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Senegal and Mali  Mariama Ludovic de Lys, Directrice WEST AFRICA TOURS BP E 1642 , Bako-Djicoroni Tel : (221)77 510 15 58/ (223) 20 28 8157 Fax: (223) 20 28 52 32 BAMAKO /MALI www.Touringmali.com INTRODUCTION   Between Senegal and Mali, Senegal is undoubtedly known as the most touristic country in West Africa. It has the advantage of an extraordinary ecosystem owing to its position on the junction of the oceanic, desert and tropical climates. From the pure sand beaches to the borders of the savanna, and from the rainy Fouta Djalon foothills to the edge of the Sahara desert, there is very varied scenery in Senegal: More than 30 nature reserves and national parks, astonishing lagoons and beaches as pretty the ones as the others. Beyond this natural beauty one will also discover the typical colonial architecture of its towns Dakar and Saint Louis "the Eternal town" which knew to preserve their authenticity. We cannot visit Senegal without remembering the Goree Island with its history deeply marked by the sad slave trade… You will then cross the border to go into the neighboring country, Mali which gathers some historical cities (Djenne, Timbuktu, Mopti…) and one of most astonishing people in Africa "The Dogon". They cut off since from the centuries to the chaotic universe of cliffs of Bandiagara as in a fortress and they knew to safeguard their culture which is deeply influenced by a single cosmogony. This trip mixes nature and culture and we invite you through it to experience the hidden charm of the authentic Africa.   DETAILED PROGRAM Day 1: DAKAR Arrival, reception by our staff and transfer to the hotel. Check in, dinner and overnight.   Day 2: DAKAR / GOREE / DAKAR Breakfast and transfer to Goree landing stage. You will take the ferry to join the island of Goree within 30 minutes of crossing. Goree, far from 4 km around Dakar, is a pleasant island loaded with history and marked by the sad slave trade. Highlights: - Visit of the House of the Slaves museum - Stroll through the nice alleys of the island lined with houses which date colonial time, trails round on the cliff of the island: the Mansion or one can see the Monument of the Memorial Gore Almadies and the market. Lunch. After the lunch we will visit the Fort of Estree which shelters the historic museum. Return to Dakar by the ferry. Arrival followed with a visit of the various centres of interest of the capital: the Cathedral of the African Recollection with its architecture of Byzantine style, the Presidential Palace with her red guards, the place of the Independence with its buildings of colonial style which compete with the modern high rises, is in fact the business centre of Dakar, the railway station and its typical market in spices. Passage in front of the big mosque of Dakar, with its impressive minarets groups together (includes) thousands of believers on every Friday. Visit of Soumbedioune's craft village where you will find all the corporate bodies (basket makers, sculptors, weavers' jeweller's leather workers etc.) Drive back to the hotel. Dinner and overnight hotel.     Day 3: DAKAR / PINK LAKE / SAINT LOUIS Breakfast and depart to the site of the Lake Retba commonly called pink lake "Lac Rose" The pink lake is the point of arrival of Paris-Dakar. Each of years, from the thousands of visitors comes to attend the event. The extraordinary colour of water of this lake is due to rock salt with which they are charged. Located around thirty kilometres of Dakar, the Pink Lake is a natural curiosity, surrounded of dunes, palm trees and of filaos; it owes its colour with microscopic algae which oxidize the iron contained in salted water. Highlights:   - According to the hours of the day, the colour of the lake passes by all the nuances of the pink, of clearest the most supported with the mauve in end afternoon. - Stroll in 4x4 trucks around the Lake with stop and visit of the collectors of salt, - Continuation of the stroll in the dunes of sand, and at the edge of the beach. Lunch Relaxation at the edge of the swimming pool and continuation to Saint Louis at the end of the day. Dinner and overnight hotel. Day 4: SAINT LOUIS Breakfast and go for the visit of Saint Louïs Island. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Highlights: - Colonial houses - The Governor Palace and Faidherbe Place - the law courts - the fishermen villages and Guet Ndar fish market Back to the hotel. Leisurely time. Dinner and overnight at hotel   Day 5: DJOUDJ NATIONAL PARK / DAKAR Breakfast and depart for the national park of Djoudj. Located in a desert area this park is the third biggest ornithological park of the world. From November to March it gathers more than 3 billion birds coming from all around the world. In a motorized boat we will discover this spectacular park. Lunch and depart to Dakar. Dinner and overnight at hotel.   