Timbuktu, Dogon Country and Beyond

For even the most seasoned traveler, Mali is a cultural and scenic bolt from the blue. It’s one of the most photogenic places in Africa, where the great Niger River courses mightily through hundreds of miles of savanna and desert. Our cultural adventure brings us deep into Mali as we journey by private boat on the Niger River, explore ancient riverside markets, and discover the lost world of the Dogons, keepers of an animist civilization celebrated in spirited mask dances that we have the privilege to witness. We also explore atmospheric Saharan caravan hubs including medieval Djenne, with its sand-castle mosque, and the fabled outpost of Timbuktu, a town whose very name symbolizes remoteness. Mali’s kaleidoscope of ethnicities is one of its delights, from blue-robed Tuareg nomads to turbaned Fulani traders and Bozo fishing tribes, and we enjoy extraordinary cultural interactions every day.

Itinerary at a Glance

Days 1-3
Bamako, Mali / Segou

From Bamako, a scenic drive along the Niger brings us to the pretty riverside town of Segou, a former French colonial outpost. En route, we visit countryside villages with tiny mud-brick mosques.

Days 4-5
Niger River Expedition

We board our private local-style open boat and journey down the great Niger River, Mali’s life-giving source and one of its main trade routes. Scenes along the river are ever changing: by day we visit villages with beautiful adobe architecture of fanciful design, and at night we camp along the sandy shores.

Days 6-7
Djenne / Mopti

From the bustling river port of Mopti, we visit medieval Djenne, a market town whose magnificent “sand castle” mosque of adobe is a masterwork of Sudanic-style architecture.

Days 8-12
Dogon Country / Mopti

The ancient villages of the Dogon people are hidden in the folds of a craggy escarpment. Each day we hike to villages of splendid traditional architecture, meet esteemed clan elders, and witness a dama dance, an energetic tribute to the Dogon ancestors. On Day 12 we return to Mopti to explore its fascinating open-air market along the Niger.

Days 13-15
Timbuktu

Timbuktu is home of the Tuaregs, a nomadic people of Berber descent. We visit a Tuareg settlement for a sunset camel ride and to hear the singing of Tuareg women, with dinner under the starry Sahara sky. Depart Timbuktu on Day 15, or join our Burkino Faso Extension.

What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated Level 3, moderate. Although this trip is not particularly rigorous, it does involve day hikes, camping, and getting off and on a small boat (on the Niger River portion of the trip). There are two nights of camping in Dogon country and three nights along the river. The shape you are in will be an important factor in your enjoyment of your trip. Please note that you will be visiting a country where there has not been a lot of tourism. Accommodations for parts of the trip are in "best available" hotels. Although there are private bathrooms in the hotel rooms, at times you must expect cold-water showers. The food served in our hotels and at our camps will be nourishing but may not have much flair or variety, due to limited resources. Quite often, air schedules are altered and new government regulations are implemented suddenly. We ask that you bring flexibility and a spirit of adventure to this unique journey, and take pleasure in the knowledge that you will be visiting two fascinating countries that are not highly touristed.

Dogon country hikes are rated 4. Participants should be fit and healthy and prepared to walk for approximately four hours a day in dry, hot conditions in Dogon country. Although the hiking distance covered is moderate (about six miles a day), there is a good bit of walking up and down over rock trails because most of the villages are nestled into a steep escarpment. There are plenty of opportunities to stop and rest, and breaks are taken during the hottest part of the day. Our Dogon porters are available to assist with daypacks if needed.

Please note: For trip members who don’t want to participate in the hikes while we’re in Dogon country, we can arrange transport by car (or possibly motorbike, donkey, or bullock-cart, depending on availability) and alternate activities such as village tours while the others are hiking.

Camping Conditions: Camping style is basic but comfortable. We use family camping tents (two persons per tent). Sleeping pads are provided, but trip members must bring their own sleeping bags (rated to 35ºF). For added comfort, some trip members may want to bring their own Therm-a-Rest pads. A solar shower and toilet tent are provided at camps in Dogon country. Our camp cooks prepare simple but nourishing meals. Lunch is usually a cold assortment with bread, salad, cold cuts, sardines, tuna, and cheese. Dinner is usually soup, a main dish, and a dessert. Tea, coffee, and bottled water are supplied for drinking at camps and throughout the trip. At the Niger River camps, we may help to pitch our own tents because we have just a small camp crew with us.

The Niger River Boat: We travel the river on a local-style open boat, about 40-50 feet long, with a motor at the rear. It is very basic, but allows us the opportunity to travel and explore along the river. We sit on rows of forward-facing wooden benches covered with foam mats. A large canopy provides us with shade. There is an open galley behind the passenger section where our cook prepares meals for us, and there is a small, very basic outhouse at the back of the boat. It can actually be quite chilly on board when the boat is motoring along the river, so bring layers for warmth.

Explanation of Trip Levels