West Africa Expedition

You will be met on arrival at Bamako International Airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of today is free for you to spend as you wish. Mali's capital is full of interesting places.  There are often excellent live music acts in the city during the weekend, with esteemed artists such as Salif Keita, Bassekou Kouyate and Toumani Diabaté regularly playing. The lively Rue de Bla Bla also offers an eclectic mix of restaurants and bars.

Meals: None

In the morning we enjoy a city tour of Bamako that includes the Grande Marché – a veritable rabbit warren of food, clothing and household goods stalls, spread over several city blocks. While not for the faint-hearted, a visit to the fetish stalls is sure to guarantee unforgettable and bizarre sightings. Visit the exceptional Musée National (National Museum), with its stunning collection of masks, textiles and ancient artifacts. Set amid tranquil, leafy grounds, the museum is an excellent introduction into Malian life and also houses a wonderful bookshop and restaurant. Your operator in Mali supports the Mali Initiative Projects, which co-ordinates a series of programs aimed at improving the quality of life for the many disadvantaged people and communities. High on the agenda is education and schooling. You will travel out to the village of Kalabankoro and observe one of the projects at work before being escorted to a home where you get to enjoy a home-cooked meal with a local family. This is a unique opportunity for cross-cultural interaction and is sure to be a memorable encounter as you may well find that the local people are as curious about us as we are about them!

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today you fly from Bamako to Timbuktu (Tombouctou) and spend your first day there taking a walking tour with your local guide who generously shares  the secrets of this unique frontier town. We visit the three oldest mosques in west Africa - the Sankoré, Dyingerey Ber and Sidi Yahiya Mosques. Your walking tour also takes us to the early European explorers’ houses, the Ethnological Museum and the main market. You also visit the Ahmed Baba Centre, where you can view ancient manuscripts that have survived since the 13th and 14th centuries. Dinner this evening is enjoyed at a local, atmospheric restaurant overlooking the Timbuktu nightscape.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning you are free to make our own discoveries around this fabled town that is perched right on the edge of the Sahara Desert. At the Grande Marché one can get quality leather sandals hand-cobbled in a couple of hours at the artisan market, use the internet facilities at Timbuktu High or buy your very own indigo turban like those worn by the Tuareg people; excellent for keeping the dust at bay on our journey. As dusk falls, venture into the desert by means of the quintessential desert vehicle - the camel. A 5-kilometre camel trek over the dunes takes you to a Tuareg camp, where you have the opportunity to mingle and drink tea with these nomadic people, dine on a traditional meal and be entertained by traditional drumming and dancing.  4WD vehicles then take you back to Timbuktu for the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Driving time: approx 2 hours)
This morning catch a flight to the river port town of Mopti, situated at the confluence of the Niger and Bani Rivers. Here you can see the big slabs of salt that come from the far north, carried across the Sahara Desert by the Tuareg camel caravans to Timbuktu where they are loaded on to 'pinasses' (large traditional canoes) and sailed down the Niger River to Mopti to be bought and sold. You also see the many different faces of Mali selling and buying in the market – Peul, Bozo, Fulani, Dogon, Moors, Tuareg and Songhai. After enjoying a pinasse excursion on the Niger River, leave Mopti for a two-hour drive to Djenné. Djenné is the sister town of Timbuktu and one of the oldest towns in west Africa. It is built on an island in the Niger River Delta and you must take a ferry to get there. After checking into your hotel, there is the option to go on a walking tour to visit the famous Grand Mosque. The first mosque was built in 1280, when the 26th king, Djenné Were Koi Komboro, converted to Islam. The current mosque is estimated to be about 100 years old and each year its facade is replaced with fresh mud. Walk through the narrow, winding streets to see the beautiful architecture of the clay houses that make Djenné such a unique and original city. Djenné is a great place for self-discovery as you can just lose ourselves amid the winding alleyways. Watching the sun set over the impressive mosque from one of Djenné’s ancient rooftops is yet another experience to behold! Your accommodation in Djenné is quite basic, as you stay in a local 'campement' (simple hostel). The location of your 'campement' is unbeatable - it is in the heart of this fascinating town and one of only three located within the town walls.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Driving time: approx 4 hours)
Monday is market day and the most interesting day to visit Djenné. In the early part of the morning as the market is being set up, visit Djenné's small museum which houses the plan of Djenné-Djeno. This ancient settlement dated back to 250 BC and various artifacts that have been excavated are on display. Then visit the actual archaeological site, which is nearby. Afterwards return to Djenné to visit the colorful market, which should now be in full swing! This market sells an incredible array of goods from exotic fabrics to various spices, billy goats and watermelons. With the street stalls selling delectable local treats, this market is sure to dazzle all of your senses!

