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Overlanding and adventure tours

Overlanding safaris and adventure tours

The Festival of the Desert

The Festival of the Desert is the most remote music festival in the World. This three-day party is organised by the nomadic Tuareg people at Essakane, an oasis in the middle of the desert in Mali. A mix of local and international musicians come together to play on a stage under the stars, surrounded by miles upon miles of white sand. Sounds, amazing, right? But how do you get there?

Emily Lane writes...

"My favourite way to travel is independently, with a few good friends. There would have to be a damn good reason for me to voluntarily go on an overland trip with a bunch of total strangers. Don’t get me wrong - I don’t have a problem with people. Some of my best friends are people. But still, as a seasoned traveller, the idea of an overland trip didn't appeal.

My sister and I planned to go to the Festival of the Desert in Mali - something we'd wanted to do for a long time. We didn’t think two experienced travellers would have much trouble getting to Timbuctoo independently. But when my sister dropped out, I began to have doubts. I'm not afraid to travel on my own, I just prefer to travel with friends.

Then I came across Dragoman's 'Sounds of the Sahara' overland trip, while browsing the internet. The nice man on the phone told me all about it. There would be 20 people travelling around Mali in the back of a large orange truck which, although classified as a passenger coach, looks not unlike an army truck. Twenty-one nights would be spent camping in hotel grounds, on hotel roofs, wild-camping and, for a couple of nights only, in hotel rooms.

The trip leaves Bamako taking in Segou and Mopti by road, then travels for three days by boat up the Niger to Timbuctou and on to the festival. Afterwards you head by road to Dogon Country for a three-day trek followed by another road trip to Djenné. Then back to Bamako.

Everyone would have individual jobs to do as well as being a member of a cook group when required... And on it went. The more the guy talked the more I found myself thinking it didn’t sound too bad. I liked the idea that you’ve got to pull your weight, I liked the idea that you’d be in a vehicle that wasn’t closed in and protected from the elements, I liked the 'responsible tourism' ethos and I really liked the friendly, laid-back manner of the guy on the end of the phone. If there’s such a thing as an award for the most subtle sales pitch then he should get it. I signed up.

The trip was very well-organised. When the date of the Festival was changed just days before the trip was due to start Claire, our trip leader, had to reorganise the whole itinerary. This worked well, although the trip from the Festival site to get people to their flights in Bamako was certainly challenging. One day involved 16 hours of travelling over rough terrain covered in thick layers of red dust with scarves over our mouths to help us breathe!

Dragoman

The group got on extremely well. During the first few days Claire was great at making sure there were no 'loners'. Rotas and jobs were arranged in such a way that you’d have worked with everybody on the trip by the time it was over. Where there were decisions to be made about the itinerary they were put to the vote. It didn’t take long for people to feel at ease with each other.

Neither was there anything to complain about regarding the cooking and camping equipment. Even for the most inexperienced camper, the two-man canvas tents were a doddle to put up. Everything you needed to prepare, cook and clear up after a three-course meal for 20 or so people was there. The thing that amazed most of us was how all this stuff fitted in, on and around the truck. It was like the Tardis.

Of course, there’s one really important thing to consider on this sort of trip - the driving. It’s dangerous territory on those roads and we had nothing but praise for the skill of Claire, our driver / trip leader / mechanic / agony aunt who not only had to deal with some appalling driving conditions but also other drivers slowing down to get a better look because she was a she and she was driving a truck!

I had a great time. There was no way I could’ve done all that stuff either with my sister, or alone, within the four weeks we’d planned and it probably would’ve cost more. So now I find myself in a position I never thought I’d be in - I’m going to recommend an 'organised' trip. If you want to go to the Festival of the Desert and see a bit of Mali as well, you have a limited time-frame and budget and you don’t mind 'basic', then obviously the best way is to go with a travel company who will try their damnedest to get you where you want to be. I would recommend Dragoman wholeheartedly to anyone (except a sociopath)."

further info

Name: Dragoman Overland
Address: Camp Green, Debenham, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 6LA
Click here >> for more info about this trip
Click here >> for other trips with Dragoman
Click here >> to email
Tel: 0845 344 7516

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Overlanding and adventure tours