West Africa tour — 18days
Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo & Benin

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 archives of scholarly Islamic manuscripts, the explorers' houses, the city market which receives the azalaïs, 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 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 Sangha (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 / Hotel 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; 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 - Tamale, GHANA (360 km) (B)
Depart Burkina Faso for Ghana (~4-hour drive); overnight in Tamale (Gariba Lodge, or similar)

Day 11 Sunday: Tamale - Kumasi (360 km) (B)
Visit the Tamale market and the National Cultural Center; afternoon drive (~3 hours) to Kumasi; overnight in Kumasi (Hotel Georgia, or similar)

Day 12 Monday: Kumasi - Cape Coast (225 km) (B)
Visit Kumasi: the National Cultural Center, the Manhyia Palace, and the Kejetia market, the largest market in West Africa; afternoon drive to Cape Coast; visit of the old town; overnight in Cape Coast (Sanaa Lodge, or similar)

Day 13 Tuesday: Cape Coast - Elmina - Accra (165 km) (B)
Visit the Cape Coast Castle, former bastion of the Atlantic slave trade, now a Unesco World Heritage site; excursion to nearby Elmina; enjoy a walking tour of St. George's Castle; finish with a stroll to St. Jago Hill for a panoramic overview of historic Elmina; drive to and overnight in Accra (Shangri-La Hotel, or similar)

Day 14 Wednesday: Accra (B)
City tour of Accra, including the National Cultural Center, National Museum, and the Nkrumah Mausoleum; walking tour of James Town, and crafts shopping at the Trade Fair Centre; overnight in Accra (Shangri-La Hotel, or similar)

Day 15 Thursday: Accra - Lome, TOGO (200 km) (B)
Drive to Lome, Togo; afternoon city tour of Lome: the National Museum, the Lome central market, the artisans' village and the Akodessewa fetish market; overnight in Lome (Hotel Le Benin, or similar)

Day 16 Friday: Lome - Ouidah (110 km) - Cotonou, BENIN (40 km) (B)
Depart Togo for Benin; visit Ouidah, an important traditional religious center and ancient slave depot, which sent thousands of slaves to the new world; visit the Museum in the old Portuguese fort, the temple of pythons, the Cathedral of Notre Dame and the Kpasse sacred forest; trace the route of the famous "Slave Road" which leads to the slavery memorial of Zoungbodji; perhaps also witness a traditional voodoo ceremony featuring the spirits of departed ancestors; onward to Cotonou for overnight (Hotel du Lac, or similar)

Day 17 Saturday: Cotonou - Abomey (135 km) - Cotonou (B)
Excursion to 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 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; return to and overnight in Cotonou (Hotel du Lac, or similar)

Day 18 Sunday: Cotonou/Ganvie - final departure (B)
City tour of Cotonou, including the fish market and the international Dantokpa market, with its fetish market and handcraft center; pirogue excursion to Ganvie village, built on stilts over the lagoon (Lake Nokoue); in the evening, transfer to the airport for your final departure