"The Niger is central to the economy of Mali and it is only in recent years that archaeologists have made discoveries indicating that an African civilization, second only to that of ancient Egypt, existed in the inland delta region. Our tour to Mali is, in many ways, a trip back in time. The Niger still has an annual flood and our 3 days in a traditional pinasse from Mopti to Timbuktu allows us to see how communities of fishermen, herdsmen and pastoralists live and work. We trace the history of Mali through the archaeological site of Djenné-Djenno, the mud architecture of present day Djenné and the extraordinary libraries of Timbuktu. The last part of the tour covers the Dogon country, with villages perched high on the cliff tops or nestling beneath."