Tue Nov 30: New York / Casablanca. (AT # 201 7:01pm / 7:00am +1)

This evening make your own way to the airport for the flight to Casablanca. Overnight: En Route.

Wed Dec 01: Arrive Casablanca. (AT # 201 7:00am)

Casablanca / Bamako Mali. (AT # 523 10:45pm / 2:25am +1)

This morning arrive at Casablanca. On arrival clear immigration and collect your luggage onto a trolley and proceed to the exit where our private coach is waiting to transfer us to town.We will enjoy a tour of Casablanca while waiting for our day room check in time at noon. Check into the hotel and relax the rest of the day. Perhaps stroll around town on your own or simply relax by poolside.

Day room: The Royal Mansour.

This evening we transfer back to the airport for our continuing flight to Bamako Mali. Overnight: En Route.

(Rooms in Mali blocked from this evening for our early morning immediate occupancy)

Thu Dec 02: Arrive Bamako Mali. (225am)

Upon arrival clear immigration and collect luggage onto trolley and proceed to the exit where we are met and transferred to the hotel where rooms are reserved for immediate occupancy. Sleep in this morning. Afternoon we tour Bamako visiting the artisanat, the grande marche and the National Museum. We end the tour by driving up to point G to see the panoramic view of the River Niger and Bamako. Return to the hotel with the evening free.

Overnight: The Hotel Salam. (B,L,D)

Fri Dec 03: Bamako / Siby / Bamako. (Private bus)

This morning we depart after breakfast for the town of Siby situated in the heart of the ancient Manding empire. This is 60 kms south of Bamako. Along the way we pass the home of Salif Keita. Visit Siby with a typical lunch included and return to Bamako late this afternoon.

Overnight: The Hotel Salam. (B,L,D)

Sat Dec 04: Bamako / Timbuktu. (local flight 8:00am)

This morning we rise early and transfer to the airport in time for our early morning flight to Timbuktu. On our arrival late this morning we transfer to the hotel. The balance of the morning is spent visiting the 3 oldest mosques in West Africa, the marketplace and town. After lunch we visit the Ahmed Baba Center to see the ancient manuscripts that have survived since the 13^th – 14^th centuries.Also take a sunset camel ride into the Sahara desert to visit a Taureg campment (about 5 km trek by camel). This is an interesting way to experience nomadic life in the desert. We will have an opportunity to drink tea and mingle with the Tauregs who will entertain us with their traditional drumming and dancing. We return to Timbuktu and proceed to the Restaurant Amanar located on the edge of the Sahara desert for our typical Mali dinner.

Overnight: The Hotel Colombe or Hotel Azalia. (B,L,D)

Sun Dec 05: Timbuktu / Severe / Mopti. (Local flight 1 hour)

This morning rise early and return to the airport where we board a short flight to Severe, 12 kms from Mopti. On our arrival we transfer to the hotel. Mopti is known for its port which links all of Mali’s towns and villages along the Niger River. Here you will see big slabs of salt that come from the remote salt mines in the far north, carried across the Sahara desert by the Tuareg caravans to Timbuktu. Then they are loaded onto Pinasses and sailed down the Niger River to Mopti where they are bought and sold. You will also see many faces of Mali buying and selling in Mopti’s thriving marketplace. Examples of those ethnic groups active in the market are: Peul, Bozo, Fulani, Dogon, Moors, Tuareg and Songhai. Our morning tour of Mopti includes the above marketplace and the harbor, the old town and the main mosque. Afternoon we have some leisure time to stroll on our own around town before we board our late afternoon boat trip on the Bani and Niger Rivers in a traditional Pinasse. This boat stops in a couple of river villages (Bozo & Bambara/Fulani) which enables us experience the slow life along the riverside. Our boat drops us at Bar Bozo along the river’s edge where we enjoy drinks and watch the sunset over the river. We return to the hotel for our dinner.

Overnight: The Hotel Kanaga. (pool, bar and restaurant).(B,L,D)

Mon Dec 06: Mopti / Djenne / Mopti. (Private coach)

This morning we depart Mopti on a drive through the Mali countryside to the town of Djenne. (130 kms). This is considered 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 we cross by ferry to reach town. Monday is market day and the most interesting day to visit. As you will see, the itinerary is based around our arrival today on a Monday. We visit the Museum which houses the plan of Djenne-Djeno, the ancient settlement of Djenne, dating back to 250 BC and the artifacts that have been excavated. We visit the archeological area located 3km’s from town to view the site. After lunch at Chez Baba’s restaurant, we will then visit the colorful marketplace followed by the mosque built in 1280 when the 26^th king Djenne was converted to Islam. We walk through the narrow and winding streets to see the beautiful architecture of the clay houses that make Djenne such an original and beautiful city. Return to Mopti late afternoon and arrive in time for dinner at our hotel.

Overnight: The Hotel Kanaga. (B,L,D)

Tue Dec 07: Mopti / Pays Dogon. (Private drive)

This morning we depart on a fascinating tour to a world heritage site – Pays Dogon (70 km’s drive). This is a famous site of cultural and natural significance in West Africa where vibrant peoples still live along the 130km length of the escarpment and who are the subject of study by anthropologists from around the world. We continue our drive another 45 kms to the plateau village of Sangha. Drop our luggage off at the Sangha Campment and change into 4 x 4 vehicles and descend into the escarpment. The first day of our visit it to proceed and visit the villages to the north of Sangha including Kandou. We mix the driving with moderate hiking through villages and have a packed picnic lunch. We return to the lodging for overnight.

