Festival on the Niger Tour 2009

11 days / 10 nights all-hotel accommodation

featuring Segou and the Festival on the Niger, plus Bamako, Djenne, Mopti, the Niger River and Dogon country

The fourth annual Festival on the Niger will be held in Segou, MALI, on 29 January - 1 February 2009. This cultural celebration will feature traditional music and contemporary musicians, arts and crafts expositions (textiles, pottery, sculpture, jewelry), traditional dance troupes and puppet troupes, pirogue races on the river, and more !

For more information, see the official website www.festivalsegou.org
or Fly - Global Music Culture

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Frequently Asked Questions

TOUR ITINERARY

28 January 2009: Arrival in Bamako, Mali
International flight arrives in Bamako in the evening; airport to hotel transfer; overnight in Bamako (hotel)

29 January 2009: Bamako - Segou (235 km) / Festival on the Niger (B)
3-hour drive to Segou, Mali's second largest city and former colonial center; check into your hotel, then enjoy the festival activities (masks, puppets, music, and more); overnight in Segou (hotel)

30, 31 January and 01 February 2009: Segou / Festival on the Niger (B x3)
Full days of festival activities: speakers, demonstrations, artisan expositions, films, story-tellers, puppets, traditional and contemporary music and dance; overnight in Segou (hotel)

02 February 2009: Segou - Djenne (332 km) (B)
~4-hour drive to Djenne, Timbuktu's ancient sister-city and one of Unesco's World Heritage sites, on its weekly market day, when Djenne is at its colorful best; see the magnificent Great Mosque, the world's largest mud brick architecture; overnight in Djenne (hotel)

03 February 2009: Djenne - Dogon country (230 km) (B/L/D)
Drive (~3 hours) to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; visit Songo village, renowned for its circumcision grotto with rock paintings; walking tour of Sangha, comprised of 10 distinct Islamic and animist villages; overnight in Sangha (hotel)

04 February 2009: Dogon country (B/L/D)
Descend the Bandiagara escarpment to visit Dogon villages along the cliff; witness a spectacular Dogon mask dance, performed in a village; return to and overnight in Sangha (hotel)

05 February 2009: Dogon country - Mopti (120 km) / Niger River (B)
Drive to Mopti, the Venice of Mali: 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; in the evening enjoy a relaxing sunset sail on the Niger River; overnight in Mopti (hotel)

06 February 2009: Mopti - Bamako (640 km) (B)
Return drive (7 hours) to Bamako, with sightseeing en route; overnight in Bamako (hotel)

07 February 2009: Bamako - final departure (B)
City tour of Bamako, including the National Museum, the city market, and the artisans' village; in the evening, transfer to the airport for your final departure

1 km ~ 0.6 mile

NB: private departures only, this is not a group tour.

Tour includes the following:

10 nights hotel, double occupancy, with breakfast (B)
day-room in Bamako on the final day
full-board in Dogon villages (2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners); excluding drinks
private ground transportation by air-conditioned vehicle
sunset sail on the Niger River
spectacular Dogon mask dance
4-day Festival on the Niger; entry fee priced separately (subject to change)
experienced English-speaking guide throughout
airport transfers upon arrival and departure in Bamako
all hotel taxes and local tourism taxes
all touring, site visit, excursion and entry fees as per itinerary

Not included are: international travel to/from Mali, entry visas, non-specified meals, drinks/bottled water, tips, and personal expenses.

Please note: Saga Tours does not handle international air reservations and ticketing.

Contact us to reserve this tour !
and remember to specify how many persons comprise your party -- the tour price depends on the number of travellers

The Festival on the Niger in Segou, Mali— a unique cultural celebration of West African music, dance, theater, arts and crafts !

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