trip details for nomadic west africa (NWA)

We hope you enjoy this video of life on the road. This video may not be of this trip you are looking at but should give you an idea of what life is like on a Dragoman Overland journeys in this region of the world.

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is this trip for me?

Route: Dakar to Accra or v.v.

Length of Section: 5 Weeks

Profile: This fantastic route from Dakar to Accra opens up a side of Africa that is completely different to the traditional safari route. This is the Africa of bustling markets, colourful festivals and music - with Mali and Senegal in particular famous for their performers. Take a tour of Timbuktu, cruise up the Niger River to Mopti aboard a local boat, see the magnificent mud mosque of Djenne and go trekking through the dramatic Dogon country. After a stay in Burkina Faso, rarely visited by outsiders, we head into Ghana for some game viewing in Mole National Park. We'll travel through the Ashanti kingdom en route for the Gold Coast, visiting community projects along the way, and taking time to unwind from the rigours of the road on beautiful Elmina Beach.

Adventure Rating: Challenging

Crew: 2 crew, local guides as necessary.

Vehicle: 4 wheel drive Dragoman truck, motorised canoes, trekking.

Accommodation: Basic campsites, some wildcamps, small hostel/hotel. (85% camping, 15% hotels)

what's included?

Week 1: Senegal

2 nights and game safaris in Niokolo Koba National Park.
Day to explore Dakar and the atmospheric Island of Goree.
Overland trip on rough roads and wildcamps through Senegal.

Week 2: Mali

Overland through western Mali.
2 or 3 night break in Bamako, the music capital of West Africa.
Trace the footsteps of explorers up the Niger River basin up to Timbuktu.

Week 3: Mali & Niger River

2 night stay and guided tour of Timbuktu.
3 day Niger River motorised canoe trip to Mopti via the late Ali Farka Toure's village of Niafounke.
Visit to the Djenne Monday market and vast mud mosque.

Week 4: Mali & Burkina Faso

2 or 3 day trek through the Dogon tribal region on the Bandiagara Escarpment.
Witness the masked dance and hear the rhythms of Dogon music.
Overland and 2 night stay at Bobo Dioulasso and Ouagadougou.

Week 5: Ghana

Big game time in the excellent wildlife area of Mole National Park, an elephant paradise.
Overland journey via the Ashanti capital of Kumasi to the Gold Coast.
Journey through central Ghana
Visit to Brenu School to see what Sabre Trust have already achieved.
Relax and unwind on Elmina Beach and Cape Coast.

what can I do on the way?

(Activities available at extra costs)

Ride camels with Tuareg nomads in Timbuktu.
Visit the sacred fish pond or the hippo lake near Bobo.
Experience the music and nightclubs of Ouagadougou.

notes:

General notes: Because of the nature of this tour, the itinerary WILL vary from that published. This trip will involve crossing remote areas and there will be an element of discomfort. This is a tough but very rewarding trip.

Kitty does not cover food while staying in hotels and hostels.Kitty does not cover food while staying in hotels and hostels. All of our kitties are quoted in USDs. However in North and West Africa, Euros are much easier to use. Please ensure you bring Euros and not USDs for the kitty and for the kitty and for personal spending. The exchange of USD to Euro for the kitty will be decided by the tour leader on Day 1 of the trip.

This is one of our overland expedition leaders favourite trips. West Africa is still a destination off the tourist map and it is tough to even travel overland through the region. For any adventure traveller wanting to see West Africa overland travel is perhaps the best (and for some the only) way to experience the area. Adventure travel should broaden horizons and beliefs and there is no area of the world better suited to do this than travelling overland along the route between Dakar Senegal and Accra Ghana. This overland journey opens up side of Africa that the East Africa safari totally misses out. This is the Africa of vibrant historic cultures, stunning fabrics, colourful markets and above all Africa music. Travel Mali and you travel music, and we will try to take in as many musical aspects of the country as we can. Mali tourism is based around the area's tribal make up. The country is home to the ancient Malian and Soninke Empires along the Niger River and we will visit the ancient settlements of Djenne and Mopti. From Timbuktu you can take a three-day boat trip down the Niger River to Mopti. This is nothing like the adventure cruises along rivers like the Nile, it is a unique journey down a historic river by local motor pinasse (think long wide banana with a sun canopy). Life is pretty basis on-board but you will be travelling through the world of everyday Malian life. This type of grassroots travel is core to our mission statement of "getting back to the principles of responsible travel as opposed to tourism". For those interested in walking holidays, we will trek around the Bandiagara escarpment to witness the incredible lifestyle of the Dogons. Ghana travel provides a relaxing place to enjoy some R&R on the stunning beaches of the Gold Coast and to see the wildlife of Mole Nat. Park. Ghana holidays are not yet on the tourist map, but as a holiday destination Ghana will one day take off, as it has beaches, friendly people, wildlife and a long historic culture; see it before Ghana tourism becomes a reality!