Itinerary

Day 1      Arrive Bamako

You will be met on arrival at Bamako International Airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of today is free for you to spend as you wish.  Situated on the banks of the Niger River, Mali's capital is home to 1.3 million people and full of interesting places.  There are often excellent live music acts in the city during the weekend, with esteemed artists such as Salif Keita, Bassekou Kouyate, and Toumani Diabaté regularly playing. The lively Rue de Bla Bla also offers an eclectic mix of restaurants and bars.  We will also get together this evening for a group meeting, where you'll meet your group leader and fellow traveling companions.
    
Meals: None    
Day 2      Segou / Mali Initiative / Homestay

In the morning, we have breakfast and then depart Bamako for a three-hour drive to Segou (145 miles) where, after a brief stop for refreshments, we'll head to Boubacar Doumbia's workshop and studio.  Boubacar is the leading Bogolon (mud cloth) artist in Mali.  After watching a demonstration of how mud cloth is made from start to finish, you'll make your own sample piece (yours to keep).  You may also purchase high-quality Bogolon products, which make for original, interesting souvenirs of Mali.

Driving for another two hours, we reach the village of Niamana, where we'll lend support to the tremendous work that's being done by Mali Initiative Projects to provide educational facilities for local people.  We'll meet the major of the village, learn about current community development projects, and then go to a local home where we'll enjoy a home-cooked meal with a local family and then be their guests for the night.  This is a unique opportunity for cross-cultural interaction and is sure to be a memorable encounter as you may well find that the local people are as curious about us as we are about them!
    
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Local Homestay    
Day 3      Djenn�

Following breakfast, board a pinasse for a delightful excursion down the Niger to the ancient island town of Djenné.  (A pinasse is a motor-powered traditional, elegant, wooden, arched, flat-bottomed boat.)

Djenné is the sister town of Timbuktu and one of the oldest towns in Africa. It is built on an island in the Niger River Delta and you must take a ferry to get there. After checking into your hotel, go on a walking tour to visit the famous Grand Mosque. The first mosque was built in 1280, when the 26th king, Djenné Were Koi Komboro, converted to Islam. The current mosque is estimated to be about 100 years old, and each year its facade is replaced with fresh mud. Walk through the narrow, winding streets to see the beautiful architecture of the clay houses that make Djenné such a unique and original city. Djenné is a great place for self-discovery as you can just lose yourself amid the winding alleyways, and watching the sun set over the impressive mosque from one of Djenné’s ancient rooftops is another fantastic experience. While your accommodation in Djenné -- a local 'campement' (simple hostel) -- is quite basic, its location in the heart of this fascinating town (and one of only three hostels located within the town walls) is unsurpassed.
    
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Simple Hostel    
Day 4      Djenne Market/Dogon Village Stay

Monday is market day and the most interesting day to visit Djenné. In the early part of the morning as the market is being set up, visit Djenné's small museum which houses the plan of Djenné-Djeno. This ancient settlement dated back to 250 BC, and various artifacts that have been excavated are on display. Afterward, visit the actual archaeological site nearby. Afterwards return to Djenné to visit the colorful market, which should now be in full swing. This market sells an incredible array of goods from exotic fabrics to various spices, billy goats, and watermelons. With the street stalls selling delectable local treats, this market is sure to dazzle all of your senses!

From here, we continue on a four-hour drive to the unique Pays Dogon region where the vibrant local people still live as they have for centuries. With a 125-mile-long escarpment forming a stunning backdrop, this area is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its natural and cultural significance. It is still used extensively as a place of field study by anthropologists around the world. In the afternoon, begin your trek by going down the escarpment and through a breathtaking gorge, Falaise de Bandiagara. This trek takes two to three hours over rocky terrain and can at times be strenuous. However, the rewards are worthwhile as the glorious sands of the Sahel stretch before you to the horizon, as you descend the escarpment. A further walk on flat, sandy terrain (approximately 90 minutes) takes you to the Dogon village, where you spend an unforgettable night sleeping on the rooftop of the chief's compound. Tents and or extremely basic rooms can be hired locally if preferred, but the normal practice is to sleep on mats on the roof. Although some of the village 'campements' do have shared shower blocks (cold water only), it is not guaranteed that you will have access to showers for this night.
    