From here we continue to the unique Pays Dogon region where the vibrant local people still live as they have for centuries. With a 200-kilometre-long escarpment forming a stunning backdrop, this area is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its natural and cultural significance. It is still used extensively as a place of field study by anthropologists around the world. In the afternoon begin your trek by going down the escarpment and through a breathtaking gorge - Falaise de Bandiagara. This trek takes two to three hours, over rocky terrain and can at times be strenuous. However, the rewards are worthwhile as the glorious sands of the Sahel stretch before you to the horizon, as you descend the escarpment. A further walk on flat, sandy terrain (approximately 90 minutes) takes you to the Dogon villages, where you spend an unforgettable night sleeping on the rooftop of the chief's compound. Tents and or extremely basic rooms can be hired locally if preferred, but the normal practice is to sleep on mats on the roof. Although some of the village 'campements' do have shared shower blocks (cold water only!), it is not guaranteed that you will have access to showers for this night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

(Driving time: approx 4 hours including time at border)
You awake at first light by the resident roosters and donkeys - part of the Dogon experience! However, you will surely not mind as this gives you the opportunity to witness the early light of the sun bathing the rocky escarpment in a spectacular golden glow. You then trek among the northern Dogon villages, while viewing some of the best-preserved examples of the habitats of the Tellem and Dogon peoples. The trek is on flat, sandy ground and takes you through the surprisingly lush vegetable gardens of the Dogon people, who are particularly known for their onion exports to other parts of the country. After some time exploring the villages you are treated to the sights and sounds of the incredible Dogon Masked Dance ceremony – an energetic, ritualistic dance featuring elaborate masks and dancers on stilts. This is a performance that is truly a privilege to witness. The trek is not strenuous; however temperatures in the Dogon region can be quite high, so there is the option to take a ride on an ox or cow-cart between villages if  you chose to do so. After this enthralling encounter, continue on our journey by road and have lunch in a village before reaching the border with Burkina Faso. After completing border formalities, enter this new country and continue to Ouahigouya (pronounced waee-gee-ya), where you spend the night. Burkina Faso is a landlocked savannah country crossed by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red and White Voltas. Literally, 'Burkina' is translated 'Men of Integrity' from the Moré language. The Burkinabé, as the local population is known, belong to two major West African cultural groups - the Voltaic and the Mande. Making up one half of the population, the Voltaic Mossi people claim descent from warriors who migrated to present-day Burkina Faso from Ghana. Predominantly farmers today, the Voltaic Mossi kingdom is led by the Mogho Naba who still hold court in Ouagadougou. From its independence in 1960 until 1984, Burkina Faso was known by its colonial name - Upper Volta.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

West Africa is known for its eclectic, bustling and incredibly colorful marketplaces, none more fascinating than the unrivalled Gorom-Gorom Thursday market. The small village, in the far north-east of the country is in a true Sahel landscape – blistering temperatures, sandy terrain dotted with acacia trees and plenty of red dust! Each Thursday, diverse ethnic groups diverge on the market, from the Bella people who were the former slaves of the Tuareg to the Songhai farmers; from the striking Fulani women, adorned with heavy gold earrings to the unmistakable indigo-clad Tuareg nomads, who arrive by camel from the Sahara Desert. The market sells anything from camel milk and cola nuts to handcrafted leather sandals, elaborate African printed cotton and intricate Tuareg jewelry. Goats, camels, donkeys and cattle are all traded at the adjacent animal market. A feast for all the senses – the Gorom-Gorom market is sure to be a standout highlight!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Venturing further east, along the border with Niger, you visit a Songhai village near the small town of Markoye before departing on a 5 hour drive to Ouagadougou (pronounced waga-doo-goo), one of the cultural centers of West Africa. Ouagadougou has a population of approximately 1.5 million people and is the capital of Burkina Faso (which was known as Upper Volta up until the 1980s). The name Ouagadougou purportedly goes back to the 15th century where it was originally known as ''Sogomogobogoyogowogodogo'', meaning ''palace of the worshipful camel-faced bush boy where people get honor and respect''. It was later changes to “Wogodogo,” meaning simply ''where people get honor and respect.'' 

You arrive in the mid-afternoon and after checking into your hotel and refreshing yourself there is the opportunity to visit Ciao Village or get acquainted with the sights of ‘Ouaga’ and hopefully some of its inhabitants, known as “ouagalais”.

