BAMAKO & SURROUNDINGS

In the heart of the old Mande country on the bank of Niger River, BAMAKO was founded in 1640 and today Bamako is the capital of the Republic of MALI. The name Bamako is a hybrid of two words: Bama meaning crocodile and KO meaning river. Shady, pleasant and welcoming Bamako is one of the rare African cities where the traditional meet the modern in harmony, giving each object and image an authentic African stamp.

SIGHTSEEINGS

1. A panoramic view of the city from the hills of Koulouba
2. The zoo and surrounding protected forests.
3. Prehistoric caves and wall paintings of point G.
4. The National Museum: Collection of tools, masks, statues as well as lithographic materials from the prehistoric caves of point G.
5. Muso Kunda, women' Museum: Art and handcraft by women.
6. Art and Handcraft market
7. The recycling market.

KAYES

Located between the southern shady savanna and stepped landscape in the North , KAYES is a cosmopolite and cultural town bordering the Republic of Senegal , Mauritania and Guinea . The region yields potentials which make it one of the natural and historical sites region of Mali . Kayes is a place for artistic creation , in particular the technic of dying. Traditional gold mining in Kenieba and industrial production in Sadiola is the main activity of this region . Gold is the first exportable good of Mali .

SIGHTSEEINGS

1. The colonial buildings most of which are within the town
2. Boat cruise on the river Senegal
3. Visit the fort de Medine situated 12km from Kayes is a French military building of more than 2,47 a and surrounded by a massif rampart of stones erected in 1855 .
4. The FELOU: water fall situated 3km from Medine keeps its flood regime all year long and offers opportunity of good walk .
5. The GOUINA water fall situated about 1OO km south of Kayes is remarkable for its height and impressive for its well preserved environment .
6. The hydroelectric dam of Manantali , a very attractive sightseeing for its Long(180 m) and width(6m) with a depth of (20m) .
7. The T A T A de Koniakari : this small town was the first settlement of the Kassonke people before being conquered by the Bamara and then by EL HAJ OUMAR who erected rectangular city wall measuring 115 m long and 107 m large with 6m high and 2m at its base. This city wall was destroyed by French colonial Army June 15, 1890.
8. TOUKOTO: The Burg is located at the bank of Bakoy river .Its history is link to the development of the rail way DAKAR-NIGER. The area s situated in the classified forest characterises by an abundant flore and fauna.
9. The reserve du BAFING: yields varied species of vegetation such as Baobab, Bambou , Kapoke, Tamarine and Palm tree .
10. KITA: A rather middle size town and like KELA is a workshop of MANDE oral tradition, the Jaliya. Its touristic potentials are: The KITA KOUROU (hill of Kita) with its rock shelters, rock paintings, ritual places and water sources.

SIKASSO

The capital was the fighting stronghold against the colonizers . It's bordered by Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Republic of Guinea. As an ethnic melting pot city, its population mainly includes Senufo, Miniaka and dioula .The capital of the Kenedougou is the feature connection between the Savana, made up by vats extents of grass and the forests dominated by large trees (Baobab,caicedrat, karitea tree , nere ) . The Kenedougou joins together all the Touristic assets because it is a true timbered enclave, one of the rare listed Forests of Mali with a particularly rich fauna.

SIGHTSEEINGS

1. The Knoll is a hill located in the town center, a sacred place where a protective genius of the village used to live .
2. The TATA, the surrounding protective wall of the city.
3. The water fall of Farako , at 25 km of Sikasso where water runs on a bed rock staircases.
4. The Tea farm of Farako shelters the plantation and Tea factory.

SEGU

Segu is a large town about 240 km East of Bamako, on the South bank of Niger River. Though often overlooked by visitors, it's an interesting place to stop for a night or two . This was an important center in colonial days .Today, with several large old buildings and abundant trees on the main streets, you can get an idea of how French West-Africa town looked at the time. You can also get a better feeling of real life today on the Niger River, Segu is quieter than Bamako and less Touristic than Mopti or Jenne .

SIGHTSEEINGS

1. NIELENI : Women association where rags of all size are made
2. The central market opens all week but is specially good on Monday
3. The colonial district
4. The n'DOMO : An impressive workshop of natural dying where you'll experience the whole process of this technic .
5. An optional boat excursion to Kalabougou, a Bambara village specialized in pottery.
6. The grave of BITON COULIBALY, founder of the Bambara Kingdom.
7. The Festival on the Niger, a cultural event organized every year

MOPTI (The VENISIA)

MOPTI stand at the confluence of two rivers Niger and Bani as Venise escaping from water. Located at 675 km from Bamako Mopti seems to emerge from floods. Everything is marked by old day's coexistence between water and human activities. An ancient tiny village created by Bozo fishermen, master of water sprang up from dykes and canals; Mopti boosted in the 17th century.

