Ethiopian manLeptis Magna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, originally a Phoenician trading port and then associated with the Romans from the 2nd century BC  

Holidays to

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Cambodia holidays | Tailor made Holidays to Cambodia
China holidays | Tailor made Holidays to China
Ethiopia holidays | Tailor made Holidays to Ethiopia
Laos holidays | Tailor made Holidays to Laos
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Morocco holidays | Tailor made Holidays to Morocco
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Great Wall Trek | Charity Trek to China
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  Silk Steps

Explore & Experience
Tailor Made travel to Asia and Africa

 

contact a specialist on:
(+44) 01278 722460
info@silksteps.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Mali suggested Tailor made holidays

HIGHLIGHTS OF MALI
Nights stay at:
1 Bamako
2 Mopti
3 Timbuktu
4 Timbuktu
5 Dogon Country
6 Dogon Country
7 Djenne
8 Bamako

Silk Steps is delighted to bring you their new adventure programme to Mali, an intriguing destination where tourism is still in its infancy. Here you will discover nomadic Tuareg people and the tribal Dogon, lively market towns, the delightful scenery along the Niger River and the rhythms of African music.

This 9-day itinerary starts in Bamako for one night, the capital city which is small and easy to explore on your own, before setting out for Mopti, a popular and lively market town, located on the Niger River. The river is a lifeline for Mali as locals use it as their main means of getting around, to transport goods, for fishing, drinking water and for irrigating crops. Many of the traders that make their way to Mopti are from several ethnic groups selling spices, smoked fish, vegetables, blocks of salt, traditional wood carvings and colourful cloth.

Timbuktu is one of the most evocative names known to us and it really does exist! Once a major trading post where trans-Sahara caravans from the north exchanged salt for gold and slaves from the south, you will spend two nights here discovering the Djinguereber Mosque, the explorers’ house, the artisans’ centre and the colourful market. Join a camel caravan for an afternoon and ride across the Sahara Desert to a Tuareg encampment. 

Then you will enter Dogon Country where life has remained pretty much unchanged for centuries and the Dogon still practice their traditional beliefs, such as mask dances performed at the end of the mourning period. Spend two nights on the Bandiagara Escarpment with these extraordinary, independent people and discover a little of their way of life. 

Djenne is a must see in Mali with its huge mud-built 18th century Grand Mosque, a World Heritage Site, and the town, with narrow, winding streets lined with mud-brick houses little touched by the 21st century. Thousands are drawn to its weekly market to trade their goods dressed in their distinct colourful robes. Time will be spent in Segou, Mali’s laid-back colonial administrative centre before returning to Bamako, home to the fetish market for traditional medicine where there will also be time to visit the excellent National Museum.
We suggest that you start the tour on a Tuesday from Bamako so that you can visit the colourful market in Djenne on a Monday. 

Cost per person from £1,670.00 (based on two people travelling in a twin/double room)

A Silk Steps inclusive holiday price includes:
• Private return transfers between airports and hotels (unless otherwise specified)
• The services of English speaking guides and representatives at each stage of the tour. Between most places you will travel unescorted
• Accommodation in a standard room (shared twin) with private facilities (unless otherwise specified) with breakfast
• Government taxes and compulsory service charges
• All tours and sightseeing as specified, inclusive of entrance fees
• Economy class air travel within all countries on the scheduled services of the national or domestic carrier as specified in each tour
• The services of our local representative
Extras:
• International flights - please contact us for up-to-date prices
• Travel insurance
• Meals - unless otherwise stated
• Optional sightseeing other than specified
• International airport departure tax payable overseas
• Visa fees
• Single supplement (on request)

Suggested tailor made holidays
Highlights of Mali

Mali Hotel Selection
Mali Brochure download
Foreign office travel advice
Bandiagara Escarpment, Mali
Djinguereber Mosque,Timbuktu
Mali
Djenne is a must see in Mali with its huge mud-built 18th century Grand Mosque, a World Heritage Site

RECOMMENDED GUIDE BOOKS
Dogon: Africa's People of the Cliffs, published by W E A Van Beek & Stephenie Hollyman in 0
The Race for Timbuktu: In Search of Africa's City , published by Frank T Kryza in 0
West Africa, published by Lonely Planet in 2006
The Rough Guide to West Africa, published by Rough Guide in 2008
Mali, published by Bradt in 2009

VISA REQUIREMENTS (UK Passport holders only)

Price

Validity

Requirements

Visas must be obtained in advance by the Mali Embassy in either Brussels or Paris. It is valid for 2 months from the date of issue with a stay of 30 days. Two visa application forms, two passport photos, your passport and the Silk Steps confirmation invoice are required to procure the visa. Current cost £25.00 (subject to change) plus shipping/agency fees.

WEATHER

The best time to visit Mali is from October to February, during the cool dry season. The rainy season is from June to September and during this time travel can be difficult, but the countryside is green and lush and the rivers high. The 'harmatten' a dry  

For up to date weather details try BBC weather   www.bbc.co.uk/weather/

HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS
Jan-01 New Year's Day
Jan-20 National Day
Mar-26 National Martyrs' Day
May-01 Labour Day
May-25 Africa Day
Sept-22 Independence Day

Silk Steps, Odyssey Lodge, Holywell Road, Edington, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA7 9JH, England
Tel: 01278 722460 Email: info@silksteps.co.uk
Silk Steps is a trading name of Cultural tours Ltd                   Terms and conditions apply

The Air holidays and flights shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Cultural Tours Ltd trading as Silk Steps are a fully licensed and bonded tour Operator and hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL), number 2906, issued by the Civil Aviation Authority. ATOL protection extends primarily to customers who book and pay in the United Kingdom.