NB: this is a group tour

International flight arrives in Bamako in the evening (hotel check-in 2:00 PM or later); airport to hotel transfer; overnight in Bamako (hotel)

Begin your West African journey with a full day's drive through the heartland of Mali to Sevare, with sightseeing en route; overnight in Sevare (hotel)

with Breakfast

Interesting drive across the Sahel, to the legendary city of Timbuktu, gateway to the Sahara Desert ! overnight in Timbuktu (hotel)

with Breakfast

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

with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on the three festival days

Return to Timbuktu; remainder of the day at leisure to relax, or explore this ancient city on your own; overnight in Timbuktu (hotel)

with Breakfast

City tour of legendary 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

Return drive across the Sahel to Mopti; late afternoon walking tour of Mali's port city on the Niger; see the beautiful Sudanese-style mosque, the fishing port, the bustling local market, where many of Mali's diverse ethnic groups come to trade: Bambara, Bobo, Bozo, Dogon, Fulani, Hausa, Songhai;; overnight in Mopti/Sevare (hotel)

with Breakfast

Full day's sailing excursion on the Niger River, with picnic lunch; visit tranquil Bozo fishing villages and nomadic Fulani camps; observe Mali's varied bird life along the shore, and perhaps see hippos in the river ! (caution—do not approach the hippos); return to and overnight in Mopti/Sevare (hotel)

with Breakfast and Lunch

Drive to Mali's fascinating Dogon country; start with a visit of 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 famililes; continue to Sangha, comprised of 10 distinct Dogon villages (animist and Islamic); walking tour of Sangha: observe many beautiful examples of the unique Dogon architecture and traditional fetishes; overnight in Sangha (hotel)

with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Descend the Bandiagara escarpment to visit some of the most beautiful Dogon villages: also see ancient Telem cave dwellings in the cliff face; visit Amani village, with its sanctuary of sacred crocodiles; visit Tireli village and witness a fascinating Dogon mask dance; this spectacular ceremony is an authentic representation of one of the Dogon people's funerary rites; return to and overnight in Sangha (hotel)

with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Explore Yenduma, and the triple Yuga villages (some hiking required), origin of the Sigi dance, one of the foundations of Dogon cosmology, held every 60 years; overnight in Sangha (hotel)

with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive to the southern end of the escarpment, to visit Tely and Ende villages; if time permits, also visit Nando and Niongono villages (some hiking required); onward drive to Djenne, Timbuktu's ancient sister-city; overnight in Djenne (hotel)

with Breakfast and Lunch

Experience Djenne's colorful weekly market day, with hundreds of market stalls spread out before the magnificent Great Mosque; originally built in the XIIIth century, this is the world's largest mud brick architecture, and one of Unesco's World Heritage sites; in the afternoon, drive to Segou; overnight in Segou (hotel)

with Breakfast

Visit Segou, Mali's second largest city and former colonial administrative center; stroll through the pottery market along the waterfront; also visit Sekoro villge, 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 for overnight (hotel)

with Breakfast

Bamako city tour: begin with a panoramic overview of this sprawling city from Point G; thenvisit 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 (day-room)

with Breakfast

Hotel check-in 2:00 pm; check-out 12:00 noon
Day-room check-out 6:00 pm (later check-out is at the traveller's expense)

• 13 nights hotel (double occupancy), including breakfast (B)
• day-room in Bamako on the last day
• 3 nights camping at the desert festival site; bring your sleeping bags for the cold desert nights; tents are provided
• all ground transportation by 4x4 vehicle; maximum 4 travellers per vehicle
• 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
• all meals in Dogon villages: 3 breakfasts (B), 4 lunches (L), 3 dinners (D), excluding drinks
• traditional Dogon mask dance
• full-day sailing excursion on the Niger River, including box lunch
• English-speaking guide for the entire tour
• airport transfers for Bamako arrival and departure (you will need to provide your Bamako arrival/departure flight details)
• all hotel taxes, local tourism taxes and site visit fees, as per tour program

• international airfare to/from Bamako... apart that you do the reservation by AFTours
• Mali visas
• non-specified meals
• drinks/bottled water
• tips
• personal expenses
• sleeping bags.

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.