Today as the 5 th departmental capital of Mali , MOPTI is at the flooding junction, a first class trade center, but most of all , the starting point of tours such as : Mopti , Jenne , Dogon country , Timbuktu and GAO .

SIGHTSEEINGS

1. The mosque of Komoguel
2. The handicraft market
3. The harbour and its fish market
4. The boat building workshop
5. The bead Museum at Sevare
6. The Bella, Bozo and Fulani campments

DOGON COUNTRY

AN AFRICAN SANCTUARY OF CULTURE

From Mopti it is really the entrance into a temple that the access to the Dogon country brings to the mind. Geographical facts show the evidence of such comparison: the Dogon land stretches into a plateau from the low land of Macina up to Sangha before shaping a pic , that is the famous cliffs of Bandiagara .

The DOGON COUNTRY is like a sanctuary where one is not allowed to get in until she/he is patiently initiated to admit the radical particularities of a world of culture the value of which rely on strangely complex and rich philosophy and religion. Ignored by history for decades, the Dogon country had not been studied actually until the arrival of Professor Marcel Griaule in 1931.

SIGHTSEEINGS

1. Niogono
2. Songho
3. Bandiagara, the town for Administration
4. Banani
5. Ireli
6. Tireli etc

JENNE

Located in the tangled back water of the Bani River the city of Jenne boasts a civilisation over a thousand years old. The first human settlement appeared in JENNE-JENNO in 250 BC and later centuries it flourished as a center of trade and religion. JENNE benefited from its position on the Trans-sahara trade route and on the Bani River.

Marocan influenced medieval architecture, multistoried mud brick houses with decorative rooftop terraces and the world's largest mud made mosque helding an old Centuries weekly market gives the city its unique style. It is on the list of UNESCO World heritage site.

SIGHTSEEINGS

1. A vibrant and colourful Monday market
2. The famous Mosque built in 1280 and restored every year after the raining season
3. Original arts and crafts such as statues in clay and bronze, pottery, leather, gold and Silver, traditional embroidery and mud cloth.
4. The grave of TAPAMA
5. The well of NANA WANGARA, constructed by a Morocan Sultan in the 16th century, the water of which is reputed to have healing qualities.

GAO

Capital of the Songhoi empire in the XVI th century is an archaeological stronghold with the famous tombs of its sovereigns and with its many funerary marble steles gong back to the XIIth century.

SIGHTSEEINGS

1. The Tombs of the Askia built in 1495 by Askia Mohamed .It shelters the Body of 10 Imams. The building is in Sudano-Sahelian style.
2. The Archaeological site of SANEYE, located at 6 km of the capital city contains many funerary steles of the XIIth century.
3. The pink dune of KOYMA, on the other side of the river seems an unusual beach at the door of the Sahara desert.
4. The Island of GOUZOUREYE at the southern entry of the city, in the middle of the River, only accessible by boat is actually inhabited by fishermen. Historically, it's where ASKIA MOHAMED was exile, dethroned by his son ASKIA MUSA.
5. The Dance of festivities, TAKAMBA performed during all the civil festivities like child naming, marriages or after a good harvest.

TIMBUKTU(The Mysterious City)

'Rome of the Sudan', 'Athen of Africa', 'Mecca of the Sahara', Timbuktu takes in place as one of the most prestigious cities in humanity history . Located in Northern Mali at the tip of Niger River, Timbuktu still serves as the gateway to the Sahara desert much as it has done since the 11th century.

Its unique geographic position at the crossroad of trade allowed Timbuktu to profit greatly and to become a center of wealth and learning. Long a legendary destination for adventurers, Timbuktu today is the admistrative capital of the 6th region of Mali and continues to entice travellers from across the world who comes eager to uncover its mysteries and discover its cultural heritage.

SIGHTSEEINGS

1. The DJINGAREYBER Mosque 14th century, built by Emperor KANKU MUSA, following his return from MECCA
2. The SANKORE Mosque 15th century with a diameter the same size as the Kaaba in MECCA. Intellectuals often gathered there for heated debates.
3. The SIDI YEHIA Mosque built in the 15th century the Library, an Institute for Islamic studies with a collection of many books from the 14th century.
4. The explorers' houses: Rene CAILLE, BARTH, Mungo PARK and Gordon LAING.
5. The handicraft market, a workshop and market where one can observe crafts being made as well as purchase finished products such as renowned Tuareg and Sonhrai jewelleries.
6. TUAREG CAMPSITES to spend the night with an optional Tuareg Tea and dance ceremony.