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NB: single supplement is applied to all solo travellers, for a single room at the hotels...
But there are no single tents at the festival site; you are welcome to bring your own small tent.
NB: minimum 7, maximum 15 travellers
Sail the Niger River to Timbuktu, then onward overland to the
Festival in the Desert,
Visit historic Timbuktu, plus Dogon country,
Djenne, Mopti and Bamako
A campers' delight, with camping along the Niger River, in the
Sahara Desert, and in Dogon villages on the Bandiagara cliffs !
NB: this is a group tour
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 - Sevare (630 km;
~7½hrs)
- Begin your jouney with a drive through the heartland of Mali; see traditional
villages and the daily rural lifestyle; overnight in Sevare (hotel)
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with Breakfast
-
03, 04 January 2011: Sail the Niger River
- Onward travel to Mopti, to begtin your three full days of sailing the beautiful
Niger River: visit Bozo fishermen's villages and nomadic Fulani camps along the way; see Mali's
varied birdlife along the shore, and very likely see hippos in the river (caution—do not
approach the hippos); overnight camping on the riverbank
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with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on both sailing days
-
05 January 2010: Niger River / Timbuktu
- Final moments to take in the sights and sounds of the Niger River, and arrive in
Timbuktu; transfer from port to town; city tour of Timbuktu: visit the old mosques and former
universities, the museum and the Ahmed Baba Istitute'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;
overnight in Timbuktu (hotel)
-
with Breakfast
-
06, 07, 08 January 2011: Desert Festival days
- Onward drive (~2 hrs) across the dunes 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
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with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on the three festival days
-
09 January 2011: Essakane - Timbuktu -
Sevare/Mopti (540 km; ~6hrs)
- Return to Timbuktu, cross the Niger River by ferry, and continue to Mopti; overnight in Mopti/Sevare (hotel)
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with Breakfast
-
10 January 2011: Sevare/Mopti - Djenne (130 km;
~1½hrs)
- Dogon country (250 km; ~3½hrs)
- Onward to Djenne; visit Timbuktu's historic sister-city on its colorful weekly
market day; see the magnificent Great Mosque—originally built in the XIIIth century, it is the world's largest mud brick architecture, and one of Unesco's World Heritage sites; in the afternoon onward drive to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; overnight camping in a Dogon village
- with Breakfast and Dinner
-
11 January 2011: Dogon country
-
Visit Dogon villages along the Bandiagara escarpment, another Unesco World Heritage site; you will see many examples of the classic traditional Dogon architecture and contemporary fetishism; visit Amani village, with its sanctuary of sacred crocodiles; visit Tireli village and witness a traditional Dogon mask dance; this spectacular ceremony is an authentic representation of one of the Dogon people's funerary rites; overnight camping in a Dogon village
- with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
12 January 2011: Dogon country - Mopti
-
Visit the Dogon village Songo, renowned for its circumcision grotto with rock paintings; circumcision ceremonies are held here every three years for all Dogon boys ages 9-14 years old; the rock paintings are historical representations of noble Dogon families; return drive to Mopti; remainder of day for relaxing at the hotel (enjoy the swimming pool!); overnight in Mopti (hotel)
-
with Breakfast
-
13 January 2011: Mopti - Segou (405 km; ~4hrs)
- Visit Mopti, called the Venice of Mali because it is nestled between the Bani and the Niger rivers; Mopti is also the "melting pot" of Mali, home to many of Mali's diverse ethnic groups: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Hausa, Songhay; visit Komoguel mosque, the fishing port and the interesting local market; afternoon drive to Segou for overnight (hotel)
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with Breakfast
-
14 January 2011: Segou - Bamako (235 km; ~3hrs)
- City tour of Segou, Mali's second largest city and former colonial administrative center; stroll through the pottery market along the waterfront; also visit Sekoro village, former capital of the Bambara kingdom, now just a sleepy village on the banks of the Bani River; see the tomb of King Biton Coulibaly; return drive to Bamako; overnight in Bamako (hotel)
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with Breakfast
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15 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
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with Breakfast
1 km ~ 0.6 mile; travel times are approximate, depending on local
conditions and stops; ferry crossings not included
15-day Desert Festival Tour includes:
- 7 nights hotel (double occupancy), 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
- 7 nights camping at the desert festival site; bring your sleeping bags for the cold desert nights; tents are provided
- total 27 meals, as shown above: 14 breakfasts (B), 6 lunches (L), 7 dinners (D); excluding drinks
- bottled mineral water is included with meals while sailing
- all ground transportation by private 4x4 vehicle
- private river boat with outboard motor, fuel and crew; to sail from Mopti to Timbuktu
- 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
- three days to explore Dogon villages along the Bandiagara escarpment
- 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
Tour does not include international airfare to/from Mali, entry visas, non-specified meals, drinks/bottled water, tips, personal expenses and sleeping bags.
- Please Know That:
- since it is not included in the rate. AFTours can handle your international air
reservations or ticketing...
add Your Request in the 'Enquiry Form' in the menu on your left.
- Mali's entry requirements:
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1) tourism visa
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2) Yellow Fever immunization
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Malaria prophylaxis is recommended; consult your physician.
See our Travel Tips page for Mali Embassy contact information, to apply for your Mali visa.
AFTours does not issue entry visas.
- Festival tour requirements:
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1) a sleeping bag
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2) soft luggage, such as a duffel bag; hard suitcases are not appropriate
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3) summer clothing for days; a warm outfit for the desert nights; see our Travel Tips page for a suggested packing list.
- Please note:
- AFTours is not an organizer of the Festival in the Desert, and is not responsible for any possible changes in dates or festival entry fee. We will inform our registered
participants of changes, if any, as they occur. We reserve the right to modify the tour itinerary
as and if it becomes necessary in our judgment to do so. If an itinerary change becomes necessary,
we will offer and provide a comparable tour itinerary, within the constraints imposed by local
conditions. Registered participants will be able to opt out at this time.
Here end's the: 15-day MALI Desert-Fastival Intro
...Make your booking now
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Overland Africa Tours