Overnight: Sangha Campment. (B,L,D)

Wed Dec 08: Pays Dogon.

This morning we descend into the escarpment and proceed to visit the villages to the south. These include Banani, Ireli, Amani and Tireli. We have a picnic lunch in one of the villages. Ireli has the best preserved habitats of the Pygmie, Tellum and Dogon peoples. Amani has a sacred crocodile pond and Tireli is known for its spectacular masked dance ceremonies. We will see our dance ceremony in Tireli and return to our lodge at the end of the day.

Overnight: The Sangha Campment. (B,L,D)

Thu Dec 09: Pays Dogon / Bandiagara / Mopti.

This morning we continue with our visit to the village of Sangha which will include the Hogon in Ogol Da and the Menstruation House. Depart mid morning on a two hour drive to Bandiagara which is the capital of Pays Dogon. Here we break for lunch at Cheval Blanc, the best restaurant in Pays Dogon. Then continue our drive 15 kms further to the village of Songo. Here the village is famous for its picturesque paintings and the site of circumcision. Have a tour of the area and then we drive another 55 kms back to Mopti. Along the way we break at Severe to visit the Peace Corps Baba shop and Bead Museum in town as well as a quick stop at Mac’s Refuge. Then our final drive another 13 kms back into Mopti and to our hotel arriving late this afternoon or early evening.

Overnight: The Hotel Kanaga. (B,L,D)

Fri Dec 10: Mopti / Segou. (private drive 5 hours)

This morning we depart early at 7:00am for a long drive of 5 hours to the town of Segou. We arrive in time for a 1:00 pm late lunch. After lunch we spend the afternoon exploring the town of Segou. Also take a ride on the Niger river in another pinasse to visit the Bambara Village of Kalabougou where they make pottery – return to Segou for the evening.

Overnight: The Hotel Djoliba or L’Auberge Hotel. (B,L,D)

Sat Dec 11: Segou / Segou Koro / Segou / Bamako. (Private drive 3 hours)

This morning we visit Segou Koro, the ancient capital of the Bambara Empire. Visit the cemetery of Biton Coulibaly (the first King of Segou-Koro who protected the village against attacks from the Europeans during the slave trade. Also visit two ancient mosques, one built by his mother and one by him. We will return to Segou where we spend the rest of the morning visiting the local artisans and Boubacar Doumbia’s mud cloth atelier. (Each participant will have a hands on experiment in the making of “Mud Cloth “). After lunch we drive 230 kms (approx 3 hours) to reach Bamako in time for early evening dinner.

Overnight: The Hotel Salam. (B,L,D)

Sun Dec 12: Bamako / Manding / Bamako.

Today we embark on a full day visit to the villages of Doliba and Kangaba with packed lunch. Return this afternoon to Bamako and our hotel.

Overnight: The Hotel Salam. (B,L,D)

Mon Dec 13: Bamako.

Today is a well deserved day at leisure in the capital. Last chance to set out exploring the city and shop for curios or perhaps visit some other fascinating sight that caught your eye. Tonight we leave for the airport at 12 pm midnight. Our rooms are reserved for late check out.

Overnight: The Hotel Salam. (B,L,D)

Tue Dec 14: Bamako / Casablanca. (AT 522 3:25am / 7:00am)

Casablanca / New York. (AT # 200 12noon / 3:30pm)

This morning we transfer to the airport for our flight to Casablanca. On arrival early this morning at Casablanca make your own connection to the flight to New York.

Included in the MALI tour costs are the following:

• Domestic airfare within Mali as per itinerary in coach class.
• Hotels as listed including taxes.
• Meals as listed in the itinerary. B = Continental Breakfast, L = Typical Lunch, D = Dinner.
• All transfers within Mali by an air conditioned bus.
• All sightseeing within Mali by an air conditioned bus including any entrance fees to monuments that are listed in the program.
• All boat excursions.
• All baggage handling once cleared airports.

Not included are the following:

• Other meals not listed, beverages during meals or the purchase of mineral water, soft drinks etc; laundry, departure taxes listed separately, travel insurance, visa and visa fees, inoculations, gratuities and items of a personal nature.
• International airfare.

Costs: Land and domestic air tour in Mali - $3100

We have a special airfare of $ 1100 per person round trip coach class to Bamako Mali departing from JFK airport on Nov 30^th 2004 and return Dec 14th. Taxes are approximately $ 100 per person additional. This is a group airfare with minimum of 15 guests and must be booked by November 1, 2003 in order for this quote to remain effective. This fare is with Royal Air Maroc which travels through Morocco. The timing of these flights results in a full day in Morocco on the way over to Mali. If anyone wishes to go into town, the costs for a day room and transfers in Casablanca are $ 150 per person additional. If you do not wish to use this airfare, then each person needs to arrive in Bamako Mali on Dec 1, 2004. (Air France is another carrier servicing this route and you may wish to inquire about airfares for them).