Saga Tours of Mali — West Africa Adventure Travel
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Nampala Tour – 18 days
Mali · Burkina Faso · Ghana

West African journey from the edge of the Sahara Desert, to the old Slave Coast

17 nights hotel; no camping


Every tour is private, scheduled on dates of your choice, beginning on a Thursday in Bamako, MALI and ending on a Sunday in Accra, GHANA; 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 Saturday: 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 Sunday: Bamako – Segou (235 km: ~3hrs)
Welcome to West Africa ! Begin your West African journey with a city tour of Bamako, Mali's vibrant capital city: over-view of this sprawling city from Point G, with a visit of the ancient grottos and rock paintings. Then on to 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. In the afternoon we will visit the city market and the artisans' village, then we will drive through the heartland of Mali to Segou; overnight in Segou (Hotel Independance, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 3 Monday: Segou – Djenne – Mopti (465 km; ~5½hrs)
8h00 AM departure (or earlier) for our onward drive to Djenne, ancient sister-city of Timbuktu, arriving in time to see the large and colorful weekly market. 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.
After exploring the market, 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 sites. We will visit the Djenne museum as we depart Djenne, driving onward to Mopti for overnight (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 4 Tuesday: Mopti – Timbuktu (380 km; ~5½hrs)
This morning we have our city tour of Mopti, called the Venice of Mali because it is surrounded by the waters of the Niger and the Bani rivers; we will see the Komoguel mosque, the fishing port (see pirogues being made by hand), and the bustling market where many of Mali's ethnic groups come to trade: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Tuareg and Songhay.
Then, we will depart Mopti for an interesting drive across the Sahel ecosystem, to the legendary city of Timbuktu, gateway to the Sahara Desert; along the way, we may see desert nomad families travelling with their camels and goat herds; ferry-crossing and onward to our hotel, for overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 5 Wednesday: Timbuktu / Sahara 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)
NB: due to security concerns we do not go deep into the desert. (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 6 Thursday: Timbuktu – Bandiagara (500 km; ~6½hrs)
Breakfast, then 8h00 AM departure from Timbuktu for our return drive across the Sahel, all the way to Mali's 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 check into our hotel, then in the late afternoon we will visit Songo village, renowned for its circumcision grotto with rock paintings—circumcision ceremonies are held here every three years for all Dogon boys aged 9-14 years old; the rock paintings are historical representations of noble Dogon families; overnight in Bandiagara (Hotel La Falaise, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 7 Friday: Dogon country
7h00 AM breakfast, then we head for the escarpment; today we will 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, where we may (optionally) witness a fascinating traditional Dogon mask dance, part of the Dogon people's funerary rites; overnight in Bandiagara (Hotel Falaise, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 8 Saturday: Dogon country – Bobo Dioulasso, BURKINA FASO (560 km; ~7½hrs)
Breakfast, then 8h00 AM departure from Dogon country, on our way to Burkina Faso; we cross the border and continue to Bobo Dioulasso for overnight (Hotel Auberge, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 9 Sunday: Bobo Dioulasso – Ouagadougou (355 km; ~4½hrs)
This morning we will visit Bobo Dioulasso, the "house of the Bobo merchants" in the local language; this is Burkina Faso's second largest city. We will see the old mosque, and visit the Houet Museum, which has an interesting clothing exhibit, including war tunics worn by the army of Samory Toure in his seige against Sikasso in the 19th century; there are also replicas of traditional Bobo and Fulani homes in the museum courtyard. We will visit the old Kibidwe artisans' district where we will see traditional blacksmiths, potters, and dyers at work. In the afternoon, we will drive to Ouagadougou for overnight (Hotel Silmande, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 10 Monday: Ouagadougou
Today we have a full day to explore Ouagadougou, capital city of Burkina Faso: we will visit the Moro Naba's palace and the Grand Market. We will also visit the Music Museum if it is reopened (currently under renovation), and the crafts markets at the Artisans' Center, where we will find talented artisans making basketry, batik fabrics, wooden statues and masks, jewelry, leatherwork and bronze castings.
In the afternoon we take an excursion to the Parc Urbain Bangr-Weoogo—with its crocodile lagoons, a mini-zoo, and well-tended gardens, it makes a nice respite from the city; overnight in Ouagadougou (Hotel Silmande, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 11 Tuesday: Ouagadougou - Tiebele - Tamale, GHANA (495 km; ~7hrs)
