7-Day Hiking and Culture Tour of Bamako and Ségou with Niger Cruise

• Arrive in Bamako, where you will be assisted and transferred by your friendly driver-guide to your hotel. The rest of the day will be at your leisure.

Overnight at The Sleeping Camel or a similar hotel.

1. Start the day with an early morning hike on one of Bamako's top hiking trails. Led by your professional guide, discover the beauty and mysteries of Manding country.
2. After half a day of slightly strenuous but invigorating adventure, enjoy a visit to the National Museum of Mali, which offers ethnographic exhibits on local communities. Here, see many interesting items that represent the rich culture of Mali, including displays of masks, textiles, statues, and other contemporary art forms.

Overnight at The Sleeping Camel or a similar hotel.

• Enjoy a moderate hike in the morning at another hotspot for outdoor lovers, where you will see picturesque traditional villages and impressive nature like no other.
• Then, cruise the Niger River and discover the Bozo fishermen's way of life along the riverbanks. If you are lucky, you may even spot some hippopotamuses and other wildlife cooling down in the water. Your cruise concludes in the afternoon, when you will see the mighty sun painting the sky and water below in hues of yellow, orange, and pink as it sets over the horizon.

Overnight at The Sleeping Camel or a similar hotel.

• Go for another morning hike. This time, you also have the option to choose a Djembe drumming experience or a fun Bogolon-making lesson instead. Otherwise, go ahead and explore other natural wonders of the capital on foot.
• After your morning activities, hop into an air-conditioned vehicle for a scenic 3-hour drive to Ségou, a town northeast of Bamako on the right bank of the Niger River.

Overnight at Hotel Djoliba or similar.

• Dedicate this day to learning more about Ségou's traditions and arts. Visit the village of Ségou-Koro, the former seat of the Bambara Empire, where the body of the late King Biton Coulibaly lies.
• Then, appreciate the talent and skill of the artists in town as you explore several locally owned ateliers or studios.
• In the afternoon, board a boat and take a scenic Niger River cruise to the village of Kalabougou. This humble village is known for its craftsmanship, particularly pottery, in which the women of the village are traditionally employed. You may even purchase a pot or three from the locals as a souvenir from this unforgettable experience.

Overnight at Hotel Djoliba or similar.

• Depart from Ségou in the morning and head back to Bamako.
• After lunch, go on another hiking adventure and perhaps enjoy the sunset from an elevated part of the capital, making the sweeping scenery even more glorious than it already is.

Overnight at The Sleeping Camel or a similar hotel.

• Take an early morning hike, exploring caves and a string of laid-back villages that are always happy to welcome visitors.
• In the afternoon, you have the option to enjoy and learn to play the djembe, a rope-tuned, skin-covered goblet drum played with bare hands, or try your hand at making bogolan, a handmade Malian cotton fabric traditionally dyed with fermented mud.

The tour ends with a transfer back to the airport.