Segou Festival sur le Niger with Djenne Visit 9-Day Tour from Bamako

Born from an initiative long dreamed by the cultural leaders of Segou, the Festival sur le Niger (Festival on the Niger) is a one-of-a-kind event that spotlights the unique arts, traditions, and culture of Mali. Since its inception in 2005, this February festival has rapidly become a major cultural event in the country. 

On this 9-day tour, experience this unforgettable cultural event and at the same time, get a glimpse of Mali's past as you explore the town of Segou and its interesting villages and Djenne, an ancient town famous for its bustling market and Great Mosque.

What to Expect

Day 1: Arrival in Bamako

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

Day 2: Bamako - Djenne

Depart from Bamako in the morning and travel northeast to Djenne, an ancient town straight out of a movie set. Travel back in time as you stroll through old Sudanese-style mud buildings and visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Great Mosque, the biggest dried mud building in the world with its unique carved doors and turrets spiked with wooden poles. In front of this building is a square that turns into a bustling and colorful marketplace every Monday. Here, locals from different corners of Mali gather to buy, sell, and exchange local produce and art pieces.

Day 3: Djenne - Segou

From Djenne, travel for about 4 hours to Segou, a charming, post-colonial regional capital situated along the right bank of Niger River in south-central Mali. You'll have the rest of the day at leisure. You may explore several locally-owned ateliers and appreciate the world-class talent of the artists in town. Or you may also explore its interesting villages including Kalabougou, famous for its pottery, and the historic Ségou-Koro village.

Day 4 - 6: Festival sur le Niger de Ségou

Once a year, the sleepy town of Segou hosts the hugely popular Festival du Niger, a national arts fest. Since 2005, many talented West African artists have joined this festival to show off their great talents and traditional heritage. During this vibrant and colorful event, expect to see a fascinating mix of people and cultures, including the Tinde Tuaregs with their unique music and dance, the Bozo and Bamana troops with masks and puppets, antelope-horn-playing Burus of Ballan, the stilt dancers of Dogon Valley, and so much more.

In addition, you can also feast your eyes and senses with the modern and traditional art exhibitions such as paintings, sculptures and photographs, pottery, and bogolan or mud cloth textile workshops. If you're looking for more action, then the pirogue races among teams of various villages along the Niger River is perfect for you. The fun doesn't stop until sundown when the impressive line-up of famous Malian and other West African singers and musicians are featured in giant night concerts on the Niger waterfront.

Day 7: Segou - Djenne

After three days of festival-fun, it's time to travel back to Djenne where you'll be spending the night.

Day 8: Djenne - Bamako

From Djenne, hop on an air-conditioned vehicle that will take you on a delightful long ride through West African savannah to Bamako. Spend the night in a hotel in Bamako.

Day 9: Departure from Bamako

After breakfast, your friendly driver-guide will transfer you back to the airport. 

Includes

• Entrance fees
• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Professional local guide 
• Fuel
• Accommodation for 6 nights
• Airport transfers

• Visa and visa application fees
• Travel insurance and immunizations
• Meals, beverages, and snacks not included in the itinerary
• Tips and gratuities
• Personal expenses

• The hikes are around 2-hours each (7-8 km) and are an approx 45-min drive in each direction.
• A Thursday start date would be required if guests would like to visit the Djenne market which is on a Monday (the most interesting day to visit Djenne) - but not necessary if seeing the Market isn't a priority.