Mali · Burkina Faso · Benin

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)

Begin your West African journey with a city tour of Bamako, Mali's vibrant capital city: start at Point G and the panoramic overview of the city; then visit the National Museum, the city market and the artisans' village, where you will see local craftsmen at work: silversmiths, woodcarvers, weavers, and leather workers; in the afternoon, drive through the heartland of Mali to Segou; overnight in Segou (Hotel Independance, or similar)

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

Visit Segou, Mali's second city and former colonial capital; see the interesting mix of traditional and colonial architecture; stroll through the pottery market on the waterfront; visit 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; in the afternoon, onward drive to Mopti; overnight in Mopti/Sevare (Hotel Kanaga / Hotel Ambedjele, or similar)

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

City tour of Mopti, called the Venice of Mali because it is surrounded by the waters of the Bani and the Niger rivers; see the beautiful Sudanese-style mosque and the fishing port, bustling commercial center; excursion to Djenne, the historical sister-city of Timbuktu, to see the colorful weekly market; 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; return to Mopti in time to enjoy a relaxing sunset sail on the Niger River; overnight in Mopti/Sevare (Hotel Kanaga / Hotel Ambedjele, or similar)

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

After breakfast, depart Mopti and drive across the Sahel, to the legendary city of Timbuktu, at the edge of the Sahara Desert ! overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

Day 6 Wednesday: Timbuktu / Sahara Desert

Visit the mythical city of Timbuktu: see the ancient mosques (built in the XIV^th century) and former universities, the museum and the Ahmed Baba Institute archives of ancient Islamic manuscripts, the explorers' houses, the city market which receives the azalaïs, the salt caravans from the desert—here salt was historically worth its weight in gold; in the afternoon, excursion into the great Sahara Desert by camel caravan to visit a Tuareg camp; the Tuareg people are the Princes and of the Sahara Desert; return to and overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

Day 7 Thursday: Timbuktu - Dogon country (650 km; ~7-8hrs)

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

Day 8 Friday: Dogon country

Visit Dogon villages along the Bandiagara escarpment: Banani village(note the ancient Tellem cave dwellings in the cliff face), Ireli and Amani villages (visit the sacred crocodile sanctuary), and Tireli village; option to witness a traditional Dogon mask dance, an authentic representation of the Dogon people's funerary ceremonies; overnight in Sangha/Bandiagara (Hotel Campement Guina / Hotel La Falaise, or similar)

Day 9 Saturday: Dogon country - Bobo Dioulasso, BURKINA FASO (525-600 km; ~7-8hrs)

Visit Songo village, renowned for its circumcision grotto with rock paintings; traditional circumcision ceremonies are held here every three years; the rock paintings are historical representations of noble Dogon families; depart Mali and drive to Burkina Faso; overnight in Bobo Dioulasso (Hotel Auberge, or similar)

Day 10 Sunday: Bobo Dioulasso - Ouagadougou (355 km; ~4hrs)

Tour Bobo Dioulasso, ("house of the Bobo merchants"), Burkina Faso's second largest city; see the old mosque and visit the Kibidwe artisans' district, where you will see blacksmiths, potters, and dyers at work; in the afternoon drive to and 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 crafts markets at the Artisans' Center, where you will find basketry, batik fabrics, wooden statues and masks, jewelry, leatherwork and bronze castings; visit the Parc Urbain de Bangr-Weogoo; overnight in Ouagadougou (Hotel Silmande, or similar)

Day 12 Tuesday: Ouagadougou - Natitingou, BENIN (485 km; ~6hrs)

Depart Ouagadougou after breakfast and drive to Fada N'Gourma, cross the Burkina-Benin border and continue to Natitingou, in Somba country; overnight in Natitingou (Hotel Tata Somba, or similar)

Day 13 Wednesday: Natitingou - Abomey (420 km; ~5hrs)

Visit the Natitingou Museum for an interesting overview of the Somba culture; then drive to Abomey, the old royal city of the kingdom of Danhomey; overnight in Abomey (Motel d'Abomey, or similar)

Day 14 Thursday: Abomey - Cotonou (135 km; ~1½hr)

Visit Abomey, former capital of the Danhomey kingdom; visit the Royal Palace and Museum, site of the ancient palaces of the twelve kings of Abomey (Unesco World Heritage site), who reigned from 1620 through 1900; visit the Djeho temple, constructed using human blood, to house the spirit of a deceased king; and the artisans' center, renowned for traditional tapestries and bronze castings, formerly reserved for the royal court only; in the afternoon, explore the Dahomey Trail with its unrestored palaces and fetish temples; depart for Cotonou; overnight in Cotonou (Hotel du Lac, or similar)

Day 15 Friday: Cotonou / Ganvie - final departure

City tour of Cotonou, economic capital of Benin, including the fish market and the international Dantokpa market, with its fetish market and handcraft center; enjoy a pirogue excursion to Ganvie fishing village, built on stilts over the lagoon (Lake Nokoue); in the evening, transfer to the airport for your final departure