Senegal · Mali · Burkina Faso · Ghana · Togo · Benin

Day 1 Tuesday: Arrival in Dakar, SENEGAL

International flight arrives in Dakar in the evening; airport-to-hotel transfer; overnight in Dakar (Hotel Novotel / Savana / Farid or similar)

Day 2 Wednesday: Dakar/Goree Island - Saint Louis (265 km; ~3½hrs)

City tour of Dakar including the colorful Kermel market; then board the ferry for Goree Island, old slavery depot for some 300 years; visit the House of Slaves and the Historical Museum; lunch on Goree Island, then return to Dakar by ferry and drive to historic Saint Louis; overnight in Saint Louis (Hotel Cap St. Louis, or similar)

Day 3 Thursday: Saint Louis / Parc Djoudj (60 km; ~½hr)

Excursion to the Parc Djoudj national bird sanctuary, one of Unesco's World Heritage sites, and one of the richest in birds in the world; enjoy a pirogue ride to better view the many species of cormorants, pelicans, ducks, flamingos, various songbirds and more; you may also see crocodiles, boas and wild boars; in the afternoon, visit old colonial Saint Louis city; overnight in Saint Louis (Hotel Cap St. Louis, or similar)

Day 4 Friday: Saint Louis - Dakar (265 km; ~3hrs)

Return drive to Dakar; remainder of day at leisure; overnight in Dakar (Hotel Novotel / Savana / Farid or similar)

Day 5 Saturday: Bamako - Segou (235 km; ~3hrs)

Airport transfer for 08h00 AM flight to Bamako; city tour of Bamako: begin with a panoramic overview of this sprawling city from Point G; then visit the National Museum, the city market, and the artisans' village; afternoon drive to Segou; overnight in Segou (Hotel Independance, or similar)

Day 6 Sunday: Segou - Mopti (405 km; ~4½hrs)

Morning tour of Segou, Mali's second largest city and former colonial capital; stroll through the traditional pottery market on the waterfront; also visit Sekoro village, former capital of the Bambara kingdom, now just a sleepy village on the banks of the Bani River; afternoon drive to Mopti; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

Day 7 Monday: Mopti - Djenne (130 km; ~1½hr) - Mopti

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; originally built in the XIII^th century, this is the world's largest mud brick architecture and another of Unesco's World Heritage sites; in the afternoon, return to Mopti for overnight (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

Day 8 Tuesday: Mopti - Timbuktu (550 km; ~6hrs)

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

Day 9 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 great Sahara Desert by camel caravan to visit a Tuareg camp (the Princes of the Desert); return to and overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

Day 10 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 (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

Day 11 Friday: Mopti - Dogon country (120 km; ~2hrs)

Drive to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; visit Songo village, renowned for its circumcision grotto with rock paintings; traditional circumcision ceremonies are held here every three years for all Dogon boys aged 9-14 years; the rock paintings are historical representations of noble Dogon families; onward to Sangha, comprised of 10 distinct animist and Islamic quarters; walking tour of Sangha: see many examples of the unique traditional architecture and contemporary fetishes; overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)

Day 12 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 of the Dogon people), and Tireli village; witness a spectacular traditional Dogon mask dance—this is an authentic reproduction of a traditional funerary rite, where the masks ask the spirit of the deceased person to depart the village, and rejoin the ancestors; overnight in Bandiagara (Hotel La Falaise, or similar)

Day 13 Sunday: Dogon country - Bobo Dioulasso, BURKINA FASO (560 km; ~7hrs)

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

Day 14 Monday: Bobo Dioulasso

Tour Bobo Dioulasso ("house of the Bobo merchants"), Burkina Faso's second largest city; see the old mosque, the Houet Museum, 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 15 Tuesday: Bobo Dioulasso - Deux Balé Parc - Ouagadougou (355 km; ~4hrs)

Onward to the capital city, Ouagadougou; en route, visit the Deux Balé National park in the hopes of seeing elephants; continue towards Ouagadougou, with stop in Sabou village to see the "tame" crocodiles; overnight in Ouagadougou (Hotel Silmande, or similar)

Day 16 Wednesday: 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 17 Thursday: 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 18 Friday: 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 19 Saturday: 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 20 Sunday: Mole National Park - Kumasi (375 km; ~5hrs)

Drive to Kumasi, in Ghana's fascinating Ashante country; visit 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 21 Monday: Kumasi

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; overnight in Kumasi (Hotel Georgia, or similar)

Day 22 Tuesday: 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; 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 23 Wednesday: Elmina - Cape Coast - Accra (165 km; ~1½hrs)

Drive to Cape Coast to visit Cape Coast Castle, former bastion of the Atlantic slave trade, now a Unesco World Heritage site; onward to Accra for overnight (Novotel Accra, or similar)

Day 24 Thursday: 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 25 Friday: Accra - Lome, TOGO (200 km; ~2½hrs)

Drive to Lome, Togo; afternoon 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 26 Saturday: Lome - Ouidah, BENIN (110 km; ~1½hr)

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; overnight in Ouidah (Hotel Oasis, or similar)

Day 27 Sunday: Ouidah - Abomey (120 km; ~1½hr)

Drive to Abomey; 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 28 Monday: Abomey - Bohicon - Cotonou (155 km; ~2hrs)

Drive to Bohicon to visit the large, colorful market; in the afternoon, onward to Cotonou, Benin's capital, for overnight (Hotel du Lac, or similar)

Day 29 Tuesday: Cotonou / Ganvie

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); overnight in Cotonou (Hotel du Lac, or similar)

Day 30 Wednesday: Cotonou / final departure

Free day for last-minute shopping or relaxing; evening transfer to the airport for your final departure