Farako Tour : Mali and Senegal — 11 days
from Mali's Dogon country to historic Goree Island
10 nights hotel, no camping
Every tour is private, scheduled on dates of your choice, with a Saturday arrival in Bamako; there are no fixed-date scheduled departures.
Contact us for prices. Groups of any size are welcome. Be sure to specify 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.
Option: add Timbuktu to this itinerary; this adds three supplemental days (see bottom of page).
Please specify if you want to add Timbuktu.
ITINERARY
Day 1 Saturday: Arrival in Bamako, MALI
International flight arrives in Bamako in the evening; airport-to-hotel transfer; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar)
Day 2 Sunday: Bamako - Djenne (570 km; ~7hrs)
After breakfast, drive across the heartland of Mali, to Djenne, Timbuktu's ancient sister-city; sightseeing en route; overnight in Djenne (Hotel Campement, or similar) -
with Breakfast
Day 3 Monday: Djenne - Dogon country (230 km; ~3½hrs)
Visit 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: originally constructed in the XIIIth century, it is the world's largest mud brick architecture and one of Unesco's World Heritage sites; in the afternoon, drive to Dogon country; overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar) -
with Breakfast
Day 4 Tuesday: Dogon country
Visit Sangha, comprised of 10 distinct Dogon villages - some are traditional animist and others have converted to Islam; descend the Bandiagara escarpment and visit the village Banani; you will see ancient Tellem cave dwellings in the cliff face; continue to the villages Ireli, and Amani, site of a sanctuary for crocodiles which are sacred to the Dogon people; option to witness a traditional Dogon mask dance ceremony, an authentic representation of one of the Dogon people's mourning rituals; return to and overnight in Sangha (Hotel Campement Guina, or similar) - with Breakfast
Day 5 Wednesday: Dogon country - Mopti (120 km; ~2hrs) / Niger River
Depart Dogon country today; but first, visit one last Dogon village: Songo, renowned for its rock paintings and circumcision grotto; circumcision ceremonies are held here every three years, and the rock paintings are historical representation of noble Dogon families; continue to Mopti, the Venice of Mali, nestled between the Niger and the Bani rivers; city tour of Mopti, including the beautiful mosque, the fishing port and the bustling market; enjoy a tranquil sunset sail on the Niger River in a traditional pirogue; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar) - with Breakfast
Day 6 Thursday: Mopti - Bamako (640 km; ~7½hrs)
After breakfast, return drive to Bamako; en route, visit Terekongo village, site of a sacred well inhabited by protector spirits of the Bobo people; every morning a sacrificial chicken is offered to the spirits to assure the well-being of the village; overnight in Bamako (Grand Hotel, or similar) - with Breakfast
Day 7 Friday: Bamako - Dakar, SENEGAL
Bamako city tour, including a panoramic overview of the city from Point G; visit the National Museum, the city market and the artisans' village, where you will see craftsmen at work: silversmiths, wood carvers, weavers, and leather workers; in the evening, transfer to the airport for your flight to Dakar; in Dakar, transfer to your hotel; overnight in Dakar (Hotel Novotel / Savana / Farid or similar) - with Breakfast
Day 8 Saturday: Dakar / Goree Island - Saint Louis (265 km; ~3½hrs)
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, then return by ferry and drive to historic Saint Louis; overnight in Saint Louis (Hotel Cap St. Louis, or similar) - with Breakfast
Day 9 Sunday: Saint Louis / Parc Djoudj (60 km; ~½hr)
Excursion to the Parc Djoudj national bird sanctuary, another of Unesco's World Heritage sites, and one of the world's richest in bird species; enjoy a pirogue ride to better view the many types of cormorants, pelicans, ducks, flamingos, various songbirds and more; you may also see crocodiles, boas and wild boars; in the afternoon, return to and visit old colonial Saint Louis city; overnight in Saint Louis (Hotel Cap St. Louis, or similar) - with Breakfast
Day 10 Monday: Saint Louis - Thies - Saly (250 km; ~3hrs)
Depart St-Louis via Thies; visit the renowned tapestry cooperative, and continue to Saly beach resort; remainder of the day at leisure — enjoy the sun, the sand, and the ocean; overnight in Saly (Savana Saly, or similar) - with Breakfast
Day 11 Tuesday: Saly - Dakar (80 km; ~1hr) - final departure
Relax on the beach, or enjoy one of the many activities available at the resort: surf boarding, jet skiing, tennis, etc.; afternoon transfer to Dakar airport for your final departure -
with Breakfast
1 km ~ 0.6 mile; distances are approximate
Driving times are approximate, depending on local conditions and stops
NB: Hotels subject to availability; see
proposed hotels description.
Suggestion: you may wish to add-on a few days at the end of the tour, to relax on the beach.
If so, just let us know and we will re-program your airport transfer for the day of your choice.
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.
Tour package includes:
- 10 nights hotel, double occupancy, with breakfast
- private ground transportation by air-conditioned vehicle, with driver and fuel
- Bamako-Dakar flight
- sunset sail on the Niger River
- excursion to historic Goree Island
- day trip to Parc Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary
- experienced English-speaking guide throughout
- all airport transfers upon arrival and departure in Bamako and in Dakar
- all hotel taxes and local tourism taxes
- all sightseeing, excursion, and entry fees as per tour program
Tour package does not include: international travel to Bamako, MALI and onward from Dakar, SENEGAL; tourism visas; non-specified meals, drinks/bottled water; tips, optional items, resort activities, and personal expenses.
Option: traditional Dogon mask dance in a village - upon request
Option: include Timbuktu; this requires three more days, for a 14-day/13-night itinerary
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; airfare is subject to change until tickets are purchased.
Optional Timbuktu extension :
Day 6 Thursday: Mopti - Timbuktu (550 km; ~6hrs)
Interesting drive across the Sahel ecosystem, to the legendary city of Timbuktu, gateway to the Sahara Desert; overnight in Timbuktu (Hotel Hendrina Khan, or similar)
with Breakfast
|
Day 7 Friday: Timbuktu - Sahara Desert
Visit the legendary and historical city of Timbuktu: see 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; in the afternoon, depart on your camel caravan into the 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 8 Saturday: Timbuktu - Mopti (550 km; ~6hrs)
Return drive across the Sahel to Mopti; overnight in Mopti (Hotel Kanaga, or similar)
with Breakfast
|
| Day 9 Sunday: tour resumes where it was interrupted, Day 6 - Day 11 (becoming Day 9 - Day 14)
|
Supplemental services package:
- 3 extra nights hotel, double occupancy; with breakfast
- 3 extra days private ground transportation by air-conditioned vehicle with driver
- excursion into the Sahara Desert by camel caravan to visit a Tuareg camp
- all hotel taxes and local tourism taxes
- all sightseeing, excursion, and entry fees as per tour program
|
- 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.
|
It is also possible to compose your circuit as you wish, or modify an existent one... 
