Mopti is the main base for trips into Dogon Country — the spectacular Bandiagara Escarpment and the villages perched on and below it, where the Dogon people have maintained one of the most distinctive cultures in West Africa. The escarpment drops nearly 500 metres and runs for 150 kilometres, and along its length are dozens of Dogon villages, each with its own togu-na (meeting house), granaries, and masked dance traditions.
A minimum of two to three days is needed to do justice to Dogon Country, with at least one overnight stay in a village. Independent trekking is possible but a Dogon guide is strongly recommended — both for practical navigation and for access to cultural events. Guides can be arranged in Mopti through reputable agencies or guesthouses. The best walking circuits connect villages along the cliff base and the plateau above, with the most visited section between Sanga and Bandiagara.