Travel philosophy | The "plus" of this tour | Itinerary | Travel conditions | Accommodation and meals | Insurance |
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Travel philosophy



This cruise is your invitation to meet the people of the river and discover their ancestral expertise: Bozo fishermen, Peul shepherds, potters and craftsmen...

Aboard a long traditional pirogue (dug-out canoe), called a pinasse by the Malians, we travel through the pages of history to the rhythm of the majestic Niger river. We sail along in a grandiose, natural setting, discovering changing landscapes: white dunes, desert beaches, hanging villages, savannahs lined with trees or verdant marshland.

We cross very different cultural areas, of the ancient Empires and medieval city-states. Their names evoke a prestigious past: the Ghana empire (3rd to 10th c.), the Mali empire (11th c.), the Songhoi empire (15th c.), the Toucouleur d'El Hadj Omar and Samory Toure empires (17th-19th c.), the Bambara kingdom of Segou, Kenedougou and the Peuls of Macina. Their eras, thus that of the legendary Soundiata Keita, are still sung today by the Griots (traditional historians and musicians) that we cross along the way.
The "plus" of this tour
A river cruise week!
2 listed world cultural heritage sites
A night in the desert
Itinerary
  Saturday | Arrival in Bamako
Evening reception at Bamako international airport, transfer to the Sofitel L'AmitiÈ hotel or River Lodge, on the banks of the Niger river. Information meeting and dinner.
 
Sunday | Segou, capital of the Bambara kingdom
In the morning we visit the Bamako National Museum then leave the capital after lunch. Our trip in a 4x4 takes is through the savannah, from village to village before our arrival in Segou, the political centre of the ancient Bambara kingdom. Lunch in town and a tour of a traditional Karite butter factory worked exclusively by women. Dinner and night in an encampment-hotel of exotic charm.
 
Monday | Koa: our first port of call
Our cruise by pinasse begins… We head northwards, to discover the villages of the Bozo fishermen, Peul breeders and Bambara farmers. After a picnic on the shady banks, we arrive in the village of Koa in the afternoon. Bivouac and night on the banks of the Niger river.
 
Tuesday | Koa-Djenne
We continue our cruise that leads is to the villager of Kouakrou where we stop off for lunch. In the afternoon, a 4x4 takes us to Djenne, the twin city of timbuktu. We cross through several villages before making our way to town where dinner awaits us, then spend the night in the encampment-hotel.
 
Wednesday | The great mosque of Djenne
Tour of the town: markets and ancient monuments. The splendour of the biggest mosque in banco has earned it its place on the list of Unesco historical sites. After lunch, we return to the pirogues and continue our journey back through time, en route for the imperial cities. At the end of the day, we bivouac on the banks, on the outskirts of Mopti.
 
Thursday | Mopti, The Venice of Sudan
We visit the town surrounded by water, stroll through its markets and meet its craftsmen. At the end of the day we enjoy an aperitif on the banks of the Niger, to savour all the beauty of the setting sun. Then we dine and spend the night at a hotel of exotic charm.
 
Friday | Mopti-Guidio
We continue our river journey by pinasse. It is on the river that we see Bozo fishermen tirelessly casting their nets and Nomad shepherds guiding their herds. We arrive in Guidio and our encampment at the end of the day: at the foot of the cliff, at entry to the majestic Lake Debo.
 
Saturday | Lake Debo: the inland delta of the Niger
We arrive at the heart of lake Debo, a true inland sea in Mali. A picnic lunch in the middle of the vastness: white dunes, the golden reflections of the sun and island villages... all working together to create a sparkling panorama of light. Dinner and bivouac on the edge of Waki.
 
Sunday | En route to the city of sand
Our seventh day takes us, at the rhythm of historical villages, to the port of Timbuktu. We arrive at the gates of the desert where we sleep on the dunes, like the blue men. A spit-roasted lamb dinner with music and bivouac under traditional Tuareg tents.
 
Monday | Mysterious Timbuktu
Walk around the imperial city, in search of history and knowledge. Tour of the historical monuments and libraries, meeting with a historian who enlightens us about Timbuktu Bilad al Soudan, its prestige and its fall. Lunch, dinner and night in a hotel.
 
Tuesday | SÈvarÈ
On board our 4x4 we head to Sevare, that awaits us at the end of the day. Dinner and night in a hotel.
 
Wednesday | Back to Bamako
We start our return trip to the capital where we arrive in the afternoon. A picnic lunch along the way under the shade of the mango trees. Late afternoon and dinner at the Sofitel hotel before transfer to Bamako international airport.

 
Travel conditions

This tour accommodates a group of no more than 10 people. The pinasses are equipped for your comfort, with roof to shelter you from the sun, cold drinks, mattress for resting, etc.

By car, you travel in a comfortable air-conditioned 4x4, systematically checked to ensure technical performance and cleanliness.

You travel with our guide, a specialist when it comes to river life. The pinassiers, our cook and his assistant, together with our experienced drivers (for transfers by car) accompany you.

Note: certain times of the year the river is not navigable from Bamako to Mopti. In this case, the cruise begins at Mopti (instead of Segou). A comfortable coach takes us on our Bamako-Mopti journey. The sites to be visited remain the same (stops at Segou and Djenne).
Accommodation and meals

Riverside offers you high-quality accommodations. The rest-stops are organised in optimal conditions of comfort:

We alternate your nights between hotels and encampments.
The hotels we have selected are known for their quality or their typicality.
Our encampments are simply laid out, combining comfort and authenticity.
We set a premium on the pleasure of eating: meals and buffets are prepared on site by our Malian chef (African and international menu). Beverages and music are at your disposal for a festive atmosphere.
Insurance

Repatriation insurance, obligatory when purchasing your holiday, covers the organisation of any health-related treatment and care you may require, along with your eventual repatriation during the course of your holiday.

Prices

12 days / 11 nights, full-board accommodation, outside of airline ticket

2620 € per person

Individual travel (single room and tent): +220 euros
20% discount for children -12

The price includes: transport by air-conditioned 4x4, hotel and encampment accommodations (room or double tent), full board and mineral water during meals at the Riverside encampment, supervision and assistance of the specialised team (multilingual guide, private cook), visits mentioned and eventual entry fees, transfers and local air transport, tourist taxes and visitor tax.

The price does not include: international flights and airport taxes, insurance (medical, repatriation, lost baggage and cancellation costs), extras, drinks and mineral water in hotels and restaurants, extras and beverages additional to those served with meals at the Riverside encampment.

Groups from 4 to 10 people.
The price is the same and departures are ensured whatever the number of participants.
Schedule

The Niger river is navigable 8 months of the year. Our Trips are organised during the months of July, August, September, October, November, December, January.

Departure from Paris every Saturday, return from Bamako the following Saturday.
Information and reservation
contact@riverside-mali.com

Tel. +(33) 01 42 39 88 74


RIVER TREKKING - TOURS OFF THE BEATEN PATH - COMPANIES & INCENTIVES - MALI A LA CARTE
 

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