11 Days Mali Tour – Bamako, Ségou, Djenné, Mopti, Dogon Country & Niger River

Arrive at Bamako–Sénou International Airport, where your guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, begin an introductory tour of Bamako, the capital of Mali, located on the Niger River.

Visit the National Museum of Mali, showcasing ethnographic and archaeological artifacts. Walk through the Botanical Gardens, stop at Independence Monument, and view local crafts at the Artisans’ Village. In the evening, enjoy dinner and rest.

Accommodation: Hôtel l’Amitié Bamako or similar
Meals: Dinner included
Activities: Museum visit, cultural walk, artisan market

After breakfast, drive northeast to Ségou (approx. 4 hours), the former capital of the Bambara kingdom. Along the way, stop at Kalabougou, a riverside pottery village, where women shape and fire traditional clay vessels.

Arrive in Ségou for a guided tour of the colonial-era buildings and the scenic Niger River embankment. Visit local bogolanfini (mud-cloth) artists and learn about dyeing techniques. Enjoy a riverfront sunset before dinner.

Accommodation: Hôtel L’Auberge or similar
Meals: Breakfast and dinner included
Activities: Pottery village, textile workshop, colonial town walk

Depart after breakfast for Djenné (approx. 5–6 hours), one of Mali’s oldest towns and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cross the Bani River by ferry and arrive in time for an afternoon city walk.

Visit the Great Mosque of Djenné, the world’s largest mud-brick building, and explore its intricate Sudano-Sahelian architecture (exterior only). Walk through winding lanes and meet local masons who specialize in adobe construction.

Accommodation: Campement Hotel de Djenné or similar
Meals: Breakfast and dinner included
Activities: City walking tour, mosque viewing, historical insights

If your visit falls on a Monday, attend the vibrant Djenné Market, where locals sell food, cloth, pottery, and animals. Watch the busy exchange around the mosque and learn about trade practices that have occurred here for centuries.

Visit the Djenné Manuscript Library to see centuries-old Islamic texts. In the afternoon, relax at your guesthouse or take an optional walk to nearby rural villages.

Accommodation: Campement Hotel de Djenné or similar
Meals: Breakfast and lunch included
Activities: Market experience, cultural visits, optional rural walk

After breakfast, head north to Mopti (approx. 3 hours), Mali’s bustling port town at the confluence of the Niger and Bani rivers. Check in and enjoy lunch before a tour of the Mopti Grand Mosque, fish market, and artisan stalls.

In the afternoon, walk along the riverbank, observing traditional fishing boats and mud houses. Sunset by the water is one of Mopti’s most iconic moments.

Accommodation: Hotel Kanaga or similar
Meals: Breakfast and dinner included
Activities: Town tour, market visit, riverfront walk

Today, embark on a Niger River pirogue excursion. Cruise past fishing villages, island farms, and marsh birds. Stop in a Bozo community, known for their river-based lifestyle and distinctive boat-building methods.

Return to Mopti for lunch. Spend the afternoon at leisure or explore local handicraft markets and photography spots around the harbor.

Accommodation: Hotel Kanaga or similar
Meals: Breakfast and lunch included
Activities: River cruise, cultural village visit, artisan browsing

Depart early for Dogon Country (approx. 4–5 hours), stopping for photos along the Sahel terrain. Arrive at the Bandiagara Escarpment, a dramatic 150-km-long cliff range.

Begin your cultural immersion with a guided walk through one or two Dogon villages such as Sangha or Banani. Explore their mud granaries, sacred altars, and cliff dwellings of the Tellem people. Learn about Dogon cosmology and mask traditions.

Accommodation: Campement in Sangha or similar
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Activities: Cliffside hike, Dogon culture briefing, village exploration

After breakfast, continue trekking between villages perched along the escarpment. Visit Teli, Ende, or Yendouma, depending on conditions. See centuries-old granaries, animist shrines, and dwellings built into the rock.

Enjoy lunch in a village and return in the afternoon to rest. Evening may include an optional Dogon dance performance with storytelling and masks.

Accommodation: Campement in Sangha or similar
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Activities: Guided trek, cultural storytelling, traditional performance

Begin the drive back to Ségou (approx. 6–7 hours), stopping en route at small towns or roadside stalls. Arrive in the late afternoon and check into your hotel for a relaxed evening on the riverbank.

Accommodation: Hôtel L’Auberge or similar
Meals: Breakfast and dinner included
Activities: Scenic transfer, cultural rest stops

After breakfast, travel back to Bamako (approx. 3.5–4 hours). Upon arrival, visit the Grand Market for last-minute shopping. Pick up traditional clothing, jewelry, wood carvings, and Malian musical instruments.

Optional final visits include the Musée de Bamako or the Great Mosque. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Accommodation: Hôtel l’Amitié Bamako or similar
Meals: Breakfast and dinner included
Activities: Local shopping, museum option, farewell meal

After breakfast, transfer to Bamako–Sénou International Airport for your flight home. If time allows, stop at a roadside craft market or take a short stroll along the Niger River before your transfer.

Meals: Breakfast included
Activities: Airport drop-off, optional craft stop

Included highlights:

National Museum of Mali and Bamako landmarks

Ancient adobe architecture in Djenné and Ségou

Weekly markets and bogolanfini textiles

Mopti’s riverside life and Bozo village visit

Dogon trekking with cliff dwellings and mask traditions

Niger River boat excursion

All accommodations, local guides, transfers, and meals as listed