Mali, Guinea and Senegal - A Journey through West Africa

Itinerary

Day 1 – Bamako
Arrive in Bamako and transfer to your hotel. Depending on your time of arrival, there may be time to explore the city. Overnight Hotel Plaza or similar.

Day 2 – Siguiri
Drive west towards the Mande Mountains. We take a short hike to discover the site where in the 12th century the Mali Empire was founded. We visit a natural stone arch, and then cross the border into Guinea and head for the town of Siguiri, on the banks of the Niger River. Overnight Hotel Manden or similar.

Days 3-4 – Kerouane - Ziama
Spend two days travelling through stunning landscapes of plateaux, mountains and valleys, stopping off to visit villages en route. We will be given an authentic welcome by the villagers here, who rarely see foreign travellers. At Bissandougou we are welcomed by the village chief under the ‘palaver tree’, a gigantic kapok tree that with its dense foliage protects the place of the market in the centre of the village. Bissandougou was the capital of the Islamic and warrior kingdom of Samory Touré, beaten after long years of war by the French colonial army. In the south, after Kerouane, the landscape starts changing from savannah to forest. Overnight bush camps. (BLD)

Day 5 – Ziama
Continue our discovery of this region by exploring the forest, complete with enormous bridges made from lianas and an old abandoned villa. The track crosses steep mountains and sometimes we have to move tree trunks from the road in order to get through. Overnight bush camp. (BLD)

Day 6 – Kissidougou
The forest of Ziama is inhabited by the Toma, who live in this region on the border between Guinea and Liberia. In one of their villages, we will attend a ceremony of sacred masks. We travel in the border regions of Sierra Leone and Liberia – the land of the Kissi. The Kissi tribe are known for their cult of stone idols, mysteriously found in the forest. Kissidougou (Kissi town) has a small but interesting museum, with ritual objects of the region. Overnight Hotel Savannah or similar. (BLD)

Days 7-8 – Fouta Djalon
We travel from the forest to the savannah, crossing the Niger River before reaching the mountains of the Fouta Djalon. The Fouta Djalon is the most famous and spectacular area of Guinea: mountains, plateau and savannah are interspersed with deep humid valleys, and in the hollow of the valleys rice farms sit on the edge of the forest, with rivers and waterfalls combing to make a stunning landscape. We visit Fulani villages and learn about their culture, meeting a local chief and his elders who will explain the customs and history of their people. Overnight Hotel du Fouta or similar. (BLD)

Day 9 – Tamgue Mountain - Mali
We head to Tamgué Mountain, the most remote part of Fouta Djalon. Climbing mountains, forests and plateaus, a reddish track will bring us to discover small villages with traditional architecture, surrounded by bamboo enclosures with small entrances to allow zebus, goats and sheep through. The inhabitants are particularly friendly and proud of their customs and are happy to show us their houses. In the afternoon we arrive at the village of Mali – at 1400 metres it is the highest human settlement in Guinea. From there we make an excursion will to the peak of Loura mountain, the highest in the region at 1538 metres. Overnight bush camp. (BLD)

Day 10 – Segou
Descend the northern side of the Fouta Djalon, travelling from 1500 to 150 metres in altitude. The track bears closer resemblance to a dry river bed than to a regular road: a real challenge for our 4x4s and for the drivers. The beauty of the landscape, the isolation of villages and the magical encounters that we hope to have along the way more than compensate for the difficulty of the route. Our final destination is the border post of Segou, in a remote region of Senegal. Overnight bush camp. (BLD)

Day 11 – Chimpanzee tracking - Kedougou
In this regions, on the slopes of the Fouta Djalon, live some of the last groups of chimpanzees in West Africa – accompanied by local rangers we search for these magnificent animals. Later we transfer to the small town of Kedougou, and have time in the afternoon to relax around the hotel pool, with its restaurant overlooking the Gambia River. Overnight Hotel Le Bedick or similar. (BLD)

Days 12-13 - Bedick and Bassari tribes
Two days discovering the most remote tribes of Senegal. Protected by mountains and rivers, on the border between Senegal and Guinea, we find the last animist tribes of the country, the Bedick and Bassari, who have maintained their traditional culture and religion in the face of an ever encroaching Islamic presence. After a short hike to the Bedick village of Iwol, we then travel to a Bassari village where we spend the night – a unique insight into a fascinating ethnic group. On Day 13 we return to Kedougou. One night bush camp, one night Hotel Le Bedick or similar. (BLD)

Day 14 – Manantali
Travel back to the border with Mali. We cross the Faleme River to reach the least visited part of Mali, following small tracks past the Tambaoura cliff, through canyons, rocky foothills and beautiful adobe villages. The inhabitants, Fulani and Malinke, will be happy to welcome ‘unusual’ visitors coming to discover their villages. Overnight Cite Cadre or similar. (BLD)

Day 15 – Manantali – Bozo villages
We have a half day cruise on the 60km lake created by the Manantali dam. The water, rich in fish, has attracted Bozo (entirely devoted to fishing), who have built villages all around the lake, some of which we will visit. In the afternoon we visit the dam, which produces power for three African capitals and are shown around by the engineers based here. . Overnight Cite Cadre or similar. (BLD)

Day 16 - Bamako
Transfer back to Bamako where we have time for a short visit of the city. Day use rooms are available until your onward flight. (B)