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Dogon Village Rooftop    
Day 5      Dogon Country Villages (Trekking)

Awaken at first light to the sounds of the resident roosters and donkeys, an atmospheric part of the Dogon experience.  Rising early also gives you the opportunity to witness the early light of the sun bathing the rocky escarpment in a spectacular golden glow. You then trek among the northern Dogon villages while viewing some of the best-preserved examples of the habitats of the Tellem and Dogon peoples. The trek is on flat, sandy ground and takes you through the surprisingly lush vegetable gardens of the Dogon people, who are particularly known for their onion exports to other parts of the country. After some time exploring the villages, you are treated to the sights and sounds of the incredible Dogon Masked Dance ceremony – an energetic, ritualistic dance featuring elaborate masks and dancers on stilts. This is a performance that is truly a privilege to witness. The trek is not strenuous; however, temperatures in the Dogon region can be quite high, so there is the option to take a ride on an ox or cow-cart between villages if  you chose to do so.  Spend another night sleeping on the rooftop in another Dogon village.
    
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Dogon Village Rooftop    
Day 6      Mopti

Reuinite with the vehicle this morning and drive to the river port city of Mopti, situated along the confluence of the Niger and Bani Rivers.  Here, see the big slabs of salt that come in from the far north, carried across the Sahara Desert by the Tuareg camel caravans to Timbuktu, where they are loaded onto pinasses (large, traditional canoes) and sailed down the Niger River to Mopti to be bought and sold at the market.  Formerly one of the desert's great riches, salt is still a precious commodity for herders who need it for their livestock.  Here in the market, you will also see the many different faces of Mali selling and buying in the streets -- Peul, Bozo, Fulani, Dogon, Moors, Tuareg, and Songhai people.  Our visit in Mopti includes the Ladies Market, the old town, and the bustling harbor.  In the evening, take a sunset cruise on the river in a pinasse and enjoy.
    
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch    
Day 7 - 8      Bobo Dioulasso

(Driving time: approx 7 hours, including time at border crossing.)  Heading southeast, your group will cross the border into Burkina Faso.  After completing border formalities, enter the country and head to Bobo Dioulasso, your home for the next two nights.

Burkina Faso is a landlocked savannah country crossed by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red, and White Voltas.  "Burkina" is translated as "Men of Integrity" from the Moré language.  The Burkinabé, as the local population is known, belong to two major West African cultural groups, the Voltaic and the Mande.  Making up half the population, the Voltaic Mossi people claim descent from warriors who migrated to present-day Burkina Faso from Ghana.  Predominantly farmers today, the Voltaic Mossi kingdom is led by the Mogho Naba who still hold court in Ouagadougou.  From its independence in 1960 until 1984, Burkina Faso was known by its colonial name, Upper Volta.

(Driving time: approx 5 hours, including excursion.)  In Bobo (as it is known locally), visit the Grand Marché, famous for being located at the crossroads of numerous tribes and offering a great selection of tribal arts from all over West Africa.  At your option, walk through the Kibidwe Disrict for some fascinating people-watching that affords insights into the daily lives of the Kibidwe people.

No highlight in Bobo Dioulasso is greater than its music.  The town is known as the music capital of Burkino Faso and really comes alive on weekends.  A melting pot of markets, music, and nightlife, it's a great place to appreciate the richness of traditional music and absorb an extraordinary blend of West African cultures.

While here, wander to local cafes, soak in the atmosphere, sample the local delicacy of ‘French fried caterpillars’, and perhaps head along to the Bolomakoté Cabaret, where people go to play percussion and traditional African instruments. There you can sample the local mijo beer and let yourself be carried away by seductive African rhythms.
    
Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 1 Dinner    
Day 9      Banfora

An hour's drive takes you to Banfora, a sleepy town set in a lush green landscape surrounded by waterfalls and small lakes. Spend the afternoon visiting the wonderful attractions of the surrounding area. 

Sindou is home to incredible rock formations and is perfect for a short hike to witness the narrow two-mile chain of sandstone hills that are occasionally crowned by more erosion-resistant pieces of rock. 

Lake Tengréla is home to more than 100 hippos, and here you will also see local fishermen and a variety of birdlife. 

Karfiguela Waterfalls are worth the journey whatever the season, and you will catch sight of them after making your way though a magnificent avenue of mango trees and a chaotic jumble of rocks.  Afterward, return to Banfora for the night.
    
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner    
Day 10 - 11      Gaoua / Ouagadougou

(Driving time: approx 9 hours over 2 days.)

Travel today to Gaoua (130 miles southeast of Bobo), located in the heart of Lobi country. This area is culturally distinctive and fascinating due to its unique architecture and age-old traditions. Lobi homes are made with high brick mud walls and small slit windows, not unlike a miniature fortress. These homes are not built in villages, but out in the fields, with small family compounds located up to several hundred yards from their neighbors. In these rural areas, the Lobi are not used to foreigners and may feel nervous. Please do not take any photos here without express permission.

