NATURE IN SENEGAL

Day 1 : Dakar

Meet and greet

Meet and greet at Blaise Diagne International Airport. 20:00 - Transfer

Say hello to Dakar. This former French West African capital is located on the south of the Cape Verde peninsula and blessed with a warm, tropical climate and eclectic atmosphere. The busy and noisy city stands juxtaposed against the silvery shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean and provides fascinating scenes of opposite extremes where suit-clad businessmen stride along dusty walkways, and rickety donkey carts make their way across modern highways.

This diverse atmosphere contributes to the allure of Dakar and there are many interesting sights for visitors to uncover ranging from frenetic markets to peaceful seaside eateries, and contemporary art museums to pulsating nightlife. The streets are constantly alive with the chatter of friendly locals as well as music that forms an important part of the fabric of the city. Enjoy the welcoming and endearing character of Dakar and its people, known for their great sense of humour and curiosity. (n)

- Overnight : Casa Mara (Standard Room - Bed and Breakfast)

Day 2 : Dakar - Lac Rose

Dakar City Tour and Ile de Goree (Full Day)

- Breakfast

08:00 - Embark on your guided tour aboard your minibus: He will accompany you all along your circuit from Dakar (Day 2) to La Somone (Day 6)

Take a day to delight in the sights of Dakar. Your tour begins with the highlights of Senegal’s capital city and includes the slightly controversial African Renaissance Monument; the Les Mamelles Lighthouse, named for the two mounded hills on which it is located that resemble a woman’s breasts; and the bustling Soumbedioune market. The tour then proceeds to the Plateau business district for views of the Presidential Palace, Independence Square and a visit to the colourful Marché Kermel market before boarding a ferry at midday.

This boat trip takes you to the island a Gorée, a car-free and historic UNESCO World Heritage Site noted for the role it once played in slave trade. Admire its narrow streets flanked by colonial buildings including the House of Slaves Museum and The Henriette Bathily Women’s Museum.

- Lunch at own expense.

Gaze upon the blushing hues of Lac Rose. This pretty lake lies nestled between the sand dunes of the Atlantic Ocean and scrubby bushland and is famed for its pink-tinged salt-producing water. The lake’s colour varies from light pink to purple, depending on the weather conditions, and is tinted by the high presence of microorganisms that thrive in its soda-rich water. Its high salinity levels can be equated to that of the Dead Sea, giving those that swim in the lake a feeling of floating on the water. Lac Rose is also important to the local community who mine its salt-rich water. The lake is at its most eye-catching during the drier months when its pink hue is at its most vivid; however, a visit at any time of the year is a unique sight. (n)

- Dinner : Campement du Lac Rose Chez Salim
- Overnight : Campement du Lac Rose Chez Salim (Standard Room - Dinner Bed and Breakfast)

Day 3 : Lac Rose - Lompoul

Walking tour of Lac Rose (HD) • 4x4 truck adventure between dunes and beach(o) • Canoe ride on the Pink Lake(o) • Nature Walk in Desert de Lompoul • Camel ride in the dunes(o)

- Breakfast

Take a walking tour in the spectacular scenes at Lac Rose. This pretty lake lies nestled between the sand dunes of the Atlantic Ocean and scrubby bushland and is famed for its pink-tinged salt-producing water. During your half-day visit you will have the opportunity to explore the scenic lake as well as observe the locals who wade through its rosy water to mine the mineral-rich salt. The lake’s hue varies from light pink to purple, depending on the weather conditions, and is coloured by the high presence of micro-organisms that thrive in its soda-rich water. Its high salinity levels can be equated to that of the Dead Sea, giving those that swim in the lake a feeling of floating on the water. Relax and enjoy the calm serenity of the area as nearby villagers collect salt to take home.

Board a 4x4 truck and live a fantastic adventure. You will cross the dune line that runs along the famous Pink Lake, forming a natural border with the large beach that runs along the Atlantic Ocean. (Optional rates:Balade 4x4 entre dunes et plages)

On a salt canoe you will discover, in a gentle way and during 1 hour, the Pink Lake and the salt extraction activity in which the villagers engage. Your guide will explain everything about the process of collecting, storing and selling salt. (Optional rates: Balade en pirogue à sel sur le Lac Rose)

- Lunch at own expense.

