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Arrival in Bamako
Airport reception and transfer to hotel, Tamana Hotel or similar, for overnight stay.
Situated in Bamako, 6 km from Bamako National Museum, Hotel Tamana features accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, an outdoor swimming pool and a bar.
Breakfast and departure to Siby, the capital of the Pays Mande.
Siby is a small town 50km south Bamako, popular for its strange rock formations, unspoiled villages and mango plantations.
This day we will discover the Mandinka country, visit the Camanjía and Sacrifice Arch with a hunter, and visit the Dula Fondo village (picnic).
The Kamadjan Arch site is in Siby, Kati commune, located about fifty kilometers south-west of Bamako. This cultural landscape, which houses the cave of lions, the place of divination, the cave of sacrifices, the shelters under the rocks and the Telikourou site, served as a protective wall to the village of Siby. At the time of Soundiata Keita, meetings of troops, councils of war, demonstrations of knowledge took place there
In the afternoon, we will organize a Yuguba dance.
We will return to Siby and spend the night at the camp.
After breakfast, we will depart for Banantoumou, a town located 130 km from Bamako. Banatumou is a village with three neighborhoods: Dogo, Mendiga, and Senufo. Due to the armed conflict affecting Dogon Country, part of the community has moved to Banantoumou, along with their sacred masks.
Upon arrival, we will visit the village, which offers an interesting blend of Dogon and Bambara culture. We will welcome the tribal chiefs and chat with them about their cultures.
In the afternoon, near sunset, we will organize a Dogon mask dance, and we will spend the night in the bell tents.
Very early breakfast. Transfer to Bamako, to the airport for your domestic flight to Timbuktu (1:45 minutes).
Arrival in Timbuktu.
Visit the legendary city on the cultural and economic routes between the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Guinea, and a center for caravans crossing the desert.
We will several days exploring the city and visiting each of its neighborhoods.
Timbuktu – A UNESCO World Heritage site.
A mythical cultural and economic city between the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Guinea.
We will dedicate one day to explore this city and the whole day to visit each of the neighbourhoods of this decadent and fantastic city. We will visit the tombs of the Muslim holy men, the Sudanese style mosque and some Tuareg communities to learn more about the lifestyle of this Saharan people.
Home of the prestigious Koranic Sankore University and other madrasas, Timbuktu was an intellectual and spiritual capital and a centre for the propagation of islam throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its three great mosques, Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia, recall
Timbuktu’s golden age. Although continuously restored, these monuments are today under threat from desertification.
Overnight at the Colombo Hotel.
Following breakfast, we visit the Saharan village and organize a traditional Tuareg dance.
In the afternoon, we will have tea with them after the visit.
Breakfast. We will spend a day exploring this city, exploring each of the neighborhoods of this decadent and fantastic city. We will visit the tombs of Muslim holy men, the Sudanese-style mosque, and some Tuareg communities to learn about the life of this Saharan people
Overnight at the Colombo Hotel.
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for the return flight to Niamey.
Reception and transfer to the hotel for showers.
Niamey city tour for those with a later return flight.
End of the day, late evening, following dinner, you will be taken to the airport for your return flight.
The tour ends at the airport for check-in and security formalities and to board the flight home.
END
Register here for the trip and further details will be sent https://forms.gle/3AkTSZBDDWe2gFhd8 Travel@hodophileexperience.com
Group minimum 04
Solo Traveller – on request
02 pax EUR1590 per person
03-04 pax EUR1325 per person
05-10 pax EUR1050 per person
11-15 pax EUR950 per person
Accommodation shared
Single supplement: EUR100
50% payment required on booking
Remaining payments can be done in 2 instalments with the final payment, 2 weeks before departure.
Cancellation fees apply – for further details see:
https://hodophileexperience.com/index.php/about-our-trips/
Festival activities: Tuareg music concerts day and night until dawn.
In the morning, we rest, sipping African tea with the nomadic audience and learning about African culture.