In the afternoon, visit the ancient stone ruins of Loropéni, the best-preserved of the larger Lobi ruins. No one is sure of the origins of the stones, but one theory is that they were once a slave palace for a Lobi king from antiquity, while another is that they were part of a fortified village that stretched through a huge 7,000-square-mile cultural corridor in lands that are today Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. 

 Overnight in Gaoua.

In the morning after breakfast, depart on a five-hour  drive to Ouagadougou (pronounced wah-gah-doo-goo), one of the cultural centers of West Africa. Ouagadougou has a population of approximately 1.5 million people and is the surprisingly modern capital of Burkina Faso. The name Ouagadougou purportedly goes back to the 15th century where it was originally known as ''Sogomogobogoyogowogodogo'', meaning ''palace of the worshipful camel-faced bush boy where people get honor and respect''. It was later changed to “Wogodogo,” meaning simply ''where people get honor and respect.''

Arrive mid-afternoon and, after checking into your hotel and freshening up, there is the opportunity to visit the cultural center for excellent, high-quality carvings, brasswork, and other handmade crafts made by local artisans.
    
Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 1 Dinner    
Day 12      Tiebele Village Excursion

Embark on a full-day excursion to the unique village of Tiebele, located just a few miles from the Ghanaian border and known for its unusual architecture.  Here in the village, the dwellings are either square or round and are all elaborately decorated with black diamond patterns, illustrations of snakes, crocodiles, and other animals considered sacred.  Your guide will help unlock the secrets and stories of these fascinating frescoes.  You'll have to stoop low to enter these windowless houses, where it is dark and cool inside, in stark contrast to the brightness and heat outside.  In time past, these dark environments afforded village inhabitants some form of protections against enemies and wild animals (because of the time it took for intruders' eyes to adjust to the darkness).  Spend several hours exploring Tiebele compound and its surrounding area before returning to Ouagadougou for the night.
    
Meals: 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch    
Day 13      Pendjari National Park, Benin

(Driving time:  approx 12 hours, including time spent at border and game drive.)  Travel eastward to the third country on your expedition, Benin. This relatively small, club-shaped country was once home to one of the most powerful empires in West Africa, the Dahomey Kingdom, as well as being the traditional home of the Voodoo religion. Musically, Benin's most famous export is the fabulous Angelique Kidjo, who helped West Africa stamp its authority on the world music scene in the early 1990s.

  Located in the northwest corner of Benin, Pendjari National Park is known for its abundance of wildlife, including elephants, baboons, lions, hippos, buffalo, and various antelope such as waterbuck, hartebeest, and duiker.  However, the park is most famous for its amazing and wide variety of birds, with over 300 species making the park their home, including many waterbirds such as cranes and storks.  Although it adjoins Arli National Park in Burkina Faso, the isolation of Pendjari creates a unique ecosystem that is often described as one of the most interesting in West Africa. Visit the reserve for an afternoon-evening game drive, which is the best time for viewing the wildlife, as many of the animals are more active at this time of day.
    
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner    
Day 14      Natitingou

A short drive takes you to Natitingou by way of Tanougou Falls, where you have the opportunity to take a refreshing swim. Natitingou is located in the pleasant climate of the Atakora Mountains of northern Benin. Visit the remote Betamaribé people, who still hunt with bows and arrows and live in their cultivated fields rather than in a village environment. Their small, fortress-like houses consist of three levels -- ground floor for the animals, first floor for the kitchen, and top floor for living space and sleeping.
    
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner    
Day 15 - 16      Abomey

(Driving time:  approx 8.5 hours.)  Continuing south to Abomey (about 325 miles), the ancient capital of the Dahomey Kingdom, previously one of the greatest empires in West Africa, where you'll visit the must-see restored Royal Palace and learn about the incredible history of the Fon Kings. Illustrating the gory history of Dahomey, the exhibits include graphic tapestries of war and Ghezo’s throne which is mounted on the skulls of four of his enemies.
 
In the evening, experience a the unique Dance Geledin des Fons (or Geledin Masked Dance), performed by the local Yoroba and Fon people, and known for its vibrant color and costumes.  The Yoroba and Fon people pratice both the Voodoo religions and Christianity, and they also worship idols, which are represented on some of the masks used in the dance.  These people believe that wearing certain masks enables one to communicate directly with the spirits, and also also dance on special occasions such as at funerals and during harvest time.
    
Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 1 Dinner    
Day 17 - 18      Ouidah

A short two-hour drive brings you to the lake village of Ganvié for a paddle out onto the lake in a 'pirogue', a traditional West African fisherman’s boat.
 