Wander across the dunes of the Lompoul Desert. Tucked away in between Dakar and Saint-Louis, the Lompoul Desert is small yet stunning, where orange dunes pop out against a clear blue African sky and sand shimmers sharply in the sunlight. Extending over approximately 18 square kilometres, the beauty of Lompoul is impressive and the area ranks as one of Senegal’s most popular tourist attractions, giving visitors a taste of what it’s like to be a nomad. Relish the feeling of total escape amidst this landscape of nothingness that brushes the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and is mostly void of vegetation. Some of Lompoul’s sand dunes reach heights in excess of 50 metres, and those that take the time to climb them will be rewarded with spectacular views of the surrounding terrain, especially around sunset when the desert’s orange glow intensifies to images of near perfection.

Mesmerise your senses in Lompoul on a nature walk. Extending over approximately 18 square kilometres, the beauty of Lompoul is impressive and the area ranks as one of Senegal’s most popular tourist attractions, giving visitors a taste of what it’s like to be a nomad. Relish the feeling of total escape amidst this landscape of nothingness that brushes the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and is mostly void of vegetation. Visitors can enjoy this experience on foot or in a vehicle, depending on their preference and fitness levels, and tours are accompanied by a guide. Please wear clothing to protect yourself from the sun and don’t miss the amazing sunset views from the peaks of the sand dunes.

Travel through the desert the traditional way on a camel ride in Lompoul. This small yet strikingly beautiful desert is best known for its sea of sand dunes that glow golden in the sun. Often compared to the much larger Sahara Desert, Lompoul is a popular tourist attraction where visitors can soak up the desert’s quiet tranquillity and emptiness. Be sure to dress appropriately and protect yourself against the sun as your ‘desert ship’ slowly ferries you across the shimmering, sandy dunes. (Optional rates: Balade dromadaire Lompoul)

- Dinner : Camp du Désert
- Overnight at the Camp : Camp du Désert (Classic Tent - Dinner Bed and Breakfast)

Day 4 : Lompoul - Palmarin

Palmarin

- Breakfast
- Travel to Palmarin

Experience pure nature in the Sine-Saloum. Located between Gambia and Petite Cote, Sine-Saloum covers approximately 180 000 hectares of lush, green landscape boasting incredible biodiversity and intense natural beauty. It is home to the Saloum Delta National Park, a fragile UNESCO World Heritage Site where mangrove swamps and baobab trees thrive in abundance and the delta water provides a fertile breeding ground for a vast variety of birds.

The selection of wildlife is also varied and includes warthogs, many species of monkeys, hyenas and more. Emerald-green vistas stretch as far as the eye can see, and a patchwork of traditions and cultures mingle together. Meet up with the Serer fishermen who handcraft their own nets and the traditional Peulh sheep breeders who rely on their livestock for food and income. One of the best ways to explore the delta is in a traditional canoe, a unique experience for any visitor to Senegal.

Trot along in a horse-drawn carriage and explore the Palmarin Community Nature Reserve. This abundant and ecologically important delta area consists of a patchwork of mangrove channels, salt flats, grasslands and forest where a unique combination of habitats supports a wide assortment of plant and animal life. Among the animals that can be spotted here include hyenas, jackals, and a wide range of resident and migrant birds that thrive in the verdant swamps, as well as ancient baobabs and many sites of historical and archaeological significance. Your horse-drawn carriage tour will begin at the salt collection pools. These odd looking, multiIti coloured circles dot the landscape and are used by the locals for harvesting salt during the dry season. Conclude your excursion by heading off to the open grassy plains to seek out hyena that begin their hunting at dusk.

- Lunch at own expense.
- Dinner : Ecolodge Palmarin
- Overnight at the Lodge : Ecolodge Palmarin (Bungalow - Dinner Bed Breakfast + 1 AM Act)

Day 5 : Palmarin

Morning Activity • Sine Saloum Island Experience

- Morning Activity
- Breakfast

Départ en compagnie de votre guide local à bord d’une pirogue traditionnelle à moteur dans les mangroves jusqu’à l’île des oiseaux. Balade au sein de l’île à la recherche des pélicans, des hérons cendrés, des oiseaux spatules, des flamants roses, des courlis, des cormorans, des martins pêcheurs, des guêpiers vert, des aigrettes noires et aigrettes blanches, etc.. Vous mettrez ensuite le cap vers l’île Mar Lodj. Balade dans le village qui réunit trois religions (catholiques, musulmans et animistes) qui cohabitent et se mélangent. Visite des Arbres sacrés entrelacés, lieu de cure maraboutique. Explication du monde des esprits et des jinnés.

