TTTR
R
A
V
A
N
D
O
U
R
M
A
G
N
C
Y
RA
AV
VEEELLL A
AN
ND
DTTTO
OU
UR
RIIISSSM
MA
AG
GEEEN
NC
CY
Y
Incentive – Cultural and adventure travels – Car rental – Handling
Tel/Fax: +223 20 28 81 57/+223 20 28 52 32
Email: [email protected] et.ml Website: www.touringmali.com
Bamako MA LI
CULTURAL AND MUSICAL TOUR
INTO MALI
2011 DESERT FESTIVAL
Date: Monday 03 January 2011 to Tuesday 11 January 2011
Bamako – Djenne – Mopti – Timbuktu – Segou – Teriyabugu
EN ROUTE TO THE DESERT FESTIVAL
Ex Africa Sempre Ali quid Novi – De l’Afrique il y a toujours du nouveau…
PROGRAM
Day 1: BAMAKO
Monday 03 January 2011
Assistance for police and customs formalities and transfer to the hotel - 02h00
Bamako: “Bamako is a Bambara word meaning “Crocodiles River”. In 1806 Bamako was a Bozo
fishing and trading community of about 6000 people. In 1883, the French captured the town and in
1908 Bamako became their regional seat of power and they built their residence on the hill of
Koulouba. At the independence in 1960, Bamako was chosen as the capital ...”
Arrival to Bamako. Welcome by West Africa Tours team followed with your transfer to the hotel.
Overnight at Hotel or Guest House
Day 2: BAMAKO/ DJENNE
Tues day 04 January 2011
Asphalted road: 570 Km - 09h00
Breakfast and depart for a long day drive to Djenne.
Arrival check-in at hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 3: DJENNE / MOPTI
Wednes day 05 January 2011
Asphalted road: 405 Km - 07h00
Breakfast and depart to Mopti after free visit in Djenne.
DJENNE: “Founded in the 4th century, Djenne has scarcely changed since the Middle Ages. In the
13th-15th centuries, Djenne was a rival of Timbuktu for the wealth of the Trans-Saharan trade. The
city is located on an island in the inland Niger delta, and
is surrounded by mud brick walls. As well as making a
visit to the archaeological site of Djenné-Djeno that looks
backward in time over a 1.000 years. Generation after
generation, a guild of highly skilled master-builders, the
Baris, have ensured Djenne's architectural integrity. The
atmosphere in the streets brings the traveller back to
medieval times.”
Sites to visit and to see:
The town weekly market of Monday place, the particular
architecture, the largest mud made mosque in the world,
the chief’s house, the sacred well of Nana Wangara, the tomb of the young woman who was walled
in alive to give the town prosperity. Arrival to Mopti, check-in, free visit of the town and overnight at
hotel.
Day 4: MOPTI / TIMBUKTU
Thurs day 06 January 2011
Road and desert track with 4x4 - 400 Km: 06h00 + Ferry-boat crossing: 45 min
Breakfast and early depart to Timbuktu.
Timbuktu: Timbuktu was formerly a great commercial trading city and an international centre of
Islamic learning. The city was probably founded in the late 11th century AD by Tuareg nomads.
Tuareg formed one of the most ancient tribal people of the Sahara. They speak a Berber language,
Tamacheq, and have their own alphabet. In ancient times, the Tuareg controlled the trans-Sahara
routes and substantially contributed in the expansion of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa even though
they retained however some of their older rites. Today, the Tuareg symbolize the mysteries of the
Sahara and continued to be seen as the Masters of the Desert.
Free visit in Timbuktu
Sites to visit:
-The ancient mosques including the famous mosque of Djingareiber the oldest and the famous
Sankore whose reputation spanned all across North Africa and Europe as a leading Islamic academy
for centuries.
-The Ahmed Baba Centre where ancient books (some dating from the 14th century AD) are still
preserved.
-The explorers (Gordon Laing, Rene Caillé, Henrich Barth) houses. Depart to the festival site.
Opening ceremony. Dinner followed by music show in the night. Overnight under Tuareg tents
Day 5 and 6: DESERT FESTIVAL
Friday 07 a nd Saturday 08 Ja nuary 2011
Essakane: Created in January 2001, the "festival au désert" is held every year in Essakane, two
hours from Timbouctou in Mali. This Festival seeks its origin in the big traditional Touareg
festivities, as Takoubelt in Kidal and Temakannit in
Tombouctou, which represented for long time a place for
decision making and exchange of information among the
different communities. At the beginning, there were songs
and touareg dances, poetries, camel rides, games, etc.
Today, the Festival is opened to the external world and
welcomes artists from other Malian regions, other African
countries, but also from Europe and from the whole world.
During three days, around 30 artistic groups are invited
from all around the world to present their art. Due to the
attention of the media and to the huge logistic effort that it
is mobilizing, the Festival is now included among the Big Modern Festivals, though it maintains its
traditional cultural aspects.
Breakfast. Visit to the cultural stands. Tuareg traditional music and dances.
Lunch and relaxation with Sahara desert blue people.
Dinner followed with music show in the night. Overnight under Tuareg tents
Day 7: TIMBUKTU / MOPTI
Sunday 09 January 2011
Desert track with 4x4 - 400 Km: 08h00 + 01h ferry boat crossing
Breakfast and drive back to Mopti. Arrival to Mopti in the middle afternoon.
Relax time and shopping. Overnight at hotel.
Day 8: MOPTI / SEGOU
Monday 10 January 2011
Route: 240 Km - 04h00
Breakfast and depart to Segou. Arrival followed with free
visit of the town. Sites to see and to visit
- Segoukoro which means in Bambara language the “Old
Segou”. It is the location of Bambara Kingdom’s former
capital… You can see the vestibule and the tomb of Mamary Biton Coulibaly, the Founder of the
Kingdom and try to understand how Animism and Muslim were intimately bound.
- the pottery market along the Niger River banks and the « Colonial Quarter ». Admire the beautiful
Sudanese-style colonial architecture.The local beer fabric, the women shops for their beautiful
bogolan. Overnight at hotel.
DAY 9: SEGOU / BAMAKO / DEPARTURE
Tues day 11 January 2011
Road + track by 4x4: 390 Km - 05h30
Breakfast and depart for Bamako.
Arrival followed with a free visit of the town:
- The National Museum: It contains some beautiful ethnographic pieces from many of Mali’s ethnic
groups...
- The panoramic view from point G on the escarpment north of the city...
- The artisan and the fetish market.
Transfer to airport for final departure.
PROGRAM FREE TOUR PRICING LIST
BASE
02
03
04
05
NUMBER O F 4X4
PRICE/PERSON
01
1 364 €
01
01
01
1 087 €
949 €
866 €
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: 99 €
THESE PRICES INCLUDE:
- Accommodation in BB at hotels, guests’ houses or encampments
- Transfers with 4x4 car + fuel + driver
- Services of English speaking guide throughout
- Festival entry pass
- Accommodation in full board basis on the festival site included mineral water
THESE PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE:
- International flight ticket
- Visas
- Meals excepted on the festival site
- Drinks and mineral water excepted on the festival site
- Visits and taxes
- Tips, telephone and other extras
- Non mentioned visits or activities
- NB: For visits and taxes you would like to do, kindly refer to the tour guide who can advise