ITINERARY

West Africa Tour #2
January 19 - 31, 2008

Arrive BAMAKO
HOTEL SALAM

BAMAKO

Morning city tour of the capital city of Mali founded about 1650. Its name to be derived from the two Bambara words “Bamba” and “Ko: meaning caiman and river. The city includes 3 areas, the Ancient European, the Modern City and the African quarters with their typical houses made of banco. You will see the National Museum, the craft market, a panoramic view over Bamako from Point G Hills, the recycling market, and the artisan market.

Afternoon excursion to Manding Country: Siby, Badougou Djoliba two traditional Malinke villages, discover malinke daily life, houses and traditions. Badgougou Dioliba being the village of the famous Malian musician (Salif Keita).

Timbuktu, the “Mysterious City of the Sahara,” has been written by historians and poets. It is a walled township 12 kms from the River Niger. Timbuktu was founded in 1100 A.D. around a well by the Tuaregs. Its buildings stand witness to the different periods of its turbulent history. Today, the city is the chief town in the area of the desert, which comes under Malian influence, this area extends to the Algerian Sahara. Enjoy a city tour, including the different mosques, explore houses, museum, Ahmed Baba's Center, and the market. Lunch at hotel.

Afternoon: Enjoy a camel ride in the desert to visit the Tuareg Camp. Meeting with the Blue Men, watch Tuareg dances and traditional tea ceremony. Dinner at hotel.

Leave MOPTI driving to SANGHA, the capital of DOGON COUNTRY. It's a pleasant three-hour drive. Overnight at the Campement of Sangha.

The Dogon Country (Pays Dogon) occupies a plateau, which rises in a chaotic manner from the low lands of Macina till Hombori to break in a peak, which dominates the plain ghostly on several meters. AT the foot of the ghostly world is a cultural universe the values of which rely on extraordinary complex and very rich philosophy and religion. If Djenne and Tombouctour had been known in Europe for centuries, the Dogon's Country, ignored by history for decades, has only been studied by the ethnological mission led in 1931 by Marcel Griaule.

A real sanctuary and a living museum one of the last islets of an authentically African culture, which has outlived all the assaults of the Western civilization. The sanctuary is inhabited by one of the most astonishing peoples of all black Africa – the Dogons. They have lived for centuries in this chaotic universe cut off from the rest of the world.

Afternoon visit of the villages, its famous granaries, and fetishist houses.

Drive to Bongo to visit other Dogon Cliff Villages.
Bongo, Gogoli, Banani. Return to Sangha to view the Dogon dance.

Drive back to Mopti.
HOTEL KANAGA

Enjoy a Mopti city tour, the old town, Fullani village, Bella Campment, food market, mosque, fish and souvenir market. Thereafter, go on a boat cruise over the Bani and Niger rivers.

Leave MOPTI by private bus entering

BURKINA FASO

traveling via Ouahigouya to OUAGADOUGOU
HOTEL SOFITEL

to arrive NIAMEY
HOTEL GAWEYE

NIAMEY

This morning we tour the city on the banks of the mighty Niger River. Our visit includes the National Museum and its splendid park, the zoo, the aquarium, the Grand Marche and Old Quarters, as well as the Camel Market.

Afternoon River Cruise.

NIAMEY

Full day countryside & villages.

Leave NIAMEY this morning for the return drive into

BURKINA FASO

to arrive OUAGADOUGOU
HOTEL SOFITEL SILMONDE

OUAGADOUGOU

Morning city tour including a visit to the big market, the artcraft center, the National Museum with tribal art and a walk in the “Bois de Boulogne."

Tour #2 will terminate tonight, with transfer to the airport.

Arrive PARIS, Charles de Gaulle

6:15 AM

Tour members joining tour #3, will have 2 free days in Abidjan.

Leave OUAGADOUGOU

Arrive ABIDJAN
HOTEL SOFITEL

FRI. Feb 1 to SAT. Feb 2

ABIDJAN

Join Tour #3

Costs are as follows:

Land Portion Sharing $9,200
Single Room Supplement $1,400
Estimated Airfare from New York $3,400

In addition to Africa Tour #2, we also operate Africa Tour #1, departing January 4, 2007, as well as a continuation Africa Tour #3 following this tour.

Note: B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner