Players must complete the objectives set by Mansa in order to progress in the desert. Gold dinars, the special event currency, and occasionally evolution tokens are awarded for completing these tasks. Players move from oasis to oasis across the Sahara, with each watering hole holding interesting prizes.

When players reach the 30th oasis, the Grand Prize awaits them: the "Madrasah" evolution token. These tokens are used to build the main reward of the "Mali Empire" event: The Madrasa. This impressive educational facility grants secret chests of research points, random barracks item refills, and culture boosts. The Madrasah is an evolving building and can be upgraded to level 40.

This month's Desert Expedition has something else new and exciting to offer Rise of Cultures players. The "Imperium Mali" event continues to use the new "luck" mechanic introduced in the last Mongol event, but also includes new types of quests as well as new variations on negotiation costs. As players progress through the quest line, they can also enlist the services of Queen Idia of Benin, a mercenary commander who can be deployed in battle to fire a hail of arrows at enemies!