After breakfast at the hotel in Segou, we left for a 20 minute drive to the small village of Dougouba.
Dougouba
As per local legends, at one time, the king of Segou belonged to the Keita tribe and he suppressed the local villagers of Dougouba, taking virgin girls and making them his slaves. An old lady at the village cast a spell that anyone belonging to the Keita tribe trying to enter the village will go blind. Locals still believe this legend, and anyone of Keita tribe passing by the village on a bus on the highway will close their eyes as long as the view of Dougouba village can be seen.
The highlight of this small village is the grand mosque which is the only mosque in Sahel that is half mud (old mosque) and half cement (new mosque). Visiting the old mosque is considered unsafe (because of the lack of maintenance) and only for Muslims, but your tour guide can negotiate it with the imam for you to enter!
After a quick visit to Dougouba, we headed back to Segou for some sightseeing in the city.
Segou
The second largest city of Mali lies on the Niger river and is one of the most important ports of Mali. Besides the hustle bustle around the river, the most impressive architecture of this city are the French colonial houses that now hosts government offices.
Every Monday morning, the area around the Niger river comes alive with two markets – pottery and produce. Locals from all around the Segou region bring their potteries and produce in canoes and boats to sell at the makeshift markets.
Ségou features a mix of architectural styled French Colonial and traditional Sudano-Sahelian buildings. The French Colonial administration established offices in the city back in 1930s and earlier, which are now housed by various government agencies. The administrative buildings, now displaying a charming decay, are situated slightly back from the river and taking pictures of these buildings is frowned upon!
Next up, we traced our way back to the river to see the fish and produce market. Apart from seafood, vegetables and fruits, this traditional ‘flee’ market also sells all kinds of daily-use items; and voodoo stuff!
Segou is famous for its bogolan cloth, or mud clothing (literally translated as “earth cloth” in the Bambara language), the craft center is the best place to buy these from, although there are also plenty of street vendors selling them. A handspun and handwoven cotton cloth that is hand-dyed following a complex process with the use of plant extracts and fermented mud from the Niger river.
At the craft center, a guided tour explains how Bogolan clothes are made and even have the chance to try your hand at creating your own masterpiece. They also have a shop with work that is generally of a higher quality than on market stands.
It was a treat to visit all these amazing places in Segou! After lunch at a local restaurant, we headed for a 2.5 hour drive east to the third largest city of Mali – San, arriving after sunset.
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Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = XOF 595 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult. Note that the expenses do not include international flights to and from Mali.
| What | Cost | Notes |
| None | $0.00 | No additional costs for the day. |
| Day Costs | $0.00 | Per person |
| Overall Costs | $1,795.08 | Per person |
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Biton Coulibaly, Segoukara, Segou
Visit the birthplace of Biton Coulibaly, old village of Segoukara and arrive in Segou.
Day 3
Dougouba, Segou
Traditional village of Dougouba, sights of Segou.
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