Toguna Adventure Tours

 Hello: Just wanted to let you know that we are going to go with Toguna Adventures Tours. Karen has been a delight to work with and really on top of things. Had narrowed it down to Toguna Tours and two others, but I liked the presentation of what Karen had to offer and her enthusiasm. 

Micheljane: Visualiser of Interiors

 West Africa arrangements My wife, Charlotte, and I (in our 70s) had a wonderful, unforgettable trip to Mali, Burkina Faso and Benin. I had searched the Internet and contacted all of the reputable travel agents, and the only one who would do exactly what we wanted was Toguna Adventure Tours (B.P.E. 5096, Bamako, Mali, West Africa; phone 223 7621 5079, e-mail togunatours@gmail.com or visit www.togunatours.com The manager, Karen Crabbs, turned out to be from Brooklyn and was as helpful and knowledgeable a travel agent as I have ever met. She arranged for us to have a 4WD Toyota Land Cruiser, a full-time driver and a marvelous guide, Chine. She made reservations at the best-available hotels. She even arranged for private performances of the Dogon mask dancers and also for us to see part of a wedding celebration at a Tuareg encampment in the Sahara near Timbuktu, which usually can only be done for large tours and then only if the dancers feel like doing it. We wanted to visit the game parks in Burkina Faso and Benin, and Karen was the only one who would arrange it for us. We had considered renting a car and driver and doing the trip on our own and were grateful that we didn’t. There are permits and fees that must be obtained at every city, not to mention forms and fees when crossing borders, and these would have been very time-consuming and expensive had we not had the services of Chine. He was able to solve every problem almost immediately and even got me out of trouble when I took photos of some women without getting permission. He charmed them out of their anger! Overall, the trip gets an A+ from a couple who has been to 26 countries and knows what good service is. SHELDON LEVIN Espanola, NM 

Sheldon Levin

 We had such a fabulous time on our Toguna Adventure tour that we did it again a few years later. Every detail of our trip was perfect and made for such memorable moments that friends (and we) are still talking about it years later. 

Nan Stewart

 Have not worked with Saga Tours - but have used Toguna Adventure Tours in Mali. They were fantastic. It's run by an American woman who contracts terrific guides. In Timbuktu, my guide/translator was Azima. He was amazing. Met me at the airport, had a good driver and took me on an amazing journey. It's an amazing country to visit but be very careful when you choose an operator in Mali... I heard some horror stories about travellers getting ripped off etc. I did a lot of research before I went with Toguna. Glad I did. Karen Crabbs is the woman that runs this company. 

Cielo Pictures, Calgary, Canada: Senior Designer

 At the recommendation of my friend Alex Newton (USAID, Bamako) I contacted Karen at Toguna Travel to plan a trip for the two of us and three close friends of ours from Amsterdam. Karen was very patient with me as we planned the perfect trip, and then had to bail on our friends due to worries about our jobs and the economy. Our friends still rave about the wonderful trip and we are still sad we weren't able to experience the adventure with them. We have recently watched with horror as the Islamists invaded the north and destroyed priceless and ancient art and manuscripts and are joyous at the success of the French in driving them back into the desert. We still hope to make our trip to Mali to enjoy the art, culture and music as we always dreamed of, and we will be confident in relying on Toguna Tours to guide us on our journey. 

Dan McCullar

 My husband and I did a 10-day tour of Mali over Christmas 2010. We chose Toguna Adventure Tours after a lot of research and negotiation with other tour companies. It was a worthy choice. Karen, who runs Toguna, was there to meet us on arrival at our appointed hotel (the Radisson Blu) even though it was midnight and we met up with our guide the next morning. Our guide, Ogomono from the Dogon tribe, was fantastic and our experience of Mali was highly enhanced by his knowledge, honesty and reliability and beautiful personality. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have been in such capable hands for the 10 days - we have traveled extensively and done many private tours at exotic destinations but none have matched the impeccability of this particular tour. I want to congratulate Karen for her professionalism in all her dealings with us and for Ogomono who was a standout in his own right. The memories of Mali and the fun time we had will always be treasured thanks to Ogomono. 

trip advisor name: Tutankarma (Sydney)

 I can second this recommendation. I brought a group of 10 to Mali, and even though I lived there for many years (Peace Corps), speak Bambara, etc., I knew I would need an operator on the ground to set up all of the logistics of the destinations and experiences I wanted for my group. Toguna was wonderful to work with. Very flexible and attentive to my specific itinerary requests and budgetary needs. Karen was great and Ogo was a total gem. His knowledge, cheer, work ethic and sensitivity (when to let the group chill out vs. when to capture a teachable moment) was outstanding. He became a real friend to many in our group and they still remain in contact via email two years later. As someone who knows Mali well and is married to a Malian, I would recommend Toguna to those who want a quality operator that will give them a very authentic experience with true Malian warmth. 

Virginia (Trip Advisor name: sulawesigirl)