The Road to Timbuktu
| country: | Mali |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 11 Oct, 1 Nov, 29 Nov, 13 Dec 2009: 3 Jan, 7 Feb, 10 Oct, 31 Oct, 28 Nov, 12 Dec |
| price: | From £1165 (14 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $275. Single supplement £190. We can arrange flights from the UK Please note: January departures coincide with Festival du Desert |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
Our journey takes us through the wonderful West African country of Mali, travelling through remote desert landscapes to the very remote town of Timbuktu.
We trek through Dogon villages with fabulous views, camping overnight in friendly villages.
We also board a pinasse (local boat) for a beautiful river journey, stopping at small encampments along the way and even spend a night in a nomadic Tuareg tent in the Sahara.
Facilities are limited but for the true traveller, there is no more exciting destination than the city of Timbuktu!
We trek through Dogon villages with fabulous views, camping overnight in friendly villages.
We also board a pinasse (local boat) for a beautiful river journey, stopping at small encampments along the way and even spend a night in a nomadic Tuareg tent in the Sahara.
Facilities are limited but for the true traveller, there is no more exciting destination than the city of Timbuktu!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Bamako. Arrive in Bamako and check in to your hotel. |
| Day 2: | Bamako - Segou. Morning city tour of Bamako. We visit the markets and a craft centre. In the afternoon we continue to Segou, passing many small villages on the way. (BLD) |
| Day 3: | Bamako - Djenne. Morning drive to Djenne, the ‘Queen of the Delta’ where we have time to explore the fascinating Monday market with its profusion of colour and produce. We also visit the mosque, the largest mud building in the world, and wander through the old part of town with its mud brick houses and narrow streets. (BLD) |
| Day 4: | Djenne - Dogon Villages. Drive to the Dogon area where we start our trek through this fascinating tribal region of mud brick villages at the edge of the stunning Bandiagara Escarpment. Overnight camping. (BLD) |
| Day 5: | Djenne - Dogon Country. A morning wake up call from the donkeys and roosters before we continue hiking through picturesque villages. We visit a number of the most spectacular but least visited villages. Overnight camping. (BLD) |
| Day 6: | Dogon Country- Sevare. Hike through more beautiful villages gaining an insight into the life of the Dogon villagers. Later we meet our bus and drive to Sevare. (BLD) |
| Day 7-9: | Mopti - Niger Cruise. We spend the morning exploring the colourful markets of Mopti spread along the banks of the Niger river. Later we board small ‘pinasse’ river craft and begin our three day journey along the Niger towards Timbuktu. Along the way we visit several Bozo and Peul villages and enjoy the hive of activity surrounding the river - spend your time watching colourfully dressed villagers walking to market or washing clothes, children playing and cattle sunning themselves at the river bank. We spend the nights camped on the side of the river. (BLD) |
| Day 10: | Timbuktu. Arrive in Korioume and transfer to Timbuktu. Meet our Tuareg guide and climb aboard our camels for a ride to a nearby Tuareg settlement where we have dinner. Overnight camping. (BLD) |
| Day 11: | Timbuktu. Morning camel trek. In the afternoon we take a city tour of Timbuktu. (B) |
| Day 12: | Timbuktu - Bamako. Transfer to the airport for our flight back to Bamako. (BLD) |
| Day 13: | Bamako. A full free day to explore the wonderful town of Bamako which has arguably the best market in West Africa. Wander through streets lined with vendors selling indigo cloth, African music, traditional medicines and much much more. There is also time to visit the Musee National, an excellent ethnographic museum. (B) |
| Day 14: | Bamako. Tour ends after breakfast. (B) |
travellers' tales
The highligh was hiking and sleeping under the stars in the Dogon country. I really appreciated having a local Malian as a tour guide, it give fabulous insights into the people and culture. At least some of the hotels were locally owned by Malians too.
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small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world and tourism provides massively needed foreign currency. We use local tour leaders and encourage travellers to explore local markets and eat wherever possible at small restaurants and stalls. This ensures that revenue stays with the communities on all levels but also means that travellers are given an excellent understanding of the Malian way of life.
During this trip we visit the remote mountain communities of the Dogon villages where their main source of revenue is from tourism. Our tour leaders ensure that our visits are both a way of introducing revenue and a positive interaction between locals and foreigners by following cultural and environmental guidelines. We cruise along the River Niger in a locally chartered pinasse crewed by locals who are paid a fair wage. We also overnight in a nomadic settlement of the Tuaregs and hire a Tuareg guide and camels from the settlement to reach it. The Tuaregs are paid directly and fairly for their services and hospitality. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |