Mali & Burkina Faso

Day 1 Friday: Arrival in Bamako, MALI

International flight arrives in Bamako in the evening; airport-to-hotel transfer; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar)

Day 2 Saturday: Bamako - Segou (235 km; ~3hrs)

Welcome to West Africa ! begin your West African journey with a drive to Segou, Mali's second largest city and former colonial administrative center; visit Segou and Sekoro village (the "old Segou"), former capital of the Bambara kingdom, now just a sleepy village on the banks of the Bani River; see the tomb of King Biton Coulibaly; sunset stroll through the pottery market on the river bank; overnight in Segou (Hotel Independance, or similar)

Day 3 Sunday: Segou - Mopti (405 km; ~4½hrs) / Niger River

Onward drive to Mopti, the Venice of Mali, nestled between the waters of the Niger and the Bani rivers; Mopti city tour: see the beautiful Sudanese-style 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 tranquil sunset sail on the Niger River in a traditional pirogue; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

Day 4 Monday: Mopti - Djenne (130 km; ~1½hr) - Mopti

Day trip 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—originally constructed in the XIII^th century, this is the world's largest mud brick architecture and one of Unesco's World Heritage sites; return to and overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

Day 5 Tuesday: Mopti - Timbuktu (550 km; ~6hrs)

Interesting drive across the Sahel, to the legendary city of Timbuktu, gateway to the Sahara Desert; overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

Day 6 Wednesday: Timbuktu / Sahara Desert

Visit ancient Timbuktu: 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, and the city market which receives the azalaïs, the salt caravans from the desert — historically salt from the north was traded for gold and slaves from the south; in the afternoon, excursion into the great Sahara Desert by camel caravan to visit a Tuareg camp; the Tuareg people are the Princes and the masters of the Sahara Desert; return to and overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

Day 7 Thursday: Timbuktu - Dogon country (625 km; ~7hrs)

Return drive across the Sahel, to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; en route, visit the interesting Bead Museum in Sevare; onward and overnight in Bandiagara (Hotel La Falaise, or similar)

Day 8 Friday: Dogon country

Visit the Dogon village Songo, renowned for its rock paintings and circumcision grotto; traditional circumcision ceremonies are held here every three years; the rock paintings are historical representations of noble Dogon families; continue to Sangha and enjoy a walking tour of this large agglomeration of 10 distinct Dogon villages; see some beautiful examples of the unique Dogon architecture and fetishes; descend the Bandiagara escarpment to the village Banani, one of the most beautiful of the cliff villages; option to witness a traditional Dogon mask dance; return to and overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)

Day 9 Saturday: Dogon country - Ouahigouya, BURKINA FASO (150 km; ~4hrs)

Visit Dogon villages in the morning, then depart Dogon country, driving through picturesque villages and cross into Burkina Faso; arrive in Ouahigouya; overnight in Ouahigouya (Hotel Amitie, or similar)

Day 10 Sunday: Ouahigouya - Ouagadougou (180 km; ~2hrs)

Visit Ouahigouya, capital of the old Yatenga kingdom, including the historic Yatenga Naba's compound (Naba = "King") and Naba Kango's tomb, before departing for Ouagadougou; overnight in Ouagadougou (Hotel Silmande, or similar)

Day 11 Monday: Ouagadougou

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; visit the Music Museum, and 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 12 Tuesday: Ouagadougou - Deux Bales National Parc - Bobo Dioulasso (355 km; ~5hrs)

Drive southwestern Burkina, to Bobo Dioulasso; en route, visit Sabou village with its totem crocodiles; also visit Deux Bales National Parc in the hopes of spotting elephants; continue to and overnight in Bobo Dioulasso (Hotel Auberge, or similar)

Day 13 Wednesday: Bobo Dioulasso - Sikasso (Mali) (170 km; ~3hrs)

Tour Bobo Dioulasso ("house of the Bobo merchants"), Burkina Faso's second largest city; see the old mosque, the Houet Museum, and visit the old Kibidwe artisans' district, where you will see blacksmiths, potters, and dyers at work; in the afternoon depart Bobo Dioulasso, cross the Mali border, and overnight in Sikasso (Hotel Kaaky, or similar)

Day 14 Thursday: Sikasso - Bamako (375 km; ~4½hrs)

Visit Sikasso, in Mali's green belt; see the remnants of the Tata, ancient palisade that encircled the city and for a time held off the French colonial army; visit the Mamelon, residence of the kings of Sikasso and sacred site that housed the city's protector spirits; after lunch, return drive to Bamako; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar)

Day 15 Friday: Bamako - final departure

Tour Bamako: get a panoramic overview of this sprawling city at Point G, then onward to the National Museum, the city market, the artisans' village, and the fetish market for traditional medicine; or option to just relax by the hotel pool; in the evening, transfer to the airport for your final departure