Bamako, Mali
West Africa
Tel/Fax +223 220 2708
sagatours@sagatours.com

Tuareg in the desert

Mali, Burkina Faso & Niger — 13 days

Discover the Sahel, on the fringes of the great Sahara Desert

Every tour is private, scheduled on dates of your choice, with a Thursday arrival in Bamako; there are no fixed-date scheduled departures.

Contact us for prices. Groups of any size are welcome. Be sure to specify how many persons are in your party—prices are digressive, so a better value per person for a party of four than a party of two, etc.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Day 1 Thursday: Arrival in Bamako, MALI
International flight arrives in Bamako, airport-to-hotel transfer; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar)

Day 2 Friday: Bamako (B)
Leisurely first day in West Africa, to get used to the time change and climate difference; city tour of Bamako: visit the National Museum, the city market, the artisans' village, the fetish market for traditional medicine; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar)

Day 3 Saturday: Bamako - Timbuktu (B)
Transfer to the airport for early morning flight to the legendary city of Timbuktu, gateway to the Sahara Desert; city tour: see the old mosques (built in the 14^th century) and former universities, the museum and the Ahmed Baba Institute archives of scholarly Islamic manuscripts, the explorers' houses, the city market which receives the azalaļs, the salt caravans from the desert; in the afternoon, excursion into the Sahara Desert by camel caravan to visit a Tuareg camp; enjoy tea on the dunes with your Tuareg hosts, the Princes of the Desert; return to and overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

Day 4 Sunday: Timbuktu - Mopti (B)
Airport transfer for early morning flight to Mopti, the Venice of Mali, nestled between the Niger and the Bani rivers; Mopti city tour: see the beautiful mosque, the fishing port, and the bustling market where many of Mali's cultural groups can be seen: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Tuareg and Songhay; enjoy a sunset sail on the Niger River in a traditional pirogue; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

Day 5 Monday: Mopti - Djenne (130 km) - Dogon country (230 km) (B)
Excursion to Djenne on its weekly market day, when Djenne is at its colorful best; stroll around the market stalls, spread out before the magnificent Great Mosque, the world's largest mud brick architecture and one of Unesco's World Heritage sites; in the afternoon, 3-hour drive to Dogon country; overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)

Day 6 Tuesday: Dogon country (B)
Full day in Mali's fascinating Dogon country; explore magnificent villages along the Bandiagara cliff, and see many examples of the unique traditional architecture and fetishes; overnight in Sanghga (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)

Day 7 Wednesday: Dogon country (B)
Continue visiting Dogon villages, including Songo village, renowned for its rock paintings and circumcision grotto; overnight in Bandiagara (Hotel Kambary / Hotetl La Falaise, or similar)

Day 8 Thursday: Dogon country - Ouagadougou, BURKINA FASO (400 km) (B)
Depart Dogon country, driving (~5 hours) through picturesque villages and cross into Burkina Faso; arrive in Ouagadougou; overnight in Ouagadougou (Hotel Silmande, or similar)

Day 9 Friday: Ouagadougou (B)
Full day to explore Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital city; visit the Grand Market and the National Museum, with its interesting collection of regional clothing, masks, household utensils and ancestral statues; also visit the crafts markets at the Artisans' Center, where you will find basketry, batik fabrics, wooden statues and masks, jewelry, leatherwork and bronze castings; overnight in Ouagadougou (Hotel Silmande, or similar)

Day 10 Saturday: Ouagadougou / Tiebele (190 km) - Ouagadougou (B)
Excursion to Tiebele village, in Gourounsi country; visit magnificent fortress-like houses and compounds, colorfully painted with traditional motifs; return to and overnight in Ouagadougou (Hotel Silmande, or similar)

Day 11 Sunday: Ouagadougou - Niamey, NIGER (500 km) (B)
After breakfast, depart Burkina Faso for Niger (~6-hour drive); observe the Sahelian countryside and rural villages; lunch in Fada N'Gourma; overnight in Niamey (Grand Hotel, or similar)

Day 12 Monday: Parc National du W (150 km one-way) (B)
(Nov-April) Excursion to the Tapoa Reserve, in the Niger portion of the Parc National du W; game drive in the park — perhaps see elephants, buffalo, antilope, wild boars, monkeys and many species of birds; return to Niamey for overnight (Grand Hotel, or similar)

Day 13 Tuesday: Niamey - final departure (B)
City tour of Niamey, including the National Museum, the large city market, and the artisans' village of Wadata; in the evening, transfer to the airport for your final departure

1 km ~ 0.6 mile

NB: Hotels subject to availability

NB: Parc National du W is open November through April; at other times, tour day 12 will feature an excursion to Koure, to see one of the last remaining herds of wild giraffes in West Africa.

Optional Dogon mask dance on Day 7; contact us for pricing info.

NB: Domestic flights to/from Timbuktu are contingent upon availability; if flights are not available, overland transportation will be provided.

Tour includes the following:

12 nights hotel, double occupancy
day-room in Niamey on the final day
12 breakfasts (B)
private ground transportation by air-conditioned 4x4 vehicle, with driver
scheduled domestic flights Bamako-Timbuktu and Timbuktu-Mopti (subject to availability)
sunset sail on the Niger River
desert excursion by camel to visit a Tuareg camp on the dunes near Timbuktu
excursion to Gourounsi country
excursion to the Tapoa Reserve or Koure
experienced English-speaking guide throughout
airport transfers upon arrival in Bamako and departure in Niamey
all hotel taxes and local tourism taxes
all site visit, excursion and entry fees as per itinerary

Not included are international airfare to/from Africa, entry visas (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger), lunches, dinners, drinks/bottled water, tips, optional Dogon mask dance, and personal expenses.

Hotel upgrade is available in the capital cities; contact us for pricing info.

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