Day 6: DAKAR / BAMAKO Assistance for police and customs formalities and transfer to the hotel - 02h00 Breakfast and depart to Bamako. Arrival to Bamako International airport. Welcome by your guide and transfer to the hotel. Briefing with the guide Lunch or/and dinner according to the time of arrival. Overnight at hotel. Day 7: BAMAKO / SEGOU Road with 4x4; 250 Km: 04h00 + 01h00 lunch stop Breakfast and depart to Segou. Visit to Bambara and Bobo villages on road. Discovering of traditional ways of production of shea butter. Arrival to Segou, check-in at hotel. Lunch. In the afternoon we will have a short city tour including the pottery market along the Niger River banks and the « Colonial Quarter ». Admire the beautiful Sudanese-style colonial architecture and visit the local art galleries. Dinner and overnight at hotel. Day 8: SEGOU / BANDIAGARA Road by 4x4 - 380 Km: 06h30 Breakfast and depart to Dogon Country. Across the Sahel heading to Bandiagara, we will have our lunch on route and visit Songho, a Dogon village famous for its series of symbolic carvings in a cave used for traditional circumcision ceremonies. Travel a short distance to Bandiagara. Arrival and check-in at hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel. Day 9: BANDIAGARA / KANI / TELI / ENDE / BANDIAGARA Path road: A/R 80 Km- 01H30 +Visiting: 01H30 Early breakfast and transfer to the Dogon cliff for a full day sightseeing. Visit to Kani Kombolé village. See its beautiful small mosque. At Telly you will probably be impressed by the particular architecture of this village. Picnic lunch followed with visit of Ende. Meet the village chief and elders. Drive back to Bandiagara at the end of the day. Dinner and overnight at hotel.   Day 10: BANDIAGARA / DAGA / TIRELI / BANANI / SANGHA Trekking: 08 Km-03h00 - 04h00 Breakfast followed with your transfer with 4x4 to Daga. Today will require a bit of walking and stamina as we visit the picturesque Dogon villages along the World Heritage listed Bandiagara cliffs like Ireli, Amani and Banani…These villages are small and built out of local stone, again with the granaries being topped by thatched roofs…   "Prepare: hats for the sun, good walking shoes for the escarpments, comfortable clothes, small bag, sunglasses & water" During your trek towards the Dogon villages along the Bandiagara cliffs , you will see the «impure women's» house, the tellem caves, and the fetish altar of the Hogon (The Dogon people's traditional and religious leader), … As we walk from village to village we will get a good insight into lives of the Dogon as well as an appreciation for their arts and crafts… Pic-nic lunch at Banani. Continuation to Sangha , the cultural capital of Dogon Country. Before entering to Sangha, we will visit the Dogon Traditional Devin who conformly to the tradition still predicts the future to Dogon people…and visitors. We will then admire the Dogon masks dance. Dogon dancers are world-renowned and often consist of dances on stilts while wearing broad-brimmed hats and amazing facial decorations. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.   Day 11: SANGHA / NIONGONO / NANDO / DJENNE Path road: 150 Km- 04H00 +Visiting: 02H00 Breakfast and depart to Djenne. On route visit to Dogon villages located on the plateau, like Niongono village, located on a peak and Nando village with its small mosque, the only mud-made structure in the village. Picnic lunch at Nando and continuation to Djenne. Arrival followed with a visit to the museum. Check-in at hotel, Dinner and overnight.   Day 12: DJENNE / MOPTI Road: 130 Km- 02H00 Breakfast followed with the city tour. Sites to visit and to see: - The town Sudanese 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, - the market place… Most of the time this place is quiet but on Monday which is the market day, this place is packed with traders and customers coming from villages all around. This market has its origin back in medieval time. The barter economy is still used. Depart to Mopti after your lunch. Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.   Day 13: MOPTI / KONNA / MOPTI Sailing day on the Niger River + transfer with 4x4: 55 Km: 01h00 Breakfast and embark on a motorised riverboat for one day sailing on the Niger River. During the sailing you will visit Bozo fishermen's villages and nomadic Fulani camps along the way. Lunch on board. Arrival to Konna harbour and transfer to Mopti for the city tour: - the lively fishing harbor on the Bani River where you can still find slabs of salt for sale in a continuation of an age-old trade between Morocco and Mali ; - the artisans' souks with traditional traders offering a variety of locally-produced commodities and beautiful artfacts; - the traditional boat factory, the beautiful Sudanese-style mosque of Komoguel, and the bustling local market. Dinner in a typical restaurant of the town and overnight at the hotel.   Day 14: MOPTI / SEGOU Road 405 Km - 06h00 Breakfast and depart to Segou. Arrival, check-in at hotel and lunch. Free time to visit art galleries for last minutes purchases. Dinner and overnight at hotel.   Day 15: SEGOU / BAMAKO /DEPARTURE Track + road: 320 Km - 06h00 Breakfast and depart to Bamako. Fifteen minutes from Segou, stop to visit Ségoukoro 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. Continuation to Bamako, arrival followed with lunch and the city tour: -visit to the market; the artisan's and the fetish market. -the National museum (closed on Monday) with it's over 4000 pieces relating the history of Mali people. You can see: Some traditional masks as well as funeral objects and handicrafts… -The panoramic point of view from "Point G" hill. Back to the hotel, free time. Dinner and transfer to the airport for your final departure.