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Desert Festival info
Photos of our 2006 Desert Festival group tour, click here (thanks to Steve Hecht and Dori Smith).
Read a travelogue of the
2006 Desert Festival Tour
Festival in the Desert Tour 2011
13 days: 01 - 13 January 2011
Timbuktu, Dogon country, Djenne, Mopti and the Niger River
All of the important sites, for an unforgettable visit of Mali !
13-day Full Basic Desert Festival Tour Itinerary
01 January 2011: Arrival in Bamako, MALI
International flight arrives in Bamako in the evening (hotel check-in 2:00 PM or later); airport to hotel transfer; overnight in Bamako (hotel)
02 January 2011: Bamako - Djenne (570 km; ~7hrs)
Begin your tour with a full day's drive through the heartland of Mali, to Djenne, historic sister-city of Timbuktu; sightseeing en-route; overnight in Djenne (hotel)
with Breakfast03 January 2011: Djenne - Dogon Country (240 km; ~3½hrs)
Experience the colorful weekly market in Djenne—see hundreds of market stalls spread out before the magnificent Great Mosque; originally constructed in the XIIIth century, this is the world's largest mud brick architecture and one of Unesco's World Heritage sites; in the afternoon, drive to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; overnight in Sangha/Sevare (hotel)
with Breakfast04 January 2011: Dogon country - Sevare (120 km; ~2hrs)
Visit Dogon villages along the Bandiagara escarpment: Banani, Amani and Tireli, where you will witness a traditional Dogon mask dance; this spectacular ceremony is an authentic representation of one of the Dogon people's funerary rites; drive to Sevare for overnight (hotel)
with Breakfast05 January 2011: Sevare - Timbuktu (540 km; ~6hrs)
Interesting drive across the Sahel, to the legendary city of Timbuktu, gateway to the great Sahara Desert ! overnight in Timbuktu (hotel)
with Breakfast06, 07, 08 January 2011: Desert Festival days
Onward drive (~2 hrs) to Essakane and enjoy the three days of festivities: music at night, and during the daylight hours more music, dancing, sword-play, poetry, arts and crafts, camel races, and more ! overnight camping in Essakane
with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on the three festival days09 January 2011: Essakane - Timbuktu
Return to Timbuktu; check into your hotel to freshen up, then enjoy your city tour of Timbuktu: visit the old mosques and former universities, the museum and the Ahmed Baba Institute's archives of ancient Islamic manuscripts, the explorers' houses, and 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; afternoon free to wander about this historic town; overnight in Timbuktu (hotel)
with Breakfast10 January 2011: Timbuktu - Mopti (550 km; ~6hrs) / Niger River
Return drive across the Sahel to Mali's vibrant port city; enjoy a relaxing sunset sail on the Niger River in a traditional pirogue; overnight in Mopti/Sevare (hotel)
with Breakfast11 January 2011: Mopti - Segou (405 km; ~4hrs)
City tour of Mopti: visit the beautiful Sudanese-style mosque, the fishing port, and the bustling local market where many of Mali's ethnic groups come to trade: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Songhay; onward drive to Segou for overnight (hotel)
with Breakfast12 January 2011: Segou - Bamako (235 km; ~3hrs)
City 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; see the tomb of King Biton Coulibaly; and return drive to Bamako for overnight (hotel)
with Breakfast13 January 2011: Bamako - final departure
Bamako city tour: begin with a panoramic overview of this sprawling city from Point G; then visit the National Museum, the colorful city market, the artisans' village and the fetish market for traditional medicine; hotel day-room check-out 6:00 PM; at the appropriate time, transfer to the airport for your onward flight home (day-room)
with Breakfast1 km ~ 0.6 mile; driving times are approximate, depending on local conditions and stops; ferry crossings not included
13-day Tour Price: € 1550 per person, double occupancy; single supplement: € 270
plus Festival entry pass: € 150 per person (estimated; subject to change)
NB: single supplement is applied to all solo travellers, for a single room at the hotels
13-day Desert Festival Tour includes:
- 9 nights hotel (double occ.), including breakfast (B); check-in 2:00 PM, check-out 12:00 noon
- day-room in Bamako on the last day; check-out 6:00 PM
- 3 nights camping at the desert festival site; bring your sleeping bags for the cold desert nights; tents are provided
- all ground transportation by private 4x4 vehicle
- festival entry pass (priced separately, but included in tour package)
- all meals during the festival, prepared on-site: 3 breakfasts (B), 3 lunches (L), 3 dinners (D)
- bottled mineral water (3 liters/day/person) at the festival site
- sunset sail on the Niger River
- traditional Dogon mask dance in a village
- experienced, English-speaking guide throughout
- airport transfers for Bamako arrival and departure
- all hotel taxes and local tourism taxes
- all site visit and entry fees, as per tour program
Please note: Saga Tours does not handle international air reservations and ticketing.
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Mali's entry requirements:
- tourism visa
- Yellow Fever immunization
See our Travel Tips page for Mali Embassy contact information, to apply for your Mali visa.
Saga Tours does not issue entry visas.
Festival tour requirements:
- a sleeping bag
- soft luggage, such as a duffel bag; hard suitcases are not appropriate
- summer clothing for days; a warm outfit for the desert nights; see our Travel Tips page for a suggested packing list, or our Desert Packing list for a more condensed and desert-focused list.
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