NIGER RIVER
KAYAK EXPEDITION

From Bamako to Timbouctu (Mali)
1000 km of navigation
on the Niger river in a kayak

Departure will be from Bamako, the capital of Mali, in November 2011.
The navigation will touch different places along the river: Segou, with its chaotic market on the river, Mopti, which is considered the Venice of Africa, also famous for its market and manufacturers of canoes, the Inner Delta (Natural Park) , where the river seems to stop in the middle of the desert divides into many small rivers in a pristine and wild envorinment, many birds live here as well as hippos and crocodiles, and finally, after the river has once again brought together in a single course, Timbouctu is reached, the ancient caravan city, which was one of "gates" of the Sahara desert.

The Niger River is the heart of Mali. Along its banks you will encounter people of different ethnicities. Tuareg, Bororo, Bambara. Those who live by agriculture, herding those who fished.
The interior portion of the Delta, on the contrary, will give the opportunity to live in close contact with African wildlife.
The weather here seems to have stopped ...

Giacomo will use a folding kayak (demountable) built by Leonardo De Chiara. This is a FAP 15 in aluminum tubes and walls of reinforced PVC. Giacomo and Leonardo decided some changes after some further tests dialing to improve navigation safety and capacity.
This choice gives the trip a double value because there is no news of other kayakers embark on a similar trip with a kayak homebuilt!

He will travel in total autonomy and without any logistical support. This will involve careful preparation equipment. Water purifying water, solar panels, GPS, satellite phone, are some of the devices that will be part of the organization of the trip.
Much attention will also be given health aspect considered that in Mali there is a risk of contracting tropical diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, bilharzia, and lack of hygiene-related diseases like typhoid, cholera and hepatitis.

Kayakextreme's Blog will be used for updates even while navigating. It will be followed also by Valentina Bonomonte, updated via satellite from Giacomo, when normal communication is not possible.