Meals: Breakfast

You depart Ouaga for 1.5-hour drive to Sabou, to visit the sacred crocodiles, with which the local people swim. 

Continuing into the verdant southwest corner of the country you reach Bobo Dioulasso. With free time in the afternoon you may wish to visit the Grand Marche, famous for being the crossroads of numerous tribes and displaying a great selection of tribal arts from all over West Africa. Or take a walk through the Kibidwe District for some fascinating people watching and an insight into the daily lives of the Kibidwe people. 

But no highlight in Bobo Dioulasso is greater than it music. The town is known as the music capital of Burkina Faso and on weekends it really comes alive! A melting pot of markets, music and nightlife, it’s rich in traditional music and an extraordinary blend of West African cultures. You will have the opportunity to wander down to local cafes and soak in the atmosphere and sample the local delicacy of ‘French fried caterpillars’, and perhaps head along to the Bolomakoté Cabaret, where people go to play percussion and traditional African instruments. There you can sample the local mijo beer and let yourself be carried away by the seductive African rhythms.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A further 2-hour drive takes you to Banfora, a sleepy town set in a lush green landscape surrounded by waterfalls and small lakes. Here you spend the afternoon visiting the wonderful attractions of the surrounding area. 

Sindou – its incredible rock formations are perfect for a short hike to witness the narrow 3 km chain of sandstone, occasionally crowned or hatted by more erosion-resistant pieces of rock. 

Lake Tengrela - home to more than 100 hippos, here you will also see local fishermen and a variety of birdlife. 

Karfiguela Waterfalls - worth the journey whatever the season, you will catch sight of them after making you way though a magnificent avenue of mango trees and a chaotic jumble of rocks.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you travel to Gaoua (210km SE of Bobo), located in the heart of Lobi country. This area is culturally distinctive and fascinating due to is unique architecture and preserved age-old traditions. Lobi homes are made with high brick mud walls and small slithers of windows, not unlike a miniature fortress. Not found in villages, these homes are built out in the fields, with a small family compound being up to several hundred meters from their neighbours. In these rural areas the Lobi are not used to foreigners, and may feel nervous. Please do not take any photos here without express permission. 

In the afternoon you visit the ancient stone ruins of Loropeni. These ruins are the best preserved of the larger Lobi Ruins. No one is sure of the origins of the stones, one theory being they were once a slave-palace for a Lobi king from antiquity, while another is that they were a fortified village, which stretched through a 18,600-square-kilometer cultural corridor shared by Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. 

At the end of the day you head back to Ouagadougou for an overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Heading east, you spend the day traveling to the third country on your expedition; Benin. This relatively small, club-shaped country was once home to one of the most powerful empires in West Africa, the Dahomey Kingdom, as well as being the traditional home of the voodoo religion. Musically, Benin's most famous export is the fabulous Angelique Kidjo who helped West Africa stamp its authority on the world music scene in the early 90s.

 Crossing just under 600km, and stopping for lunch along the way (own expense), your final destination is Pendjari Game Reserve. 

Located in the north-West corner of Benin, Pendjari Game Reserve is known for its abundance of wildlife, including elephants, monkeys, lions, hippopotamus, buffalo and antelope, but most prominently it is famous for its wide variety of birds. The isolation of the park creates a unique ecosystem, often described as one of the most interesting in West Africa. You visit the reserve for an evening game drive, which is the best time for viewing the wildlife.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

A short drive takes you to Natitingou by way of Tanougou Falls where you have the opportunity to take a refreshing swim. Natitingou is, located amid in the pleasant climate of the Atakora Mountains of northern Benin. Here you visit the remote Betamaribe people, who still hunt with bows and arrows and live in the middle of their cultivated fields, rather than in a village environment. Their small, fortress-like houses consist of 3 levels; ground floor for the animals; first floor for the kitchen; top floor for living space and sleeping.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Continuing south to Abomey (520km), you reach the ancient capital of the Dahomey Kingdom. Previously one of the greatest empires in West Africa. Here you visit the must-see restored Royal Palace and learn about the incredible history of the Fon Kings. Illustrating the gory history of Dahomey, the exhibits include graphic tapestries of war and Ghezo’s throne which is mounted on the skulls of his four enemies.
 
This evening you will experience the unique Dance Geledin des Fons – put on by the local  Yoroba and Fon people, and known for its vibrant color and costumes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A short 2 hour drive brings you to the lake village of Ganvie where you take a 'pirogue', a traditional West African fisherman’s boat out on to the lake.
 