Today we depart Burkina Faso and francophone Africa, for anglophone Ghana; en-route we will visit Tiebele village, in Gourounsi country. We will visist the Royal Court of Tiebele, and see the interesting fortress-like houses of the Kassena people. The houses are of various shapes and sizes depending on the status of the occupants, and they are beautifully decorated with geometric patterns on the walls; they are constructed of mud and feature flat roofs for sleeping in the hot weather; the houses are painted by the women, with local red, blue, white and black pigments. We resume our journey to the Ghana border, and onward to Tamale for overnight (Gariba Lodge, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 12 Wednesday: Tamale - Larabanga - Mole National Park (120 km; ~2½hrs)
This morning we will visit the large central market in Tamale to see the gonja cloth weavers at work, and browse through the fetish section to get a look at some 'interesting' items for sale; then we will drive to Larabanga to see the famous mosque, which may be the oldest building in Ghana. Then we continue to Mole National Park for overnight (Mole Park Hotel, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 13 Thursday: Mole National Park
Mole National Park is Ghana's largest wildlife sanctuary, and arguably the best for game-viewing. More than 300 bird species, and over 90 mammal species have been recorded in Mole, including elephants, buffalo, hippos, leopards and lions. We will have a day of game drives, or guided walks, in Mole Park; overnight (Mole Park Hotel, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 14 Friday: Mole Park - Kumasi (375 km; ~5½hrs)
This morning we have a last game drive in Mole Park and then we depart for Kumasi, in Ghana's Ashanti country; overnight in Kumasi (Hotel Georgia, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 15 Saturday: Kumasi
City tour of Kumasi: we begin with a visit to the National Cultural Center and the Prempreh II Jubilee Museum, then the Manhyia Palace (home of the actual Asantahene), and onward to the Kejetia market, the largest market in West Africa—an unforgettable melange of colors and sounds; in the afternoon we take an excursion to Bonwire village, to see authentic kente cloth being made; return to Kumasi for overnight (Hotel Georgia, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 16 Sunday: Kumasi - Kakum National Park - Elmina (240 km; ~4hrs)
Today we drive to Kakum National Park, a rainforest preserve inhabited by some 100 different species of mammals, including forest elephants and giant forest hogs, as well as many types of antilopes, monkeys and birds. The main attraction at Kakum is the 350 meter long canopy walk, varying between 28-40 meters high—this is not recommended for the acrophobic! After the park if time permits, we can visit Monkey Forest animal sanctuary. Then we continue to Elmina for overnight (Elmina Beach Resort, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 17 Monday: Elmina / Cape Coast - Accra (165 km; ~2hrs)
In Elmina, we begin with a walking tour of St. George's Castle, and a stroll to St. Jago Hill for a panoramic overview of historic Elmina. Then onward to Cape Coast, which was the first capital of Britain's Gold Coast colony. By the late 17th century, Cape Coast had grown from a small fishing village to one of the most important trading ports along the coast; and through the 18th century, the local economy was driven by its role as the heart of the transatlantic slave trade. We will visit the historic old town section, and the notorious Cape Coast Castle, former bastion of the Atlantic slave trade, with three large slave dungeons accessible only from the seaward side of the fort, and the Door of no Return; Cape Coast Castle is now a Unesco World Heritage site. At day's end we drive to Accra for overnight (Novotel Accra, or similar)
with Breakfast

Day 18 Tuesday: Accra - final departure
On this our final day, we have a city tour of Accra, including the National Museum, the Cultural Centre, and the Nkrumah Mausoleum; in the afternoon we have a walking tour of James Town with its colorful local markets and colonial-era shops; in the evening, your will be transfered to the airport for final departure
with Breakfast

1 km ~ 0.6 mile; distances are approximate
Driving times are approximate, depending on local conditions, stops, and border crossings

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

The tour with these hotels is our default "Better" standard (3-4* hotels where available).
Upgrade to "Best" standard (4-5* hotels where available) is also possible.
NB: in rural areas there is little choice of accommodations, and we utilize the same "best available" hotels for all tour standards.

Tour package includes:

Tour package does not include: international flights to Bamako, MALI and onward from Accra, GHANA; tourism visas (Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana); lunches, dinners, drinks/bottled water; optional Dogon mask dance; tips and personal expenses.

Optional traditional Dogon mask dance in a village — upon request

Hotel upgrades in the capital cities are available upon request.


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.

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