Tour45a - Benin / Burkina Faso / Mali The Southern Sahel - a animal Kingdom Voodoo festival in Ouidah 2011

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Overland journey to the Voodoo festival in Ouidah, to the animal kingdom of West Africa, the Pendjari national park/Benin and to two large nature reserves in Burkina Faso. A rich culture, like we see by the Tofinu people in Ganvie, the Somba in Northern Benin or the Kassena in Burkina Faso.
Southern Sahel has a difficult standing compared to the famous sights of Northern Sahel. This is however an injustice. A fascinating animal kingdom, countryside much less touched by tourism and a wealth of culture there, make every trip to an extraordinary journey.

Our route and highlights

Day 1

• Arrival in Cotonou / Benin. Most flights from Europe arrive early in the evening. We camp by the sea in a beautiful hotel complex, some kilometres outside town.

Day 2

• In the morning: We start our trip comfortable. Discussing they travel course, bathing in the pool or just walking along the kilometre-long sandy beach.
• In the afternoon, we drive 40 km through a palm forest along the beach to Ouidah. We camp on the beach close to a hotel. To the historical memorial places („Porte de Non Retour “and „Route of the Esclaves “) and the place of the tomorrow's festivenesses there is only few minutes. Here we arrive the eve of the famous Voodoo-festival.

Day 3

• Voodoo festival in Ouidah! Benin - is the cradle of the Voodoo cult and the only country in the world, where Voodoo is state religion. Here every year the most famous celebration of the Voodoo takes place. A whole day we take part at the celebrations, the dances, the rites…! An experience of the special kind!

Day 4

• In the morning: A motor launch trip to Ganvie, a stilt village with 30,000 inhabitants in Lake Nokoué. A fascinating sightseeing tour to this “Venice of Africa”.
• In the afternoon: Travel on to Dassa and a tour of the grotto church there. A small “Lourdes” in Africa. Once a year this place becomes a meeting point for Christian pilgrims from all over West Africa. Camp in the garden of a nice “auberge”.

Day 5

• After we have past the mountains of Savalou we arrive into the dry-savannah, the cultivation area of cotton. Close to the border to Togo we reach Djougou, the biggest market place in the North-West.
• In the animistic village of Taneka Koko (“under the rock”) we see in small, what we saw in big in Ouidah. Living Voodoo cult.
• We camp near the village – if we get the permission of the village chief.

Day 6

• Natitingou is a pleasant small city and starting point in the country of the Somba. There in the villages we meet fortress-similar round buildings, the “Tata Sombas “which gave protection from slave hunters and wild animals.
• Our camp is at the waterfalls of Tanougou. Here we have an excellent swimming opportunity in an enormous nature pool below the falls.

Day 7 - 8

• Pendjari National Park. After the restructuring of the park, the most species-rich National Park in West Africa. Lions, elephants, antelopes, buffalos, hippos… Very few tourists come to this beautiful park. 6.000 a year - 20 a day.
• We camp at a safe place in the middle of the park for one night

Burkina Faso

During the next days we travel mostly on smaller tracks along the border of Togo and Ghana.

Day 9

• We leave Pendjari. Near Porga we cross the border to Burkina Faso. On smaller tracks we will pass the little towns of Pama and Sanga on our way to Bitou. Only a few farmers we will meet. The landscape is dry. Sahel pure.
• Bush camp

Days 10

• Tiébélé. We visit the royal court of the Kassena with its elaborate residential castles. A guide will explain to us the culture and history of the Kassena.
• An overnight stay in the “Auberge Kunkolo”, owned by a French who built this wonderfully lovely complex.
• We have dinner in the restaurant of our accommodation.

Day 11

• Ranch of Nazinga A 100 000 hectare huge protected area. Several hundreds of elephants, buffalo, monkeys, countless antelopes, crocodiles and many other animal species live here. We will visit the park.

Day 12

• Leo, capital of the province of Sissili with its market. For insiders, this market is the best craft market all over West Africa.
• The National Park “Deux Bales” near Boromo. We stay in the camp near the riverbank. In the early morning and evening hours elephants come here to take a bath in the river. A fascinating spectacle! The simply but very cosy camp radiates a pleasing African atmosphere.

Days 13

• Late in the morning – after the elephants – we leave the camp on our way to Bobo Dioulasso
• “Falaise de Boradougou”. Impressing: The rock massif with its holy grottos.
• Koro, scenic mountain village
• Arrival in Bobo Dioulasso

Day 14

• Spent a gorgeous day in “Bobo”! Like: the “Museum Provincial Houet” with art and culture of Burkina Faso. The old mosque of Dioulassoba (1894), the old district Kibidoue, the pottery district, the market… Or just enjoy some relaxing hours in the “ L’Auberge”., a hotel in colonial style with swimming pool and good French cuisine for a reasonable price.

Day 15

• We drive through the spectacular scenery of the “Falaise de Banfora” to the waterfalls of Karfiguela. A Tarzan film was shot here. We camp in the fantastic countryside near the falls. Relaxing place to swim or to go for a walk!

Day 16

• This day is our buffer day. On journeys in Africa, it is always possible that delays may occur. This can be due to the weather, poor roads, delays at border crossings, technical breakdowns or the need of medical aid etc. We have included this day so that we will be able to carry out our full travel programme without pressure of time. If the journey runs to plan we will spent it at the end of the trip.

Mali

Day 17

• Crossing of the border to Mali.
• We reach the rapids of Farakou. Bush camp right next to the river. Swimming like in a whirlpool, especially by temperatures of 35°C (95° F)!

Day 18

• Arrival in Bamako, the capital of Mali and largest metropolis in the Sahel. We camp in a hotel complex with swimming pool, situated in a wonderful location on the banks of the Niger

Day 19

• In the morning: Sightseeing tour. A local guide shows us the most interesting places of his town, including the National Museum and the Craftsman centre.
• For those who know already the town, we offer a pirogue trip. The life on the banks of an African metropolis is an exciting view from a completely different perspective!
• Dinner in the restaurant of our hotel.
• Return flight. Most of the flights to Europe are leaving late in the evening.

Travel information:

After booking, you will receive from us detailed travel information. Preparation, equipment, visa, health care and detailed information of the meeting point.

We are already at the starting point/destination two days before as well as two days after the trip. Thus, you can choose your arrival and departure dates individually.

Please inform us at an early stage of your time and date of arrival. We can pick up you from the airport - you just have to pay the taxi (10 €

The price includes:

• All camping fees
• Excursion to Ganvie by motor pirogue
• Entry fee to the waterfall of Tanougou
• Entry fee for the visit of a somba village
• Entry fee for the visit of the royal court in Tiébélé
• Entry fee to the Game Reserve of the “Ranch of Nazinga”
• Entry fee to the game reserve Boromo
• Entry fee for the visit of Boradougou and Koro
• Entry fee to the Reserve at the waterfall of Karfiguela
• Sightseeing tour Bamako or Pirogue trip on the Niger river
• 12 x 3 meals per day (incl. restaurant in Dassa, Tanougou, Tiébélé, Bamako)
• 7 x 2 meals a day. On days we serve only two meals, you can provide yourself with a snack from our board kitty. (Sausage, cheese, canned fish, tomatoes..)

Not included:

• Flights
• Taxi fares
• Photography fees
• Optional excursions
• Drinks (soft drinks / alcoholic drinks)
• Visa fees
• Tipps ( for guides)

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