 Saturday: |
Depart
from JFK - New York at midnight for overnight flight to Mali. |
| Sunday: |
Arrive
in Bamako at 2:20 PM and transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight in Bamako. |
| Monday: |
Depart
for Segou, arriving before noon. After lunch, explore the town with visits
to the Grand Mosque, the Market and the artisans who make carpets and mud-cloth.
Overnight in Segou. |
| Tuesday:
|
Travel
north along the Niger River to Mopti - 'The Venice of Mali', arriving before
noon. Transfer to hotel and lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Market,
the Harbor and take a sunset priogue canoe trip on the Niger. Overnight
in Mopti. |
| Wednesday:
|
Morning
departure for Bandiagara and the land of the Dogon people. Arrive in the
Dogon village of Songha at noon. After lunch, tour the village and witness
a cultural performance of Dogon masked dancers. Late afternoon - return
to Mopti. Dinner and overnight in Mopti. |
| Thursday:
|
Morning
departure for Djenne, the sister city of Timbuktu. Lunch at the Auberge
and afternoon visits to the Grande Mosque (the largest ever built in the
'Sudanese style'), old quarters of the city and the archeology digs. Late
afternoon return to Mopti. Overnight in Mopti. |
| Friday:
|
A full
day in Mopti: Go shopping in the markets, take a pirogue trip down the
Niger to visit island villages of the Fulani, Peul and Bozo people. See
Africa's only Bead Museum and visit the workshops of Tuareg and Bambara
gold and silver smiths. Overnight in Mopti. |
| Saturday: |
Morning
departure by road for Bamako, stopping for lunch along the way. Transfer
to hotel in late afternoon and enjoy a dinner with a cultural performance
of Mali music and dance. Overnight in Bamako. |
| Sunday:
|
A full
day at leisure in Bamako to explore more of the city, visit the Museum
and bargain for souvenirs with merchants at craft markets. After an early
dinner, depart for the airport to board the flight back to New York, leaving
at 9:00 PM. |
| Monday: |
Arrive
at JFK - New York at 8:00 AM |
