Bamako, Mali
West Africa
Tel/Fax +223 220 2708
sagatours@sagatours.com
Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana — 26 days
Every tour is private, scheduled on dates of your choice, with a Saturday arrival in Bamako, MALI and a Wednesday departure from Accra, GHANA; 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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Day 1 Saturday: Arrival in Bamako, MALI
International flight arrives in Bamako; airport-to-hotel transfer; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar)
Day 2 Sunday: Bamako - Segou (235 km) (B)
Bamako city tour: start at Point G and the panoramic overview of the city; visit the National Museum, the city market and the artisans' village, where you will see local craftsmen at work: silversmiths, woodcarvers, weavers, and leatherworkers; in the afternoon, 3-hour drive to Segou; overnight in Segou (Hotel Independance, or similar)
Day 3 Monday: Segou - Djenne - Mopti (405 km) (B)
Onward drive to Djenne, to see the huge, colorful weekly market, and the magnificent Great Mosque, the world's largest mud brick architecture and one of Unesco's World Heritage sites; drive to Mopti for overnight (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)
City tour of Mopti, called the Venice of Mali; see the beautiful mosque and the fishing port, bustling commercial center; enjoy a relaxing sunset sail on the Niger River; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)
Day 5 Wednesday: Mopti - Timbuktu (550 km) (B)
After breakfast, depart Mopti and drive across the Sahel (~6 hours), to the legendary city of Timbuktu, at the edge of the Sahara Desert ! overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)
Day 6 Thursday: Timbuktu / Sahara Desert (B)
Visit the mythical city of Timbuktu: see the ancient mosques (built in the XIVth 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; 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 7 Friday: Timbuktu - Dogon country (625 km) (B)
Return drive (~6 hours) across the Sahel, to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; overnight in Bandiagara (Hotel Kambary / Hotel La Falaise, or similar)
Visit the architectural wonders that are Dogon villages along the Bandiagara escarpment: Banani (note the ancient Tellem cave dwellings in the cliff face), Ireli, Amani (visit the sacred crocodile sanctuary), and Tireli, where you will witness a fascinating traditional Dogon mask dance; overnight in Bandiagara (Hotel Kambary / Hotel La Falaise, or similar)
Day 9 Sunday: Dogon country - Bobo Dioulasso, BURKINA FASO (540 km) (B)
Breakfast, then depart Mali and drive (~6 hours) to Burkina Faso; overnight in Bobo Dioulasso (Hotel Auberge, or similar)
Day 10 Monday: Bobo Dioulasso / Banfora (85 km) (B)
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 to visit Lac Tengrela; return to Bobo Dioulasso for overnight (Hotel Auberge, or similar)
After breakfast depart for Ouagadougou (~4 hours); en route, cross the Deux Bales National Park and perhaps see elephants along the road; in the afternoon, city tour of Ouagadougou: 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 12 Wednesday: 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 13 Thursday: Niamey (B)
City tour of Niamey, including the National Museum, the large city market, and the artisans' village of Wadata; optional excursion to Koure to see one the last remaining herds of giraffes in West Aftica; overnight in Niamey (Grand Hotel, or similar) Day 14 Friday: Niamey - Parakou, BENIN (590 km) (B)
Depart the Sahel today, for the greener tropics; see the countryside change as you cross into Benin and continue south; overnight Parakou (Hotel Majestic, or similar) Day 15 Saturday: Parakou - Abomey (300 km) (B)
Onward to Abomey, city of Benin's former kings; overnight in Abomey (Motel d'Abomey, or similar)
Day 16 Sunday: Abomey (B)
Explore 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; overnight in Abomey (Motel d'Abomey, or similar)
Day 17 Monday: Abomey - Cotonou (135 km) (B)
Drive to Cotonou, capital city of Benin; city tour of Cotonou, including the fish market and the international Dantokpa market, with its fetish market and handcraft center; enjoy a pirogue excursion to Ganvie village, built on stilts over the lagoon (Lake Nokoue); overnight in Cotonou (Hotel du Lac, or similar)
Day 18 Tuesday: Cotonou - Ouidah (40 km) (B)
Drive to Ouidah, the voudou capital of West Africa, and 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; overnight in Ouidah (Hotel Oasis, or similar)
Day 19 Wednesday: Ouidah - Lome, TOGO (110 km) (B)
Continue visits of Ouidah in the morning; afternoon drive to Lome, Togo for overnight (Hotel Le Benin, or similar)
Day 20 Thursday: Lome (B)
City tour of Lome: visit the National Museum, Lome central market, the artisans' village, and the Akodessewa fetish market; overnight in Lome (Hotel Le Benin, or similar)
Day 21 Friday: Lome - Cape Coast, GHANA (370 km) (B)
Cross the Ghana border, and onward drive to Cape Coast; visit of the old town and the Cape Coast Castle, former bastion of the Atlantic slave trade, now a Unesco World Heritage site; overnight in Cape Coast (Sanaa Lodge, or similar)
Day 22 Saturday: Cape Coast / Elmina (B)
Excursion to Elmina; enjoy a walking tour of St. George's Castle and a stroll to St. Jago Hill for a panoramic overview of historic Elmina; overnight in Cape Coast (Sanaa Lodge, or similar)
Day 23 Sunday: Cape Coast - Kakum National Park - Kumasi (225 km) (B)
Drive to and visit Kakum National Park; learn about the rainforest and its animals, and see the forest from the canopy walkway in the treetops; onward drive to Kumasi, capital of Ghana's Ashante country; city tour of Kumasi, including the National Cultural Center, the Manhyia Palace, and the Kejetia market, the largest market in West Africa; overnight in Kumasi (Hotel Georgia, or similar)
Day 24 Monday: Kumasi / Ashante country (B)
Full day to visit Ashante villages on the outskirts of Kumasi: Bonwire village, to see authentic kente cloth being made; Pankronu village and its traditional pottery; wood carvings in Ahwiaa village; Ntonso village, for its adinkra cloth; optional visit to the goldmines in Obuasi; overnight in Kumasi (Hotel Georgia, or similar)
Day 25 Tuesday: Kumasi - Accra (255 km) (B)
Drive to Accra; afternoon 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 (Hotel Shangri-La, or similar)
Day 26 Wednesday: Accra / final departure (B)
Free day for last-minute shopping or relaxing; evening transfer to the airport for your final departure
1 km ~ 0.6 mile
NB: Hotels subject to availability
Tour includes the following:
- 25 nights hotel, double occupancy
- day-room in Accra on the final day
- 25 breakfasts (B)
- private ground transportation by air-conditioned 4x4 vehicle, with driver
- sunset sail on the Niger River
- traditional Dogon mask dance
- camel caravan into the Sahara Desert to visit a Tuareg campn on the dunes
- optional excursion to Koure in Niger, to see giraffes
- pirogue excursion to Ganvie village in Benin
- experienced English-speaking guide throughout
- airport transfers upon arrival in Bamako and departure in Accra
- all hotel taxes and local tourism taxes
- all site visit, excursion and entry fees as per itinerary
Not included are international flights to Bamako and return from Accra, entry visas (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana), lunches, dinners, drinks/bottled water, tips, and personal expenses.
Hotel upgrades in the capital cities are available, upon request.
Please note: Saga Tours does not handle international air reservations and ticketing.See our Terms and Conditions
CLICK HERE to sign-up for this tour.
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