 29, 2022. Djenne
After breakfast, exploring the Market and strolling around the ancient alleys and narrow streets. We'll see the oldest house in Djenne, dating from the 12th century and one of Unesco's World Heritage sites - the magnificent Great Mosque. It is the world's largest mud brick architecture, originally constructed in the 13th century.
We will walk around the old city, meet the women's society – the «bogolan's masters». We will take pictures in their dyeing workshop. A real trip back in time. We will see the tomb of Tapana Djenepo, the Koranic schools, the well of Nana Wangara.
In the afternoon we visit some Peuhl (Fulani) villages around Djenne. You will have the chance to meet the Fulani nomadic women with beautiful adornments. Returning to Djenne in the evening.
Accommodation: Wilingara Hotel
Meals included: breakfast
Day 5. May 30, 2022. Djenne – Mopti (135 km)
Breakfast and departure to Mopti - the Venice of Mali.
It is also called «the melting pot» of Mali. This beautiful city attracts many visitors with its river port which remains an inevitable crossroads for trade.
Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Lunch in the restaurant nearby the river.
Visiting canoe workshops and see the process of making pirogues by the local's hands. Walking across the river port and the bustling fish market where many of Mali's ethnic groups come to trade: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Tuareg and Songhay.
Accommodation: Hotel Flandre or Simil
Meals included: breakfast
Day 6. May 31, 2022. Mopti - boat (Niger River)
Breakfast and transfer to the harbor area. Boat trip with picturesque views on the Niger river to Timbuktu. On the way we'll see the beautiful Lake Débo. It is a lake in the central part of Mali, formed by the seasonal flooding of the Niger River basin.
Accommodation: Boat
Meals included: breakfast
Day 7. June 1, 2022. Niger River (boat)- Timbuctu
10 am arrival at Timbuctu – one mythical desert cities in Africa.
Tranfer to the hotel. City tour after lunch at the restaurant or with local family. Nowdays, like centuries ago - the city is surrounded by a heavy mist of mystery. Almost no tourists get there anymore since the Tuareg started demanding their own independent country.
Lunch at the restaurant or with local family with traditional dishes and colorful dance of «Takamba ».
Accommodation: Auberge du désert
Meals included: breakfast
Day 8. June 2, 2022. Timbuctu
After breakfast exploring the city of «333 saints» with the great Djigareiber mosque and walking through Sankoré Madrasa - one of three ancient centers of learning located in Timbuctu.
Accommodation: Hotel Colombe
Meals included: breakfast
Day 9. June 3, 2022. Timbuctu - Bamako (1 hour flight)
After breakfast, we will organize a morning with traditional Tuareg music under the tents before the time of the flight back to Bamako. You will attend with our Tuareg friends. In these days many Tuareg or Tamacek (the way they call themselves) live in the city and we will meet them to know their reality.Then lunch with a traditional meal. Transfer to the airport and in the afternoon return to Bamako.Arrival in Bamako and visit the city center, zoo, the artisanal market, fetish market.
Accommodation: Hotel Columbus
Meals included: breakfast
Day 10 : June 4, 2022. Bamako – (PCR Test) – Siby- (50 km)
After breakfast, we will do the PCR-test and then drive to Siby. Reach Siby town, regional capital, to visit the viewpoint of Koulouba, the craft market. Explore natural wonders such as the Arch of Kamadjan and the Consultation Cave. Small hike to the arch, the panoramic point, and the sacred caves under the arch of Kamadjan. After the visit, we will continue to Nana-Kenieba village for the Dogogo, Dogon traditional mask dance. While we are visiting the village, our organizers are getting ready for the mask ceremony, we will attend these cultural ceremonies for at least 2 to 3 hours with beautiful photos taken in the Mandingo mountains. The community of Dogon people who live in Nana-Kenieba village are those who recently re-settled back to their historical territory, from where they moved to Bandiagara Plateau some 500 years ago being pursued by Islamization.The Dogon of this community still practice their Animist rituals and masquerades. We will attend a ceremony related to the worship of the ancestors and rain making.
Return to Siby in the evening.
Accommodation: Hotel Kamadjan
Meals included: breakfast
Day 11. June 5 Siby-Bamako (50 Km)
Breakfast and further explore Siby, Malinke (or Mandinga) Country. The Malinke are descendants of Mali Empire that extended from present day Senegal to Niger. We will attend the mask dance of Mandinka people.
Return to Bamako for lunch in restaurant bistro. In the afternoon we will reach the shores of Niger River to see how local Bozo tribe extracts sand for construction.
Accommodation: Hotel Colombus
Meals included: breakfast
Day 12 June 6: Bamako – Departure from Africa
Breakfast. Free time in Bamako.
Transfer to the airport. Return flight.
Accommodation: no
Meals included: breakfast.
* Recommended flight from Bamako to Moscow with Air France, via Paris, departure from Bamako at 23:55 pm on June 6, arrival in Moscow at 18:55 pm on June 7.
* If the flight from Timbouktu on day 9 is not possible, we'll come-back from Timbouktu to Mopti by boat on day 9 (June 3, 2022). June 4, we drive up to Bamako. On day 11 (June 5) we go to Siby. In the evening we will attend the mask dance of Mandinka people. On day 12 (June 6) early afternoon we come back to Bamako Airport.
* The operator reserves the right to change the order of execution of the program subject to keeping of all activities.