Senegal Explorer Tour

Day 1 - Dakar
Arrival in Dakar and transfer to the hotel.

Day 2 - Dakar and Gorée
Dakar is located at the end of the Cape Verde peninsula, the western-most point on the African continent and has a population of about 2.4 million people. Nowadays, a large and vibrant African metropolis, it was the cultural and intellectual capital of the former French West Africa.
Senegal’s capital is a window on contemporary art and music and the centre of all kinds of creativity. We will visit the Musée des Civilisations Noires and the Cathédrale Notre-Dame. Board a ferry and spend a night in Gorée, the island where slaves used to held before being shipped to the Americas. Some restored buildings remain to bear witness to 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 legitimate trade.  Thanks to the pleasant breeze and the numerous restaurants and shops, Gorée has become a charming and trendy destination today. In the late afternoon and evening, when the tourists are gone, we will experience the real feeling of this special island.

Day 3 - Lac Retba and Fisher villages
(ferry and drive 30 km – driving time 1 hour)
Waking up in Gorée before the crowd arrives is a pleasure, as you stroll in the tiny stone-paved alleys of this historical settlement. Take the ferry to Dakar and drive to Lac Retba, a shallow saltwater lake surrounded by dunes, also known as Lac Rose. We will drive on the beach by 4×4 (if the tides allow) which will bring us to some of the largest fishing villages in Senegal. More than 4500 wooden painted pirogues come to the shore with the catch of the day and on the beach, the fishermen sell to the local market women. After, you will meet the artisans carving the large pirogues, the painters decorating them with bright colours.

Day 4 - Saint Louis
from Lac Retba to St. Louis (210 km – driving time 4 hrs.)
Saint Louis, known to locals as Ndar, is a charming ancient town that was a French territory from 1673 until 1895 and 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. It has been the base of the “Aeropostale” airmail pioneer operation between Europe, Africa, and South America. Located on two islands between the Senegal River and the ocean at the southern edge of the Sahara, rich in three centuries of history, cultural background, geography, and architecture, Saint-Louis is 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. Home to a society with a distinctive lifestyle, Saint-Louis has retained its unique identity. “No one comes without falling in love with the city,” proudly say its people who consider Saint-Louis as the birthplace of Senegalese Teranga, the Wolof word for hospitality. The best way to visit the narrow lanes of Saint Louis is by calash, just as locals do, and walk in the fisherman’s quarters.

Day 5 - Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary and Nomadic Tribes
From St. Louis to Ferlo desert (150 km – driving time 4 hrs.)
An early morning departure northwards to discover Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (Parc National des Oiseaux du Djoudj), a natural oasis formed by hundreds of miles of partially flooded lands that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located between the Sahara and Ferlo desert this 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. Apart from birds, there is also a diverse range of wildlife, including warthogs and crocodiles. We take a motorboat excursion led by a local ornithologist-guide.

Depending on the season, considering the time of migration and water levels, a visit to Djoudj may be replaced by a similar experience in Langue de Barbarie, a thin, sandy peninsula adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, located in western Senegal, near the city of Saint-Louis.

In the afternoon, we continue to the Ferlo Desert to discover the arid region where the nomadic Fulani tribe herd large droves of zebu. The Fulani (also known as Peul) are the largest nomadic tribe roaming the West African Savannas, living in a vast area from Senegal to Chad. Their origins remain 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.

Day 6 - The Tuba Brotherhood
Ferlo desert to Kaolack (240 km – driving time 5 hrs.)
The arrival of a group of Western travellers is an unusual event at the sacred city of Tuba. Here you will discover the great sense of hospitality that characterises African fraternities. The inhabitants follow the Muridi movement, which continues to have a significant social and economic impact in Senegal. Tuba is a sacred city. It will therefore be necessary for you to follow some simple rules. Smoking, wearing provocative clothes, drinking alcohol and listening to music are not allowed during the visit. If you abide by these rules, you will be very well received. The Muridi are proud of their city and will appreciate your interest in visiting it.

Day 7 - Sine-Saloum
From Kaolack to Sine Saloum (70 km – driving time 1,30 h)
Transfer to Sine-Saloum. Sine-Saloum is a region of Senegal located north of The Gambia and south of the Petite Côte. It comprises an area of 24,000 square kilometres, about 12 per cent of Senegal and is home to the Saloum Delta National Park, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. Flowing very slowly, this delta allows saltwater to enter deep inland.

Day 8 - Sine-Saloum
You will take a private boat excursion to visit the mangroves and discover the many bird species in their natural habitat. There are also reforestation programs, put in place to protect this region.

Day 9 - Depart Dakar
Fom Sine Saloum to the airport (188 km – driving time 4 h)
Early in the morning, we drive to Bandia Reserve, where you can encounter all of Africa’s large mammals in 3,500 hectares of the great outdoors: huge baobabs, thorny bushes, extravagant lianas (Return flight schedule permitting). In the evening, transfer to the airport for the return flight.