Burkina Faso & Mali ~
Timbuktu, An Adventure to Legendary West Africa
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West Africa has long held the imagination of adventurers and explorers who sought the immeasurable wealth in gold, ivory and slaves or for the fabled riches of the Songhai Empire whose capital was legendary Timbuktu. Intrepid men such as Mungo Park searched for the Niger River, while Rene Caillie and Heinrich Barth traveled in disguise to Timbuktu. Many others attempted these journeys, but only few returned. Little has changed and West Africa today is still an exotic land of colorful and vibrant tribesmen and ancient traditions, of animism and Islam and where all living creatures admit their weakness to the Sahara. Lost Frontiers’ West Africa program will provide you with an intimate and unforgettable experience with nomads, warriors, fetish priests and with the exotic world in which they live.
Lost Frontiers will take you across Bukina Faso into Mali, from the intricately decorated homes of the Gourunsi, the mud fortresses of the Lobi people and to the animistic Dogon and their spectacular cliff dwellings and art. We will trek to where fetish priests guard ancient Tellem graves and spectacular Dogon dancers perform ritually for their spirit gods. Our route also takes us to the magnificent Grande Mosque of Djenne on market day where thousands of colorfully dressed people from all over the region meet to barter and buy spices, food or salt from mines deep within the desert. We will travel to the river town of Mopti where we embark on pinasses to track the course of the mighty Niger to our final destination in Timbuktu. This is truly a memorable adventure of a lifetime.
Itinerary
Day 01
Arrive in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Hotel.
Day 02
Drive to Tiebele and Gourunsi tribe, Camping.
Day 03, 04
Drive across southern Burkina Faso for Lobi tribe visits, Camping.
Day 05
Bobo Dioulasso, colonial capital and artisan markets, Hotel.
Day 06
Bobo Dioulasso, visits to Soudanese Mosque, Bobo tribes, Hotel.
Day 07
Drive through Bobo country to Ouaihigouya, Hotel.
Day 08, 09
Lowland Dogon tribe and Biandiagara Cliff dwellings of Dogon and ancient Tellem, Camping.
Day 10
Trek Tellem burial sites, visit fetish village, Hotel.
Day 11
Djenne for Monday market and largest Soudanese mosque in the world. Fulani village visit, drive to Mopti, Hotel.
Day 12
Mopti town visit, market and craftsmen, Niger River, Hotel.
Day 13, 14, 15
River voyage to Timbuktu past Bozo and Fulani encampments. Camping.
Day 16
Timbuktu. Visit market, ancient mosque and museum. Traditional dinner with musicians. Hotel.
Day 17
Morning flight to Bamako, rest and evening departure for home.
Departures: Please call for dates
Prices:
Please call us at 1.888.508.2454 for the latest prices