Découverte du tam tam téléphonique permettant de discuter entre villages. Le voyage se poursuit vers la bien nommée île de No Stress très prisée pour sa plage de sable blanc. Déjeuner de grillades sur la plage puis temps libre pour une sieste sous les palmiers ou une baignade dans les eaux chaudes et claires. Vous allez ensuite repartir en pirogue direction Djiffer, l’un des plus grands ports de pêche du Sénégal. Ce sera l’occasion d’assister au spectacle de l’arrivée des pécheurs et au marchandage qui se déroule dès autour de l’chat des cargaisons.

Retour à Ndangane en fin de journée.

- Dinner : Ecolodge Palmarin
- Overnight at the Lodge : Ecolodge Palmarin (Bungalow - Dinner Bed Breakfast + 1 AM Act)

Day 6 : Palmarin - Somone

Morning Activity •  Joal Fadiouth • Afternoon at leisure

- Morning Activity
- Breakfast

Visit the birthplace of the first president of Senegal at Joal-Fadiouth. This scenic fishing village comprises two parts with the area of Joal lying on the mainland and Fadiouth, linked by a bridge, lying on an island of clam shells. During your visit you can explore the expansive stretch of beach dotted with colourful fishing boats and the shell craft market before crossing over a wooden bridge to reach the island Fadiouth. Here you will find granaries built on stilts above the island of shells and a pretty Catholic cemetery with graves decorated with seashells. The millions of shells that make up the island of Fadiouth also feature in the local architecture, lending the village a distinctive and charming feel. Once you have taken in the highlights we recommend concluding your visit with refreshments at the Fisherman’s Tavern, located at the end of the bridge.

- Lunch at own expense.

Soak up the natural beauty of La Somone. Lying north of the Sine-Saloum Delta and located on the famous Petite Côte, the small resort village of La Somone offers endless hours of natural indulgence. Its idyllic setting beside a lagoon makes the area a bird watcher’s paradise while adrenalin enthusiasts can partake in a host of exciting water sports ranging from water skiing and wind surfing to kayaking and fishing. Gorgeous beaches feature crystal-clear water that meanders over the sandbanks with the tide, and the calm lagoon is favoured by pelicans, flamingos and herons. The Somone Lagoon is bounded by a beautiful baobab forest on one side and falls within a natural reserve covering approximately 7 000 hectares. Free-roaming wildlife that could be spotted includes zebra, ostrich, antelope and bush pig. (n)

- Afternoon at leisure.
- Dinner : Auberge de l'Orangeraie
- Overnight : Auberge de l'Orangeraie (Standard room - Dinner, Bed and Breakfast)

Day 7 : Somone

Day at Leisure • Privately Guided Bandia Game Reserve Half Day(o)

- Breakfast
- Day at leisure.

Private tour: departure to join the private animal reserve of Bandia, a very beautiful ecological success story that has allowed the reintroduction of large African mammals to Senegal. Both close to the Senegalese capital and the beaches of the seaside resorts of the Petite Côte, Bandia covers some 3,500 hectares. In these vast spaces, one crosses landscapes of plains dotted with baobabs and acacias.

For a successful safari, it is preferable to privilege the coolest hours of the day. You will thus as of your arrival to take seat on board a 4x4 vehicle and leave in company of a professional ranger of the reserve for a safari. In Bandia, it is quite easy to get close to wildlife and you should be able to observe white rhinos, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, oryx, warthogs, monkeys, crocodiles, ... Bird lovers will be delighted to know that the reserve is home to more than 120 species of birds. After these beautiful scenes of animal life it will be time for you to leave the sanctuary (Optional rates: Safari Bandia)

- Lunch at own expense.
- Dinner : Auberge de l'Orangeraie
- Overnight : Auberge de l'Orangeraie (Standard room - Dinner, Bed and Breakfast)

Day 8 : Somone - Dakar

Day at Leisure

- Breakfast
- Day at leisure.
- Lunch at own expense.
- Transfer from La Somone to Dakar

End of our services

(n): All tours and visits followed by (n) are general presentation, introduction or suggestion of visits. They do not correspond to any service included nor any cost. They are present in the itinerary for information purposes.