Mali tours with the Dogon people
These tours are unique in that they bring you into contact with some of the world’s most fascinating cultures in iconic locations, where those people actually deliver the experience or are central to your trip. You will see a destination through the eyes of the local people and you will stay with them for part of the trip in traditional and comfortable accommodation to get to know them and to learn about their ways and beliefs. Itineraries are pre-planned and they may vary slightly according to various things, but they will always give you the best experience possible. The mix of genuine contact with a culture, exciting and traditional activities, iconic locations and traditional and contemporary accommodation will leave you refreshed, inspired and informed –with some beautiful memories and maybe some new contacts too!
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
Our Mali guide company follows environmentally sound policies throughout its operation and many of the accommodations on this trip are ecologically based in their operation. We are committed to the preservation of the habitats of the regions covered by our trips, which are designed to promote an understanding of the delicate ecosystems. We ask our local ground handling partners to take a low-impact, self-contained approach, carrying in what we need and carrying out all waste, thus leaving the environment unspoiled for future visitors and the local inhabitants. The company requires that the people who work for us do not leave rubbish anywhere and respect the environment with preservation of resources, flora and fauna, etc.
For instance, where we camp, we ask our partners to minimize the impact of our trips on the environment through the use of stoves rather than firewood for cooking meals and we burn any paper garbage from our kitchen, or which we collect from our clients. All food items originally in glass bottles will be rebottled in plastic that can be reused on each trek or recycled. Used cans, foil from the fire and used batteries will be taken back to the base by our staff and delivered to a local waste management project where these items will also be recycled. Where we use hotels or lodges, we ask that they also adhere to these guidelines and we select, where possible on that basis.
Community
The guides with you on this tour are Mali Nationals and they then work with local guides who come from the communities you visit - like the Dogon. The main guides work for a Mali company which is owned by the Touareg and this ensures that the income goes to the people of Mali. We also donate a small percentage of the cost of your holiday to the OUTKEL Association (literally "something that grows slowly") managed by Mohamed El Moctar, who will accompany you if you choose our unique Timbuktu and Touareg tour and stay with the Touareg families near Timbuktu.
Instead of receiving a financial remuneration, the Touareg communities will receive access to a herd of cows through the Outkel association. The Community herd is managed by the Association, the families will have the use of the animals, which means that they will be able to draw benefit from the derived products such as milk, butter and cheese. The animal does not belong to any one family in particular, but to a whole group of families, which take part in this project - "Families of Reception".
A shepherd is engaged by the Association and this shepherd manages the herd for the period March to the end of July, when the herds must be brought to pasture. From August to the end of March, the animals will then be in their reception families, who must take care of them and they can use the products derived from the animals. It is a kind of "micro-finance" project, but without finance and the capital adapted to the world of the nomads in the form of animals
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