Introduction
Home - English
Home - Fran�ais
What to Do in
Gao
Sites
& Festivals
Potential Circuits
Desert
Camel Treks
Niger
River Trips
Great Spots Near Gao
Learn About
Gao
History & People
Gao Today
Gao Fast Facts
What Will My
Vacation Look Like?
Visit the On-line
Gao Photo Gallery.
Planning
Your Trip
Getting to Gao
Travel Agencies
Tour Guides
Best Times to Visit
Visas /
WHO Cards
Gao
Trip Planner
Gao
Tourist Map
Where to Stay
& Eat
Lodging
Restaurants
& Bars
Other Info
Gao
Cultural Norms
Health & Safety
Mali in
the News
More Info? Links!
FAQs
Other Great
Places to Visit in Mali
Timbuktu
Dogon Country
Mopti
Djenn�
Mud Mosque
Bamako & S�gou
Learn About
Mali
History & People
Mali Today
Mali Fast Facts
Mali Photo
Gallery
About Us
What is
OMATHO?
Gao Tourist Center
Meet
the Staff
Contact Us
One of the most popular ways to travel in and out of Gao is by motorized pinasse. Nothing quite compares with the tranquility of a Niger River cruise. Although many of the river cruises listed on this site are day trips around Gao, a great Malian adventure is a multi-day trip up or down the Niger River. The further one travels away from the big cities the more one is transported to a by-gone era where life along the river was simpler - fishing, farming, villages, hippos and migratory birds in abundance along with the occasional caiman and West African river manatee.
Although many tourists take pinasse rides between Timbuktu and Mopti, the truly breathtaking boat ride is between Gao and Timbuktu. This is not just our opinion here in Gao- check out the travel guides, and you'll see they agree that Gao-Timbuktu is the best river trip to take in Mali. The river is at its most wild, its most pristine, and its most beautiful.
You'll stop along the way and visit beautiful and historic Songha� villages, like Bourem (with an old colonial fort), Bamba (a great market), and Tondibi (the site of the Songha� defeat at the hands of the Moroccans), camping under a multitude of stars like you've never seen before. You'll hear hippos snorting and splashing in the water at night. You'll know that you're experiencing an adventure that few in the world will ever see. It's the magic of the Niger River - the third longest river in Africa.
And for those preferring a little more comfort, the Malian government operates a large ferry complete with rooms and meals that runs between Gao and Koulikoro approximately from mid-September until mid-January, based on the rainy season and river depth.
And for those preferring dramatically less comfort or that are traveling on a tight budget, public pinasse transport can be taken between Gao and Timbuktu for only 10,000 CFA, although it is important to note that these boats obviously do not stop for side sight-seeing excursions.
Experience: Niger River Trips
Description: Travel on the Niger River north or south from Gao. Southern river trips can go all the way to Niamey, Niger or can stop in Mali at either Ansongo or Labazanga. Boat trips heading north from Gao most commonly go to Timbuktu or Mopti, but during the high water season (generally based on rainfall October-January or February) can go all the way to S�gou or even Koulikoro if desired.
Time Required: Varies based on trip, but for example Gao-Timbuktu is usually done on a private pinasse in 3 nights and 4 days where you arrive in Timbuktu on the 4th day.
Price: Varies based on trip, but negotiable. Normally there is a price for the boat per day regardless of the number of people. Tourist pinasses can usually take up to 15 people, although groups of up to 10 are more comfortable, and a group of 4 or 6 would have plenty of room. Because you pay for the boat not the people on the boat, larger groups pay less on a per person basis.
Schedule: Trips can be done all year between Gao and Timbuktu, but the river is at its most beautiful after the yearly rains have come.
Additional Tip: Niger River trips can be either fully booked through tour operators, such as Point Afrique, from the comfort of your home or arranged in either Timbuktu or Gao with a guide or by just going to the port and looking around.
What to Do in
Gao
The Pink Dune
Tomb of the Askias
Maison des Artisans
Museum of the Sahel
Gao Markets
The Village of Tchintchinom�
Archeological Site - San�ye / Cemetery
Prime Meridian Marker
The Hippos of Tasharan
Wabaria Animal Market
Djebok Animal Market
Archeological Site - Kankou Moussa Mosque
Gounzour�y
Festival of
Anderamboukane
Potential Circuits
Sahara Desert Camel Treks
Niger River Trips
Other Great Spots to Visit Near Gao