Discover mali, 8 days

DAY 1 :ARRIVAL – BAMAKO, MALI

International flight arrives in Bamako where you will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel. Tour orientation by your tour guide and overnight in Bamako.

Meals included: none

DAY 2:BAMAKO – KOUMANTOU - SIKASSO

Breakfast, from Bamako proceed to Sikasso with a stopover in Koumantou village to visit the village, interact with local people and make pictures. Continue to Sikasso, Mali’s breadbasket learn the history of the city while visiting places like the museum, the Mamelon Hill, the Mausoleum of Tieba King of Kenedougou Kingdom from 1866-1893, the house of Keletigui, the ruins of the Tata wall that encircled and protected the city against invasions being renovated by UNESCO.

Meals included: breakfast

DAY 3: SIKASSO

Breakfast and proceed to visit Loulouli, continue to a typical Samogo & Senoufo village called Fakokouroukoro in the area of Loulouni. Visit the village of Fakokouroukoro then witness hunters’ traditional dance of the locality. Drive back to Sikasso for lunch. In the afternoon, drive to Zerelaba, a typical Minianka village. Visit the village and witness a traditional balafon performance. Drive back to hotel for dinner and overnight at Hotel.

Meals included: breakfast

DAY 4: SIKASSO – SAN – SEGOU

Breakfast and en-route to Segou via Koutiala, the capital of white gold (cotton), pass through rich agricultural lands of southern Mali. You have the opportunity to visit local villages with granaries on the way. From Koutiala make a detour to visit San to see the local mosque, designed as a replica of the Djenne Grand Mosque and visit Terekoungo a typical Bobo village, site of a sacred well inhabited by protector spirits of the Bobo people, the fetish house and the millet beer making process Drive to Overnight in Segou.

Meals included: breakfast

DAY 5: SEGOU

Breakfast, in Ségou, former colonial administrative center. Visit Sékoro village, the former capital of the Bambara kingdom where you will see the tomb of King Biton Mamary Coulibaly, the founder of the Bambara Kingdom, the mosque that is older than the village and visit the mosque that King Biton built for her mother. Take a cruise in a traditional motorized pinasse on the River Niger to the Bambara village of Kalabougou. The village is known for its pottery and we may see the women creating and kilning them as today is Saturday.

Return to Segou and admire the beautiful Sudanese-style colonial architecture. See and experience how to make a traditional mud cloth. Visit traditional weavers and other artisans time permitting. Meals included: Breakfast

DAY 6: SEGOU – BAMAKO

Easy drive from Segou to Bamako, start with the city tour of Bamako. Have an overview of Bamako from the hill Point G also called the hill of Health. Proceed to the city’s craft bazaar to see sculptors, weavers, leather workers, jewelers and metal workers exhibiting their wares and displaying their skills. One area of the market is devoted entirely to traditional African medicines. Here you'll find the freshly shrunken heads of birds, monkeys and crocodiles, along with lizard skins and other gruesome treatments. Tour the biggest mosque, the handcraft centre to shop for souvenirs. Drive through the city and see monuments, Sudanese style buildings, the Niger River, Central Bank tower, … Stay overnight in Bamako.

Meals included: Breakfast

DAY 7: BAMAKO- SIBY – NANA KENIEBA – BAMAKO

Breakfast, travel to the mountain village of Mandé in the Western region of Mali (55 Km). In Mande you will learn about the history of Soundiata Keita, the legendary former king of the ancient Malian Empire. Several of Mali’s ethnic groups including Dogon, Bambara, Malinke, Kassonke, Minianka, Senoufo, and Bobo originate from this area. In Siby you will see the arch of Kamandjan, the cave of Kamandjan. Continue to Nana-Kenieba for a Dogon dance performance which will last approx. 2 hours. After visit and dance, drive back to overnight in Bamako. Meals included: Breakfast

DAY 8: BAMAKO – DEPART

You are transferred to the airport. Meals included: Breakfast

TOUR INCLUDES

· Meeting and assistance on arrival and departure

· Roundtrip airport/hotel transfers

· Hotel accommodation in the indicated properties

· Transportation in private vehicle

· Experienced tour guides

· Flight from Bamako to Lomé

· Admission to sites of interest, mask dances

· Meals listed bed and breakfast

· Bottle water

TOUR EXCLUDES

· Cost of visas

· Meals not listed

· Travel Insurance

· Tips to drivers and guides

· Personal items such as laundry, internet and telephone