Explore Africa - The Best of Ghana and Mali

from  £980

The Best of Ghana and Mali

Countries:

Ghana

Duration:

3 Weeks

  

or call:

0845 344 7522

Product Details

21 days exploring the culture, history, geography and wildlife of West Africa passing through three nations, if there's a better way to experience the region...we don't know about it!

The journey begins in Ghana where the hustle, bustle and colour of Kumasi, Ghana's second largest city, will be laid before you. The Mole National Park is, as the name suggests, home to Crocodile and Elephant! You'll have the opportunity to walk, in the company of a ranger, around the park at dawn and also enjoy an evening safari and, of course, no wilderness experience would be complete without a roaring campfire.

Burkina Faso comes next and the chance to see the famed mud Mosque at Larabenga. Then it's time to dig out the old French phrasebook to aid a bit of negotiation in the markets of Bobo-Dioussolo. But don't fear, Burkina Faso translates as 'Land of honest men', so surely you'll be given a fair price! Bobo, as befits anywhere boasting Mango-lined avenues, has a slow pace of life, one that might induce you to relax at the swimming hole of La Guinguette in the Kou Forest or inspect the archetypal Bobo architecture at the village of Koumi.

And so on to Mali and the town of Djennie with it's narrow passageway-like streets and increased arabic influence. A trip on the Niger river will allow you to see, at close quarters, the local tribes people hunting out the daily fish catch. Next comes an unforgettable trek, both on foot and by Horse and Cart, through the Dogon Valley. Stopping at villages along the way to learn something of the local history and be entertained by the residents. The last thing you'll see every night will be a star filled sky as you drift off on the roofs (flat ones I might add!!!) of the mud houses.

Back to Burkina Faso and a weekend camping in the grounds of a luxury hotel at Ouagadougou where the facilities will be available to you. A chance to 'kick back', get in touch with home and regroup after your time trekking.

Next we find ourselves back in Ghana and nearing the end of the adventure, but not before you've gone for a little stroll...forty metres above the rainforest floor in the Kakum National Park courtesy of their canopy walkway.

The Gold Coast beckons and a chance to explore the architecture of the coastal forts, so strongly associated with the slave trade in Ghana. After this sobering experience there's only one place to head to...the beach and that's where the last few days of the trip will be based, staying in beach hut accommodation amidst the tropical palms. A chance to reflect on everything you've seen, learnt...and where your next adventure will take you!

Our users say...

'The trek began at Mole national park....there were elephants, antelope, baboons and warthog. It was the day of the eclipse; we awoke to find a teenage elephant with its trunk wrapped around our limited water supply, so much for not flushing the toilet :). As we traveled North through Ghana the landscape became dryer and less tropical; our first sign that we were heading into the desert. Burkina Faso was lovely; as mush as I loved Ghana I had dreamt of the different foods, so when we arrived in Burkina I nearly fainted at the sight of cheeses, milk, strange vegetables and even pizza!!! and being served quickly....the Ghanaian way is laid back to say the least!

We traveled on to Mali, starting at Djenne...it took my breath away, it was so thick with culture; mud mosques, traditional wood carvings, straw huts...it was almost biblical in appearance. Then onto Mopti (the Venice of Africa), it was beautiful, drinking Tuareg tea and watching the sun set on a traditional canoe in the river Niger. Then came the part we had all been waiting for...eager to get our passports stamped.....Timbuktu. After 8 hours of sheer desert landscape and the odd camel, we arrived in Timbuktu (Tombouctou) wearing our newly bought turbans. It seemed so modern compared to the vast desert we had just crossed to get there. How surreal to see Tuareg men sitting watching sky sports!!! I was ecstatic to be there and soon we were riding camels into the desert; as the sun went down (and it grew cold) we ate a dinner (of sand, yum) washed down with a beer as the sky came to life with thousands of stars.

Travelling back through Mali, we reached Dogon, a place I will undoubtedly revisit. The rugged mountainous landscape enveloping lots of tiny villages was hauntingly beautiful. At night we slept on rooftops, each day was a new adventure; travelling via bullock cart, donkey cart and riding on horseback. The place was like nothing I had ever seen. All too soon it was time to travel back to Ghana; were we visited slave forts on the Cape coast - learning a little of Ghana's horrific past. Then it was on to green turtle and our last few days were spent relaxing on the beach, heaven!'

Cost Details

from  £980

Madventurer

Madventurer offers the chance to combine volunteer projects in rural communities with adventurous overland travel. Projects typically include building and teaching but medical, conservation and coaching schemes are also frequently run. Groups leave year-round to destinations in Africa, South America, South-East Asia, the Indian Sub-Continent and Pacific Islands.

  

or call:

0845 344 7522