The afternoon is then spent driving the coastal highway, passing through small villages dotted with white flags identifying voodoo practitioners. Our final destination for the day is Grand Popo Beach. 

Especially relaxed for a tourist destination, Grand Popo Beach is stunning and clean. With 2 nights here there is plenty of time to relax in the shade of coconut groves and watch the waves after a few substantial days of travel. Swimming is limited due to strong currents, but this won't lessen sleepy charm and tranquility of the place. 

On one day you will have the opportunity for an optional excursion to Ouidah (70km return) to learn about the origins of Voodoo and meet local practitioners. Ouidah is the historic centre of Voodoo, with thousands of believers often flocking there to rejoice in their faith.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Cross the border into Togo, approx 2-hr drive from Grand Popo to Lome - visit Lome including the National Museum which houses historical artifacts, potteries, costumes, traditional musical instruments, wood carvings and traditional medicinal remedies. Your visit will also include the various markets; central market, arts market and the fetish market at Akedessewa just 4km from the center of town. You will see remarkable supplies of traditional medicines use by sorcerers including skulls of monkeys, snake skins, warthog teeth, lion skin, leopard skin & dried birds.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning you drive approximately 45 minutes to Lake Togo then continue by boat to visit Togoville, a historical town interesting for its royal palace and colonial church. It was here that Voodoo practitioners were taken to Haiti as slaves. The town still shows a strong influence of voodoo today, with plenty of Fetish stalls in the streets.

 From Togoville, you will cross the border into Ghana, driving directly to Ada (approx 110km) where the Volta River meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Meals: Breakfasts, Lunch, Dinner

Today you have an approximately four hour drive to Kumasi, the region of the Ashanti people. This hilly city is home to over one million people and has quite a cosmopolitan feel about it. Your tour of Kumasi will include the Manhyia Palace Museum and the Armed Forces Museum. You may end the day by visiting the Kejeta Market, one of West Africa’s biggest markets.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travelling south to Axim, you stay at Ghana’s most isolated and luxurious beach resort. Two kilometers from the hotel is Axim town, a historical town with a population of about 20,000. The main occupation here is fishing. There are several historical places not far from the hotel; Fort Antonio (old Portuguese trading port,1515); Princess Town (Fort Gross Friederichsburg, 1683), Akatekyi Crocodile Village, Ankasa Forest Resource, Nzulezu Village (the houses are built on stilts).  There are also opportunities to go trekking in the forest and whale watching (seasonal).

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning you will take a 3-hour drive to Elmina to visit St. George's Castle. Known in it’s time as ‘The Slave Castle’, its one of over twenty castles built along the shoreline of the Gold Coast (now known as Ghana). The Gold Coast was one of the richest markets for slave traders during the peak of the slave trade and you will learn about this tragic history through visiting some of the key historical sites of the region.

You visit a fishing village and the Pursubans animist shrines – then take a short drive (10 km) to Cape Coast.  This was the centre of the British Administration and capital of the Gold Coast between 1700 until 1877, as well as being known for it’s notorious slave castle. You return back to Elmina at end of the day.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning you visit Kakoum National Park where you have the opportunity to experience the amazing canopy walkway that meanders through the park. 

After your visit, you resume the 4 hour drive to Accra, the nation's capital. An afternoon exploration of the city includes time at the National Museum and the Kwame Nkroumah Memorial Garden. The remainder of the day is at leisure. For those of us who are flying out this evening, a day room (for group use) has been booked at your Accra hotel. This will be available for you to freshen up prior to your flight home. An evening transfer is included to Accra Kotoka International Airport, where your expedition comes to an end. 

 
For this trip, JOURNEYS International, Inc. is acting as an agent for Peregrine Adventures, which is the principal supplier of travel services for this tour and is an independent contractor.

TRAVEL INSURANCE WITH PROTECTION FOR AT LEAST $75,000 EMERGENCY MEDICAL EVACUATION PLUS $75,000 MEDICAL EXPENSE, IS MANDATORY FOR THIS TRIP.  Adequate coverage for death, repatriation and curtailment is also required. You will be asked to show proof of coverage upon your arrival. Obtaining medical insurance is the responsibility of the client. Although not required, we strongly recommend the purchase of cancellation insurance.

For all trips where JOURNEYS represents Peregrine Adventures, please note that the hotels are of moderate standing. This means that they are usually three-star hotels without any "frills." All hotels have private facilities, but not the boutique-style facilities that we use for many of our other trips.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch