West Africa tour: Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin — 30 days

Day 1 Tuesday: Arrival in Dakar, SENEGAL
International flight arrives in Dakar, airport-to-hotel transfer; overnight in Dakar (Hotel Teranga, or similar)

Day 2 Wednesday: Dakar/Goree Island - Saint Louis (265 km) (B)
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) (B)
Excursion to the Parc Djoudj national bird sanctuary, another 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 cormorrants, 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 5 Saturday: Bamako - Segou (235 km) (B)
Morning city tour of Bamako: visit the National Museum, the city market, the artisans' village; afternoon drive to Segou; overnight in Segou (Hotel Independance, or similar)

Day 6 Sunday: Segou - Mopti (405 km) (B)
Morning tour of Segou, Mali's second city and former colonial capital; also visit Sekoro village, former capital of the Bambara kingdom; afternoon drive to Mopti; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

Day 7 Monday: Mopti - Djenne (230 km) - Mopti (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, return to Mopti for overnight (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)

Day 8 Tuesday: Mopti - Timbuktu (550 km) (B)
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 9 Wednesday: Timbuktu / Sahara Desert (B)
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 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 (the Princes of the Desert); return to and overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)

Day 10 Thursday: Timbuktu - Mopti (550 km) / Niger River (B)
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 16 Wednesday: 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 17 Thursday: Ouagadougou - Tiebele (175 km) - Po (B)
Excursion to Tiebele village, in Gourounsi country; visit magnificent fortress-like houses and compounds, colorfully painted with traditional motifs; overnight in Po (Hotel Lido, or similar)

Day 18 Friday: Po - Larabanga - Mole Park, GHANA (380 km) (B)
Onward to Ghana; cross the border and continue to Mole National Park; on the way, stop in Larabanga to see the old mosque, perhaps the oldest building in Ghana; overnight in Mole Park Hotel (or similar)

Day 19 Saturday: Mole National Park (B)
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 Park - Kumasi (360 km) (B)
Drive to Kumasi, in Ghana's fascinating Ashanti 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 simlar)

Day 21 Monday: Kumasi (B)
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 - Cape Coast (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 Cape Coast; visit 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 23 Wednesday: Cape Coast - Elmina - Accra (170 km) (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; drive to and overnight in Accra (Shangri-La Hotel, or similar)

Day 24 Thursday: 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 26 Saturday: Lome - Ouidah, BENIN (110 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; overnight in Ouidah (Hotel Oasis, or similar)

Day 27 Sunday: Ouidah - Abomey (120 km) (B)
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 (135 km) (B)
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 (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); overnight in Cotonou (Hotel du Lac, or similar)

Day 30 Wednesday: Cotonou / 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

Please note: during the rainy season (July/Aug/Sep) the visit to Parc Djoudj in Senegal is replaced by the Langue de Barbarie bird sanctuary, as Parc Djoudj is closed.