Saga Tours of Mali — West Africa Adventure Travel
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Terminus Timbuktu Tour – 13 days
from Bamako to Segou, Djenne, Mopti, Dogon country and the Hombori Mountains, all the way to Timbuktu!

10 nights hotel, 2 nights camping


Every tour is private, scheduled on dates of your choice; there are no fixed-date group departures.

Contact us for prices. Groups of any size are welcome. Be sure to specify the month/year of travel, and 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.


Day 1: Arrival in Bamako, MALI
International flight arrives in Bamako in the evening; our staff will meet you in the Arrivals hall of Bamako airport, and provide your hotel transfer; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar)


Day 2: Bamako - Djenne (570 km; ~7½hrs)
Breakfast, and 08h00 AM departure for Djenne; we will enjoy Mali's sahelian scenery on this scenic drive through the heartland of Mali; see cotton and millet fields, baobab trees, traditional villages with their unique architecture; we cross the Bani River by ferry, and arrive in Djenne for overnight (Hotel Campement, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 3: Djenne - Sevare (120 km; ~1½hr)
Today we will explore Djenne, Timbuktu's ancient sister-city. Djenne was one of the first commercial centers of the Sahel region: it was the meeting place of the nomads from the Sahara, the local farmers and cattleherders, and the fishermen from the inland delta of the Niger. We will stroll the ancient alleys and narrow streets, and see the oldest house in Djenne, dating from the XIIth century; also see the magnificent Great Mosque, the world's largest mud brick architecture, originally constructed in the XIIIth century, this is one of Unesco's World Heritage monuments; we will visit mudcloth artisans in their workshops: mudcloth is a traditional Malian textile art; after lunch, we will stop by the Djenne museum on our way out of town, driving to Sevare for overnight (Hotel de Sevare, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 4: Sevare - Hombori (315 km; ~4hr) - Douentza (145 km; ~1½hr)
Onward drive across the Sahel, to Hombori; we will visit the Hand of Fatima, a natural rock formation in the Hombori Mountains; this traditionally sacred site looks like a giant hand emerging from the ground; overnight in Douentza (Hotel Falaise, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 5: Douentza - Timbuktu (195 km; ~4hrs)
Today we continue driving across the Sahel, to the mythical city of Timbuktu, gateway to the Sahara Desert ! overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 6: Timbuktu / Sahara Desert

NB: due to security concerns we do not go deep into the desert.

Today we visit the legendary and historical city of Timbuktu.
In its glory-days, Timbuktu attracted Muslim scholars from the entire Arab world; we will visit the ancient mosques and former universities, the museum and the Ahmed Baba Institute archives of ancient Islamic manuscripts, the explorers' houses, and the market which receives the azalaïs, the salt caravans from the desert—at one time salt was literally worth its weight in gold.
Lunchtime break, then in the afternoon we depart on our camel caravan into the Sahara Desert to visit a Tuareg camp on the dunes; the Tuareg people are known as the Princes of the desert, or the Blue Men of the desert (for the blue tinge on their skin from their indigo-dyed clothing); return to Timbuktu for overnight (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 7: Timbuktu - Dogon country (500 km; ~7½hrs)
We say goodbye to Timbuktu and return drive across the Sahel, to Mali's magnificent Dogon country; overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)
with Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8: Sevare - Dogon country
Today we begin exploring the fascinating Dogon country!
The Dogon tribe originated in the south of Mali, which they fled to preserve their animist religion from the spread of Islam. When they arrived at the Bandiagara cliffs, they found the Tellem people occupying grottos carved in the face of the cliff; they eventually displaced the Tellem people, and used the grottos to bury their dead; funerary rites are an important part of the Dogon culture. We will visit Sangha, a large agglomeration of 10 distinct Dogon villages, some animist, others Islamic; then we will descend the escarpment, and visit the cliff village Banani; overnight camping in Banani village
with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Dogon country
Full immersion continues in wonderful Dogon country; we will visit the villages Tireli, Amani (see the sanctuary of sacred crocodiles, totem animal of the Dogon people), and Ireli; we have the option to witness a traditional Dogon mask dance, part of the Dogon people's funerary rites; overnight camping in Tireli or Koundou village
with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10: Dogon country
Visit Yenduma village and the three Yuga villages, on their own miniature escarpment which has separated from the main cliffs; then back up the main cliffs to Sangha, for a well-deserved night in the hotel; overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)
with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11: Dogon country - Mopti (120 km; ~2hrs) / Niger River
After breakfast, we depart at 08h00 to visit the Dogon village Songo on the plateau, renowned for its renowned rock paintings and circumcision grotto; this is the sacred site of circumcision ceremonies for the Dogon people; the rock paintings are historical representations of noble Dogon families.
Then we depart Dogon country and drive to Mopti, also called the Venice of Mali because it is surrounded by the waters of the Niger and the Bani rivers; we will see many of Mali's ethnic groups converge in this important Niger River port city: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Fulani, Dogon, Songhay, Tuareg and Haussa. After our city tour we will enjoy a tranquil sunset sail on the Niger River in a traditional riverboat; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 12: Mopti - Segou (405 km; ~5hrs)
08h00 AM departure and drive to Segou; en route, we will make a brief stop in the village Terekongo, site of a sacred well of the Bobo people.
Check into our Segou hotel, then visit Segou, Mali's second largest city and former colonial capital, with its beautiful old Sudanese-style colonial architecture; we will visit the Kasobane boutique with its high-end traditional and contemporary textile art; we will stop by the Nieleni cooperative, which makes hand-woven high-quality wool rugs; then visit another women's cooperative that makes traditional millet beer. At day's end, we enjoy a stroll through the pottery market on the riverbank; overnight in Segou (Hotel Independance, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 13: Segou - Bamako (235 km; ~3hrs)
Visit Sekoro, the "old Segou" and ancient capital of the Bambara kingdom; see the tomb of King Biton Coulibaly; and return drive to Bamako for lunch and our city tour: we will visit the National Museum (see www.mnm-mali.org) with its impressive collections of textiles (from the 11th to the 20th century); ancient Bamanan, Dogon and Senoufo sculptures; terracota objects from archeological sites; and contemporary African paintings and sculptures. As time permits, we will also visit the city market, the artisans' village, and the fetish market for traditional medicine; in the evening, transfer to the airport for your onward flight
with Breakfast

1 km ~ 0.6 mile; driving times are approximate, depending on local conditions and stops

Ideally, Day 3 would be a Monday, to visit Djenne on its colorful weekly market day.

NB: camping is no frills, sleeping on a ground mattress in a small tent; there are no campgrounds, so no running water, no latrines. Camping in Mali is not recommended for inexperienced campers.

NB: Hotels subject to availability; see proposed hotels description.


Tour package includes:

Tour package does not include: international travel to/from Bamako; Mali visas; non-specified meals, drinks/bottled water; sleeping bags; optional Dogon mask dance, optional day-room in Bamako; tips and personal expenses.

Optional: traditional Dogon mask dance in a village — upon request

Optional: day-room in Bamako on Day 13; please specify if you would like a day-room


NB: Posted itineraries are subject to change, and quoted prices are accordingly subject to change; itineraries and prices are locked-in when a tour is booked.

Please note: Saga Tours does not handle international air reservations and ticketing.

Before reserving, please see our Terms and Conditions