Senegal and Gambia Explorer Tour

Day 1 – Welcome to Senegal
On arrival at Blaise Diagne International Airport, you will be met be a representative and transferred to the capital, Dakar. The airport is about 25 miles from down-town Dakar, and your hotel for the evening.
Overnight at Hotel Djoloff or similar

Day 2 - Dakar and Gorée
We start the day with an exploration of Dakar, the large and vibrant metropolis that was the cultural and intellectual capital of French West Africa. We will visit the Musée des Civilisations Noirs. Opened in December 2018, it is the realization of Léopold Sédar Senghor’s vision (the first president of independent Senegal, a poet, and Nobel Prize winner). The museum represents the historical and contemporary worldwide cultures, art, and soul of Black people, which he called Negritude. We will also see the Cathédrale Notre Dame des Victoires and Place de Souvenirs. The project to build the cathedral was started in 1910 and was consecrated on 2 February 1936. Our day continues as we travel to the port to board a ferry. We will be spending the night in Gorée, the island where slaves used to be housed before being shipped to the Americas. There are some restored buildings remaining that bear witness of those times.

The Portuguese were the first to establish a presence on Gorée in 1450, where they built a small stone chapel. After the decline of the slave trade from Senegal in the 1770s and 1780s, the island became an important port for the shipment of peanuts, Arabic gum, ivory, and other products of a much more legitimate trade. Thanks to the nice breeze and the many restaurants and shops, Gorée is today a pleasant and quite trendy location. In the late afternoon and evening, when the other tourists are gone, we will experience the real feeling of this special island.
Overnight at hotels in Gorée. Due to limited accommodation, the group may be split into different locations. (BLD)

Day 3 - Lac Rose and Fisherman Villages
An early morning start in Gorée before the crowd arrives is a pleasure, with time to stroll along the tiny stone-paved alleys of this historical settlement. We then take the ferry back to Dakar and drive to Lac Rose, a shallow saltwater lake surrounded by dunes, also known as Lac Retba. An exciting drive along the beach using 4x4 vehicles (depending on tides) will bring us to the largest fisherman village in Senegal. Here we will find more than 4500 wooden painted pirogues that come to the shore with the catch of the day. On the beach, the fishermen will be selling their catch to the women from the local markets. Later we meet the artisans carving the large pirogues, the painters decorating them with bright colours, and if we are lucky the “local saint” who gives a final blessing before sailing.
Overnight at the Hotel Le Trarza or similar (BLD)
(Distances travelled today 100 km / driving time 3 hrs.)

Day 4 - Saint Louis
Saint Louis, known to locals as Ndar, is a charming ancient town that was a French territory from 1673 until 1895. It was the capital of all French West Africa colonies from 1895 until 1902 when the capital was moved to Dakar. From 1920 to 1957, it also served as the capital of the neighbouring colony of Mauritania. Saint Louis is located on two islands between the Senegal River and the ocean at the southern edge of the Sahara. It is rich with history, culture, geography, and architecture. Saint-Louis is seen as a bridge between the savanna and the desert, the ocean, the river, and the inland, between tradition and modernity, Islam and Christianity, Europe and Africa.
The city and its people have a unique identity. "No one comes without falling in love with the city," its people are proud to tell you. They also consider Saint-Louis as the birthplace of Senegalese Teranga, the Wolof word for hospitability. We explore the narrow lanes of Saint Louis by calash, just as locals do, and walk in the fisherman’s quarters. There will be time to stroll in the tiny avenues and enjoy the unique atmosphere of this old town. Our tour will spend the night a historic hotel in the town, built in 1895 and now fully renovated, it was here that all the Aeropostale pilots used to stay.
Overnight at the Hotel de la Poste or similar (BLD)
(Distances travelled today 210 km /driving time 5 hrs.)

Day 5 - Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary and the Ferlo Desert
We have an early morning departure northward to discover the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (Parc National des Oiseaux du Djoudj). This is a natural oasis formed by hundreds of miles of partially flooded land that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located between the Sahara and Ferlo desert it is the habitat and nesting site for over a million migratory and resident birds. Out of more than 400 species, pelicans and flamingos are the most common, whereas aquatic warblers are a bit less conspicuous as they migrate here from Europe. Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary is their single most important wintering site yet discovered. Apart from birds, there is also a wide range of wildlife such as warthogs and crocodiles. We will take a motorboat excursion led by a local guide-ornithologist.