 Spend the afternoon driving the coastal highway, passing through small villages dotted with white flags that identify Voodoo practitioners. Our destination is Ouidah, a tranquil, atmospheric town set on a beautiful beach and a wonderful place to rejuvenate.  Spend two nights here, with plenty of time to relax in the shade of the coconut groves after long days of travel, and watch the waves come in.  This is the Gulf of Guinea, part of the Atlantic Ocean, so swimming is limited due to the strong currents, but this won't lessen the sleepy charm and tranquility of this fine place.

While here, explore Ouidah town to learn about the origins of the often-misunderstood Voodoo religion and meet local practitioners. Ouidah is the historic centre of Voodooism, with thousands of believers often flocking there to rejoice in their faith.  Visit the mystical Sacred Temple of Pythons as well as Avenue D'Esclaves and witness an energetic Voodoo performance.
    
Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches    
Day 19      Lom�

(Driving time:  approx 3.5 hours, including time at border.)  Cross the border into Togo, driving about 45 minutes to Lake Togo before continuing by boat to visit Togoville, an historical town interesting for its royal palace and colonial church. It was here that Voodoo practitioners were taken before they were transported to Haiti as slaves. The town still shows a strong influence of Voodoo today, with plenty of fetish stalls in the streets.

Continue to Togo's capital, Lomé, where a tour of the city includes the National Museum, which houses historical artifacts, potteries, costumes, traditional musical instruments, wood carvings, and traditional medicinal remedies. Your visit will (optionally) include the various markets such as the central market, arts market, and the fetish market at Akedessewa just 2.5 miles from the center of town, where you'll see remarkable supplies of traditional medicines use by sorcerers, including monkey skulls, snake skins, warthog teeth, lion skin, leopard skin, and dried birds.
    
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch    
Day 20      Akosombo

(Driving time:  approx 3.5 hours.)  Entering the final country on this adventure, cross the border into English-speaking Ghana, an interesting change after traveling in French-speaking countries.  Akosombo is located on the Volta River and is home of the rock-filled Akosombo Dam, completed in 1965 by a coalition of governments and the World Bank as part of the Volta River Project.  Tonight's accommodation is in a comfortable hotel.
    
Meals: Breakfasts, Lunch, Dinner    
Day 21 - 22      Kumasi / Ashanti Kingdom

Today brings a four-hour drive to Kumasi, the one-time capital of the powerful Ashanti kingdom, and your home for the next two nights. This hilly city is home to over a million people and has quite a cosmopolitan feel about it. Your tour of Kumasi will include the Manhyia Palace Museum, which was built in 1925 by the British and was home to the Ashanti kings until 1974.  The Armed Forces Museum is another interesting place to visit whose collection tells the story of the many conflicts that have taken place here in the 20th century. Visit a nearby village known for its talented artisans who weave Ghana's beautiful kente cloth.
    
Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners    
Day 23 - 24      Axim Beach

(Driving time:  approx 7 hours.)  Travel south to Axim for a two-night stay at Ghana’s most isolated and luxurious beach resort. The hotel is a little over a mile from is Axim town, a historical place with a population of about 20,000 where the main occupation is fishing. There are several significant old sights near the hotel such as Fort St. Anthony, which was built by the Portuguese as part of the old trading port in 1515.  Perched on a hill in nearby Princess Town is Fort Gross Friederichsburg, built by the Prussians in 1683.  Also nearby are Akatekyi Crocodile Village, Ankasa Forest Resource, and Nzulezu Village (where houses are built on stilts).  There are also opportunities to go trekking in the forest and whale watching (seasonal).  Relax and enjoy!
    
Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch    
Day 25      Elmina

This morning, take a three-hour drive to Elmina to visit St. George's Castle. Known previously as one of the "slave castles," it is one of more then 20 such castles built along the shoreline of the Gold Coast, the old name for what is now Ghana. The Gold Coast was one of the richest markets for slave traders during the peak of the slave trade, and you will learn about this disturbing and tragic history through visiting some of the key historical sites of the region.

  You also visit a fishing village and Pursuban animist shrines, then take a short six-mile drive to Cape Coast, which was the center of the British administration and capital of the Gold Coast from 1700 until 1877, as well as being known for its notorious slave castle. Return to Elmina at end of the day for the final night of your odyssey.
    
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner    
Day 26      Accra

Embark on a four-hour drive to Accra, the nation's capital. An afternoon exploration of the city includes the National Museum and the Kwame Nkroumah Memorial Park, dedicated to the founder of modern Ghana. The remainder of the day is yours at leisure.

For those flying out this evening, a day room for group use has been booked at your Accra hotel, available for you to freshen up prior to your flight home. An evening transfer is included to Accra Kotoka International Airport, where your expedition comes to an end.
 

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