Breakfast. Festival activities: Music concerts, more music this day, camel riding courses, and more festival activities.
This is the last night of the festival, until dawn.
Breakfast. We will dedicate a day to exploring this city, touring each of the neighbourhoods of this decadent and fantastic city.
Breakfast and transfer to the airport for a domestic flight from Timbuktu to Bamako (1 hour 45 minutes). Arrival in Bamako.
Transfer to accommodation at Hotel Tamana or similar.
Overnight
Breakfast and departure to Ségou.
Arrival in the capital Bambara, undoubtedly one of the most pleasant cities of Mali, with its tree-lined avenues, its colonial quarter, its Puerto fluvial and its neighbourhoods.
On the peaceful banks of the Niger River, 250 km from Bamako, lies the colonial town of Segou, with its beautiful tree-lined avenues and relaxed atmosphere, the heart of Bambara culture. The historic settlement of Segoukoro, the old Segou, remains preserved in its original ancestral appearance, 18 km away, while its shady administrative quarters, dating from the late 19th century, are an interesting blend of neo-Sudanese and colonial styles.
Clay has a very special significance in Segou and is used in many fields, from building construction and craftwork to the characteristic dyeing of textiles. It is in the Segou region that legend has it that the ancient technique of “bogolan” was born, the complex process of pigmenting cotton with clay ochre and macerated plants. Even today, these secrets, used in ancient times by the Bambara warrior and hunter caste, are still handed down by expert craftsmen, who make beautiful fabrics by hand, with their typical black and brown geometric patterns.
But Segou is also the home of puppets and masks. Among the theory of small ateliers and antique dealers, it is possible to find unique pieces of masks dating back to the Bambara tradition, or the characteristic “wooden fish” of the Bozo, a kind of brightly coloured aquatic puppet that was used during propitiatory ceremonies linked to the cyclical nature of fishing.
On the way we will be able to admire the huge baobabs, crossing a magnificent landscape and visiting some villages that we will find on the way.
Check-in at the Djoliba hotel.
In the afternoon, take a walk along the river to admire the sunset or visit the place where millet beer is brewed and feast with them.
Return to the hotel and overnight.
Breakfast and departure to Bamako. Transfer to the accommodation at the Tamana Hotel to prepare your bags.
At the agreed time, transfer to the airport, check-in, and boarding for home
The tour ends at the airport for check-in and security formalities and to board the flight home.
END
Mali is a dangerous region for Westerners to visit because of fighting with Islamist rebels. They have been responsible for several kidnappings of foreigners; most of whom were killed after being held for months in remote desert camps. Travellers cannot expect to get consular services in the event of an emergency. Many governments recommend against all travel to Mali outside of Bamako.
Register here for the trip and further details will be sent
https://forms.gle/3AkTSZBDDWe2gFhd8
Travel@hodophileexperience.com
Group minimum 06
Rates:
Solo Traveller – on request
02 pax EUR1690 per person
03-04 pax EUR1225 per person
05-08 pax EUR1175 per person
09-10 pax EUR1015 per person
11-15 pax EUR925 per person
Accommodation shared
Single supplement: EUR100
50% payment required on booking
Remaining payments can be done in 2 instalments with the final payment, 2 weeks before departure.
Cancellation fees apply – for further details see:
https://hodophileexperience.com/index.php/about-our-trips/
Will be sent with full itinerary when confirmed
Will be sent with full itinerary when confirmed
Click here to check the visa requirements
Mali is hot all year round, experiencing little variation in temperature, always averaging around 35ºC, especially the central and southern part.
The north, however, which is composed of the inhospitable desert that characterizes the Sahel region, experiences a higher contrast between winter and summer but in any case, it’s always hot and you can’t travel there nowadays.
With that, when planning your trip to Mali, the only thing to take into consideration is the rainy season, which typically runs from June to September.
Therefore, the best time to travel to Mali would be after the rainy season, from October to January. February-March is also tolerable, especially as it coincides with mango season.