Depending on the season and taking into consideration the time of migrations and level of water, the visit to Djoudj may be replaced by a similar experience in Langue de Barbarie. This is a thin, sandy peninsula, adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, located in western Senegal. The peninsula separates the ocean from the final section of the Senegal River and Langue de Barbarie National Park is home to an abundant variety of bird species and three species of turtle.

In the afternoon, we will continue to the Ferlo Desert and explore the arid region where nomadic Fulani tribes herd large herds of zebu. The Fulani (also called Peul) are the largest nomadic tribe roaming the West African Savannahs, living in a vast area from Senegal to Chad. The origins of the tribe are still shrouded in mystery. In the afternoon a local guide will join us for a visit to the neighbouring villages and shelters. When the herds come back, we might even be invited to witness the milking process.
Overnight in a camp made up of simple grass huts, managed by a local entrepreneur (all rooms with beds, mosquito nets, en-suite). (BLD)
(Distances travelled today 150 km / driving time 4 hrs.)

Day 6 – The Tuba Brotherhood
The arrival of Western travellers is an unusual event in the sacred city of Touba. This Holy city is almost a state within a state. The founder was a Sufi named Amhadou Bàmba Mbake and the inhabitants follow the Muridi movement, which still has a great social and economic impact in Senegal. It will therefore be necessary to follow some simple rules. Smoking, wearing provocative clothes, drinking alcohol and listening to music are not allowed during the visit. We will abide by these rules and we wil be very well received. The Muridi are proud of their city and will appreciate our interest in visiting it.
Overnight at Relais de Kaolak or similar (BLD)
(Todays distances are 240 km / driving time 5 hrs.)

Day 7 - Stone Circles and The Gambia
An early departure and we will leave the main road to discover the unique megalithic site of Sine Ngayene, part of the Senegambian stone circles, which lie in The Gambia and in central Senegal. According to UNESCO, the Senegambian stone circles are "the largest concentration of stone circles seen anywhere in the world." These sites represent an extraordinary concentration of more than 1,100 stone and related tumuli spread over a territory of 100km wide and 350km in length on the north bank of the Gambia River. After The Gambia border formalities, we will drive to the Banjul area.
Overnight at the Atlantic Beach Hotel or similar (BLD)
(Travelling today is 240 km / driving time 6 h)

Day 8 – Gambia Birding and Sacred Masks
Gambia is renowned as a bird-watching destination. With an ornithological guide, we will discover different species of African birds in their habitat. Drive to the southern border with the Casamance region of Senegal. We will leave the main track to join a remote village. Here, you will have lunch in the village, prepared by a local family, to enjoy Senegalese gastronomy and improve the local community's economy. If we are lucky, in the afternoon, masks leave the sacred forest to dance for an enthusiastic local crowd. Masks are part of the animistic Diola culture. People fear and respect masks and consider them spirits who play an important role in solving conflicts between villagers. Evening arrival to our comfortable hotel on the banks of the Casamance River.
Overnight at the Kadiandoumange Hotel or similar (BLD)
(Travelling today is 160 km / driving time 4 h)

Day 9 – King of the Diola
We will leave the main road to visit an adobe-fortified building still inhabited by a large patriarchal Diola family, an interesting example of traditional African sculptural architecture. These large clay and wooden fortified houses, where light comes from a central hole in the roof, are known as “impluvium houses” and protect their dwellers from outside attacks. In a hidden village, we will be received by the king of a Diola Kingdom. After the protocol salutations, the king, who is also the high priest holding both political and mystical power, will answer our questions on the traditional rules in Diola society. We then drive to the airport in Cap Skirring to board a spectacular flight to Dakar over river estuaries and the Atlantic coast.
Overnight at the Hotel Bouganvillier or similar (BLD)
(Travelling today is 150 km / driving time 4 h)

Day 10 – End of the Senegal and Gambia Tour
We can do a bit of last-minute shopping before an evening transfer to the airport and your departure.