FLY FROM USA

Arrive in Bamako, the capital of Mali, and transfer to the Hotel Sofitel l’Amitie Bamako.

Visit the National Museum, with one of the best ethnographic collections in West Africa. Enjoy lunch at San Toro Restaurant, featuring a gallery of Malian art. Later, explore Bamako’s artisan market.

Fly to Mopti, set at the confluence of the Niger and Bani rivers, and see the impressive mud-brick mosque and local markets. Enjoy a sunset boat ride on the Niger River. Overnight at the Hotel Kanaga.

The main feature of Djenne is the Grand Mosque, the world’s largest mud-brick structure,
which dates back to the 13th century, but is repaired and rebuilt each year after the
rainy season. Also visit the colorful market and the Bogolon mudcloth workshop.

Tour the villages of the Dogon Region, built along the cliffs of an escarpment and renowned for their unique architecture and elaborate art forms. Enjoy a spectacular Dogon mask dance performance.

Fly from Mopti to Timbuktu, once one of Africa‘s wealthiest cities and a center of scholarship. See the 15th-century Djingareyber and Sankore mosques; the explorers’ houses; and the Ahmed Baba Library. Fly to Bamako. Overnight at the Hotel Sofitel l’Amitie Bamako.

Fly from Bamako to Dakar and embark Callisto. Sail in the evening.

Callisto enters Senegal’s Saloum River and sails to Djiffere. Drive to the fascinating fishing
village of Fadiout, an island composed entirely of shells accumulated over the centuries. Later, Callisto enters the River Gambia and sails to Tendaba.

From Tendaba, on the south of the riverbank, drive to the Kiang West National Park, notable for its over 250 species of birds and where mangroves, creeks and mudflats alternate with dry woodland and grassland. Then, board local boats to navigate the waterways and maze of islands comprising Baobolong Wetland Reserve, a notable bird sanctuary and wonderland of mangroves.

Navigate farther into the River Gambia, passing by remote villages with grass-thatched huts, to arrive in the village of Kuntaur. As the ship navigates the twisting river, look for hippos that frequent this area. In Kuntaur, visit the colorful market, where many tribes gather to sell their wares, and explore the nearby Wassu Stone Circles, remnants of an ancient Senegambian culture, dating to about A.D. 750. Later, be greeted in the village by a traditional ceremony of local music and dance.

Board local motorized pirogues to discover the five mid-river Baboon Islands that constitute the River Gambia National Park. The islands also house the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Trust, the longest running such project in Africa. Look for monkeys and other wildlife as our boat cruises by the lushly forested islands, and continue to the town of Janjanbureh, or Georgetown, once an important British trading post. Explore the quaint old town, and shop for local crafts. Janjanbureh’s woodlands and leafy riverfront house a large number of bird species, and you will have the opportunity to take a nature and bird-watching walk. Overnight aboard Callisto, anchored in Kuntaur.

Sail downriver to Banjul, enjoying river views and life along the way. Time and river conditions permitting, we may stop at one of the villages along our route.

From Banjul, drive to the Abuko Nature Reserve, one of the country’s last surviving examples of tropical riverine forests. Within its confines are about 300 species of birds, as well as red colobus and callithrix monkeys. Continue to the Makasutu Culture Forest, a private nature habitat with beautiful woodland and waterways. Return to Banjul to visit the National Museum’s exhibits on the history and culture of the country.

Disembark in Dakar. Visit Goree Island, settled by Europeans in the 15th century, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Back in Dakar, visit the IFAN Museum, and explore the Marche Soumbedioune artisans’ craft market. Transfer to the Hotel Sofitel Teranga for dinner and accommodations until your evening flight. Transfer to the airport for return flights to the U.S.

ARRIVE IN THE USA