The country’s climate ranges from tropical savannah (trees and grass, with tree density increasing as one travels south) in the south to arid desert in the north, with the Sahel in between.
Much of the country receives negligible rainfall; droughts are frequent.
Late May or early June (depending on how north one is) to mid or late October or early November is the rainy season. During this time, flooding of the Niger River is common, creating the Inner Niger Delta. After the rainy season is a cooler period when many plants are still green; this is from early November to around early February.
From mid-February until the rains start in May or June is the hot, dry, period, with daytime temperatures reaching maximum in March and April. This time of year, is hot and extremely parched.
Loose, long clothes in natural fabrics are recommended. A cover-up for the cooler months is advisable. Warm clothing for nights in the desert. Modest dress is advised, especially for women – upper legs and arms, shoulders and cleavage should be covered.
A headscarf can be useful as extra coverage, and is essential for visiting mosques, cemeteries or other sites that bear religious significance.
In Mali, they use the West African CFA Franc (XOF) and approximately:
1 USD = 610.30 CFA 1 EUR = 655,96 CFA
CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) Franc (XOF) = 100 centimes.
Notes are in denominations of XOF10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000. Coins are in denominations of XOF500, 200, 250, 100, 50, 25, 10 and 5.
Mali is part of the French Monetary Area. Only currency issued by the Banque des Etats de l’Afrique de /’Quest (Bank of West African States) is valid; currency issued by the Banque des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale (Bank of Central African States) is not. The CFA Franc is tied to the Euro.
Credit cards are very little used in Mali’s cash economy – and are only accepted at major banks, airports, hotels and restaurants. Visa is the main card accepted; MasterCard and American Express can sometimes be used.
Paying by credit card is rare but ATMs that accept foreign card are plentiful. Withdrawals from both BDN and Eco Bank are possible without any problem.
Travellers cheques can be exchanged In Bamako. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in US Dollars or Euros.
Banking hours Mon-Fri 0800-1630, Sat 0800-1400.
Shopping hours Mon-Sat 0800-1800; some open Sun 0900-1700.
Currency restrictions
There are no restrictions on the import or export of local or foreign currency, but amounts
exceeding XOF25,000 should be declared.
Currency exchange – It is possible to exchange Euros and US Dollars in Bamako.
Shopping in Mali
Traditional craft range from the striking masks of the Bambara, Dagon and Malinko peoples, to woodcarvings, original designs in ebony and bronze, woven cloth, and mats, gold and silver
jewellery and copperware. Excellent pottery is made in the Segou region, while Timbuktu is a good centre for iron and copper articles, including swords, daggers and traditional household utensils.
Buying local clothes
Both men and women dress up in colourful clothes. Usually, they buy the fabric in the market and then take it to a tailor afterwards. Both fabric shops and tailors abound. In Siby, you can pay less than 5€ – fabric + work – for a pretty neat t-shirt. This is a pretty cool thing you can do when traveling in Mali, and the locals will definitely appreciate it.
Bargaining is a common practice in Mali, even for locals, so always try to do so, especially when buying fruit, fabrics and souvenirs.
Tipping
A tip of 10-15% is normal.
Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory. Recommended vaccinations include diphtheria, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, typhoid, and meningitis. Mosquito repellent creams and insecticides are available locally.
Vaccinations against meningococcal meningitis, tuberculosis and hepatitis B are sometimes recommended. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water; swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe.
Medical facilities are very limited, although Bamako’s hospitals are recognised as being of good standard and emergency services in the city are available 24 hours. Health insurance (including adequate medical evacuation) is therefore essential. Doctors and hospitals may expect immediate cash payment for health care services.
Water is sometimes unsafe – it is advised to drink bottled water and to avoid ice cubes. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
× UNESCO World Heritage Sites – Timbuktu & Djenná
× Dogon masks dance
× Mandike masks dance
× Mopti
× Bamako
× Sibi
× Ségou
