"Our Mali adventure with From Here 2 Timbuktu is up with the top of our adventures...fulfilled our dreams and much more...great companions, guides, fellow travellers and the Malian peoples’ friendliness and honesty, and of course the music...never have felt safer...and we celebrated our 30 years of marriage with a Tuareg Wedding at the Festival au Desert at Timbuktu...what a hoot!" David and Denise Hooper
"I have spent years travelling but Mali was one of the most surprising places i have ever been to, partly through my ignorance of this amazing country and the fantastic sights I saw. The desert, the river trip, the Dogon - they seemed like separate countries and made every day exciting and interesting. I was knocked out by the kindness and the warmth of the people I met. A special mention to those who travelled with us as our guides and drivers etc from Guy's team - especially Sory - who made our trip so special and put so much personal effort into each day. Thank you all!" Jane Fraser
"A lot of people blench at the thought - or memory - of group travel and I had serious reservations. But I could NEVER have had the amazing experiences that I had on The Festival In The Desert trip with From Here 2 Timbuktu without a lot more time at my disposal - not to mention preparation, organisation, research etc. And in fact the group experience was great fun, honest. The group chemistry was great. That was partly luck of the draw, but it also had a whole lot to do with Guy's knack of creating a positive, fun, cooperative dynamic. As for Mali and the Festival - magic. It's another world. I definitely recommend the experience." Amanda Vinnicombe, 2008
"It was a truly inspiring and amazing holiday. Every day was a new adventure; every part of the country, from the plains, the river to the desert was a revelation - made me want to come back to Africa again and again. Our 'leaders' Guy and Aly were constant sources of fun, knowledge and information. It would be impossible to say what was the highlight of the holiday - music in the desert, the dramatic tuareg and their camels, surfing down a sand dune, walking in the Dogon country, visiting villages, waking up in Timbuctoo and looking out over the sand sea, falling asleep on the roof of a beautiful mud brick building while looking up at a blur of stars and a rising moon.. oh...and the cliff top villages cut into the rock face in the Dogon were something I will never forget." Sara-Jane Hall
"The Festival In The Desert was totally fantastic, definitely one of life’s peak highlights that left me planning my next trip to Mali." Jane O’Toole
"Exotic,magic adventure and desert music to carry you across the dunes til dawn. I can’t recommend it highly enough. And Guy was great fun. Go for it!" Faye Gorman, New Zealand
"I went on Guy's inaugural tour last year and I really enjoyed it. I had spent a couple of months already travelling in Southern and Eastern Africa before joining the group in Mali so I was a little bit tired when I arrived in Mali but Guy's enthusiasm picked me up, and in fairness Mali is a pretty special place. I found it to be the most distinctive and culturally interesting country I had visited in sub-Saharan Africa. If you have a bit of patience and go with the flow its hard not to enjoy it. The itinerary is good and you have time to see most of the major sites. At times things will change along the way but it'll work itself out in the end. So sit back and enjoy. oh and the drive to the festival is the most fun i'd had in a car!" Shane Ryder, Ireland
"My trip to Mali this January was the most fabulous way to start the year - I was really struck by the colour and vibrancy of the country and the holiday was full of adventure and fantastic new experiences - sleeping on rooves under starred filled skies, sailing past hippos on the Niger river, haggling for bargains in bustling markets, exploring ancient cave dwellings and, of course, listening to the music of Mali in the festival in the desert - accompanied by a camel or three. Travelling in Africa is not for control freaks and you have to adopt the same relaxed attitude as those around you but once you do that everything is fine. Tour organiser Guy Lankester was a great leader - unflappable, relaxed and always ready with an entertaining anecodote. An amazing holiday - I'll be back!" Bryony Worthington, UK
"Guy, THANK YOU for making magical moments happen in my life. The Mali trip was fab and exceeded the high expectations I had. I loved it all and we were blessed to have such a great crowd of people. So much credit goes to you and the wonderful Ally. Al and I loved Bamako, despite no live music in the week. I will return and certainly have a taste for W Africa. Keep me informed of you future plans. I may well be a repeat customer." Barrie Birch
Festival In The Desert 2010
"A trip that challenged me physically and emotionally, and I felt enriched by every moment of it!" Etta Geras
"Well organised and varied trip - you get a feel for the country, its people and its music." Thema Lovick
"A lot of fun, Mali wonderful, people the best, just go, don't worry about security, you'll be well looked after. Grateful thanks to our dear leader, who was very fetching in pink." Eveline Gawne
"I had a trip for life! Mali truly made me a better person. Thanks Guy! Mali is in my heart forever, so I will probably see you soon." Anna Helmersen
"To say that the trip to Mali has changed our lives would not be an understatement. As seasoned travellers in other African countries we found the friendliness, respect and kindness with which we were treated overwhelming. We felt consistently safe and unthreatened even on dark nights in Bamako and were welcomed with greetings and smiles wherever we went. Our guides and fellow travellers became friends and it would be a great sadness if we did not see them again." Rob and Lyn Dix
