Mali · Burkina Faso · Ghana

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)

Bamako city tour: start at Point G for a panoramic overview of the sprawling city of Bamako; 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 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 mixture 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; 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

City tour of Mopti, called the Venice of Mali because it is nestled between the Bani and the Niger rivers; see the beautiful Sudanese-style mosque and the fishing port, Mopti's bustling commercial center; excursion to Djenne to see the colorful weekly market; stroll around the market stalls, spread out before the magnificent Great Mosque; originally built 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/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 mythical 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 legendary city of Timbuktu: see the ancient mosques (built in the XIV^th century) and former universities, the museum and the Ahmed Baba Institute's archives of ancient Islamic manuscripts, the explorers' houses, 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 Sahara Desert by camel caravan to visit a Tuareg camp on the dunes; the Tuareg people are called the Blue Men of the Desert, for the blue tinge on their skin from their indigo-dyed robes; return to and overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

Day 7 Thursday: Timbuktu - Mopti (550 km; ~6hrs) / Niger River

Return drive across the Sahel, to Mopti; arrive in time to enjoy a relaxing sunset sail on the Niger River in a traditional pirogue; overnight in Mopti/Sevare (Hotel Kanaga / Hotel Ambedjele, or similar)

Day 8 Friday: Mopti - Dogon country (120 km; ~2hrs)

After breakfast, drive to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; visit the Dogon village Songo, renowned for its rock paintings and circumcision grotto; traditional circumcision ceremonies are held here every three years for all Dogon boys ages 9-14 years; the rock paintings are historical representations of noble Dogon families; continue to Sangha, on the edge of the Bandiagara escarpment; walking tour of Sangha, comprised of 10 distinct animist and Islamic villages; overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)

Day 9 Saturday: Dogon country

Descend the Bandiagara escarpment to visit the villages Banani (note the ancient Tellem cave dwellings in the cliff face), Ireli, Amani (visit the sanctuary of sacred crocodiles, totem animal for the Dogon people), and Tireli, where you will witness a fascinating traditional Dogon mask dance—this traditional ceremony is part of the Dogon people's mourning rites; overnight in Bandiagara (Hotel La Falaise, or similar)

Day 10 Sunday: Dogon country - Bobo Dioulasso, BURKINA FASO (560 km; ~7hrs)

Breakfast, then depart Mali and drive to Burkina Faso; overnight in Bobo Dioulasso (Hotel Auberge, or similar)

Day 11 Monday: Bobo Dioulasso - Banfora (85 km; ~1hr)

Visit Bobo Dioulasso ("house of the Bobo merchants"), Burkina's second largest city; see the old mosque and visit the old Kibidwe artisans' district, where you will see blacksmiths, potters, and dyers at work; in the afternoon drive to Banfora, in Burkina's green belt; overnight in Banfora (Hotel Canne a Sucre, or similar)

Day 12 Tuesday: Banfora - Bobo Dioulasso (85 km; ~1hr)

Visit the Karfiguela waterfalls and enjoy a boat ride on Lac Tengrela before returning to Bobo Dioulasso; overnight in Bobo Dioulasso (Hotel Auberge, or similar)

Day 13 Wednesday: Bobo Dioulasso - Deux Bales Parc - Ouagadougou (355 km; ~4hrs)

Onward drive to Ouagadougou; en route, visit the Deux Bales National Park with the hope of spotting elephants; resume the drive towards Ouagadougou, with brief stop in Sabou village to see the "tame" crocodiles; overnight in Ouagadougou (Hotel Silmande, or similar)

Day 14 Thursday: 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; also 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 15 Friday: Ouagadougou - Tiebele - Tamale, GHANA (460 km; ~6hrs)

Depart Burkina Faso for Ghana; on the way, visit Tiebele village, in Burkina's Gourounsi country; visit magnificent fortress-like houses and compounds, colorfully painted with traditional motifs; cross the border into Ghana, and onward to Tamale for overnight (Gariba Lodge, or similar)

Day 16 Saturday: Tamale - Larabanga - Mole National Park (135 km; ~2½hrs)

Visit the Tamale market and the National Cultural Center; afternoon drive to Mole National Park; en-route, visit the Larabanga mosque, which may be the oldest building in Ghana; continue to and overnight in Mole Park Hotel (or similar)

Day 17 Sunday: Mole National Park

Day of game drives in Mole Park; perhaps see elephants, buffalo, hippos, various species of antelopes, monkeys and birds; overnight in Mole Park Hotel (or similar)

Day 18 Monday: Mole Park - Kumasi (375 km; ~5hrs)

Final morning game drive, and onward to Kumasi, in Ghana's Ashante country; overnight in Kumasi (Hotel Georgia, or similar)

Day 19 Tuesday: Kumasi

Visit Kumasi, including the National Cultural Center, the Manhyia Palace, and the Kejetia market, perhaps the largest market in West Africa; afternoon excursion to Bonwire village, to see authentic kente cloth being made; overnight in Kumasi (Hotel Georgia, or similar)

Day 20 Wednesday: Kumasi - Kakum National Park - Elmina (240 km; ~3½hrs)

Drive to and visit Kakum National Park; learn about the rain forest and its animals, and see the forest from the canopy walkway in the treetops; drive to 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; overnight in Elmina (Elmina Beach Resort, or similar)

Day 21 Thursday: Elmina - Cape Coast (20 km) - Elmina

Drive to Cape Coast to visit the Cape Coast Castle, former bastion of the Atlantic slave trade, now a Unesco World Heritage site; return to and overnight in Elmina; afternoon free to enjoy the hotel facilities; overnight (Elmina Beach Resort, or similar)

Day 22 Friday: Elmina - Accra (165 km; ~1½hr)

Drive to Accra, with a visit of Winneba, traditional capital of the Afutu people, en route; visit the lively fishing harbor; check-into your Accra hotel and enjoy a free afternoon by the pool; overnight in Accra (Novotel Accra, or similar)

Day 23 Saturday: Accra - final departure

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; in the evening, transfer to the airport for your final departure