Mali — Burkina Faso — Niger — Benin — Togo —
Ghana — Burkina Faso — Mali

Day 1 Saturday: 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 Sunday: 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 Monday: Segou - Djenne - Mopti (465 km; ~5½hrs)

Onward drive to Djenne, to see the huge, colorful weekly market, and 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; drive to Mopti for overnight (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

Day 4 Tuesday: Mopti / Niger River

City tour of Mopti, called the Venice of Mali because it is surrounded by the waters of the Niger and the Bani rivers; see the beautiful Sudanese-style mosque and the fishing port, bustling commercial center; enjoy a relaxing sunset sail on the Niger River in a traditional pirogue; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

Day 5 Wednesday: 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 Thursday: 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'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 great Sahara Desert by camel caravan to visit a Tuareg camp on the dunes; the Tuareg people are knows as the Princes of the Desert; return to and overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

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

Return drive across the Sahel, to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; overnight in Bandiagara (Hotel La Falaise, or similar)

Day 8 Saturday: Dogon country

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 sanctuary of sacred crocodiles, totem animal of the Dogon people), and Tireli village; witness a fascinating traditional Dogon mask dance (part of the Dogon people's funerary rites); overnight in Bandiagara (Hotel La Falaise, or similar)

Day 9 Sunday: Dogon country - Ouahigouya, BURKINA FASO (180 km; ~4hrs)

Depart Dogon country, driving through picturesque villages and cross into Burkina Faso; city tour of Ouahigouya, capital of the old Yatenga kingdom, including the historic Yatenga Naba's compound (Naba = "King") and Naba Kango's tomb; overnight in Ouahigouya (Hotel Amitie, or similar)

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

After breakfast depart for Ouagadougou; city tour of Ouagadougou: 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; overnight in Ouagadougou (Hotel Silmande, or similar)

Day 11 Tuesday: Ouagadougou - Niamey, NIGER (500 km; ~6hrs)

Visit the National Museum in Ouagadougou, then onward drive from Burkina Faso to Niger; observe the Sahelian countryside and rural villages along the way; overnight in Niamey (Grand Hotel, or similar)

Day 12 Wednesday: Niamey

City tour of Niamey, including the National Museum, the large city market, and the artisans' village Wadata; optional excursion to Koure to see one the last remaining herds of giraffes in West Africa; overnight in Niamey (Grand Hotel, or similar)

Day 13 Thursday: Niamey - Parakou, BENIN (620 km; ~7½hrs)

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 14 Friday: Parakou - Abomey (300 km; ~3½hrs)

Onward to Abomey, city of Benin's former Danhomey kings; begin your city tour of Abomey, as time permits; overnight in Abomey (Motel d'Abomey, or similar)

Day 15 Saturday: Abomey

Full day to continue exploring 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 16 Sunday: Abomey - Cotonou (135 km; ~1½hr)

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 17 Monday: Cotonou - Ouidah (40 km; ~½hr)

Onward 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 voudou ceremony featuring the spirits of departed ancestors; overnight in Ouidah (Hotel Oasis, or similar)

Day 18 Tuesday: Ouidah - Lome, TOGO (110 km; ~1½hr)

Continue visits of Ouidah in the morning; afternoon drive to Lome, Togo for overnight (Hotel Ibis, or similar)

Day 19 Wednesday: Lome

City tour of Lome: visit the National Museum, Lome central market, the artisans' village, and the Akodessewa fetish market; overnight in Lome (Hotel Ibis, or similar)

Day 20 Thursday: Lome - Accra, GHANA (200 km; ~2½hrs)

Cross the Ghana border, and continue to Accra; city tour of Accra, including the National Cultural Center, the National Museum, and the Nkrumah Mausoleum; walking tour of James Town, and crafts shopping at the Trade Fair Centre; overnight in Accra (Novotel Accra, or similar)

Day 21 Friday: Accra - Cape Coast / Elmina (165 km; ~1¾hrs)

Drive to Cape Coast; visit the old town and the Cape Coast Castle, former bastion of the Atlantic slave trade, now a Unesco World Heritage site; onward drive 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 Elmina (Elmina Beach Resort, or similar)

Day 22 Saturday: Elmina - Kakum National Park - Kumasi (240 km; ~3hrs)

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; onward to Kumasi, capital of Ghana's Ashante country; overnight in Kumasi (Hotel Georgia, or similar)

Day 23 Sunday: Kumasi / Ashante country

City tour of Kumasi, including the National Cultural Center, the Manhyia Palace, and the Kejetia market, the largest market in West Africa; afternoon excursion to visit Ashante villages (as time permits) 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; overnight in Kumasi (Hotel Georgia, or similar)

Day 24 Monday: Kumasi - Tamale (390 km; ~4½hrs)

The morning is available to continue village visits around Kumasi, or depart for Tamale and visit the Baobeng-Fiema monkey sanctuary en-route; overnight in Tamale (Gariba Lodge, or similar)

Day 25 Tuesday: Tamale - Tiebele - Ouagadougou, BURKINA FASO (460 km; ~6hrs)

Onward to Burkina Faso; visit Tiebele village in Gourounsi country; visit magnificent fortress-like houses and compounds, colorfully painted with traditional motifs; onward to Ouagadougou for overnight (Hotel Silmande, or similar)

Day 26 Wednesday: Ouagadougou - Bobo Dioulasso (355 km; ~4hrs)

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; afternoon drive to Bobo Dioulasso; overnight in Bobo Dioulasso (Hotel Auberge, or similar)

Day 27 Thursday: Bobo Dioulasso - Banfora (85 km; ~1hr) - Bobo Dioulasso

Morning excursion to Banfora, in Burkina's sugarcane country; return to and 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; overnight in Bobo Dioulasso (Hotel Auberge, or similar)

Day 28 Friday: Bobo Dioulasso - Sikasso, MALI (170 km; ~3hrs)

Depart Bobo Dioulasso and cross the Mali border, to Sikasso in Mali's green belt; tour Sikasso: 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 former kings of Sikasso; overnight in Sikasso (Hotel Kaaky, or similar)

Day 29 Saturday: Sikasso - Bamako (375 km; ~4½hrs)

Visit Misiri Koro, sacred grotto that housed the city's protector spirits; and return drive to Bamako; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar)

Day 30 Sunday: Bamako - final departure

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