Senegal: dunes, mangroves and heritage - copia

Arrive in Senegal and transfer to your hotel in Dakar. Once you’ve settled in, you can spend the rest of the day exploring the capital at your own pace. At the end of the day, enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Overnight stay in Dakar.

Breakfast at the hotel. We start the day with a visit to Gorée Island and the House of Slaves, one of Senegal’s most significant historical sites. Wander its colourful colonial streets and learn about the transatlantic slave trade at key sites such as the famous Door of No Return.

Return to Dakar by ferry, where you'll have some free time for lunch. After that, we're off to a panoramic tour of Dakar where we'll explore the Plateau district and Place de l’Indépendance, browse the Kermel and Soumbédioune markets, and see city icons such as the Mosque of the Divinity and the African Renaissance Monument. Upon our return, enjoy  dinner at the hotel.

Overnight stay in Dakar.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, we leave Dakar behind and head to the Pink Lake for a traditional pirogue ride. Glide across its waters as a local guide shares the lake’s history, its salt harvesting, and its importance to nearby communities.

Next, we’ll set off for the Lompoul Desert, where orange-hued dunes compose a striking Saharan landscape. Watch the sun set over the landscape before settling into our camp to enjoy a traditional dinner under the desert sky. 

Overnight in the Lompoul Desert.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, we’ll head north to Djoudj National Bird Park, one of West Africa’s great bird sanctuaries. A boat trip through its wetlands provides an excellent chance to spot pelicans, flamingos, and other species in their natural habitat.

After our nature-filled adventure, we’ll continue to Saint-Louis. Enjoy free time for lunch at one of our guide’s recommended restaurants and soak up the atmosphere of this historic city nested between the Senegal River and the Atlantic. Upon our return, enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Overnight in Saint-Louis.

Important: Djoudj National Park closes seasonally from summer until around October. During this period, the visit may be replaced with an alternative option in the Langue de Barbarie area.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we’ll travel south, stopping in Thiès, one of Senegal’s liveliest inland cities. We’ll visit its artisan village to witness sculptors, jewellers, basket weavers, leatherworkers and textile artisans at work, and learn more about the techniques that are part of the country’s cultural heritage.

After some free time for lunch, we’ll head on to the Saloum region, where the landscape slowly transforms into mangroves, winding channels and small traditional villages. Upon our return, enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Overnight stay in Ndangane.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, we’ll explore one of the most memorable landscapes of this trip on a Saloum Delta boat trip and Mar Lodj visit. Hop aboard a pirogue and glide through the bolongs, the natural channels winding through the mangroves, as you discover the rich biodiversity of this unique ecosystem. 

In Mar Lodj, we’ll learn about Serer culture and the daily life of its people. See the traditional “telephone” tam-tam, a drum once used to send messages between villages, and stop by the village women’s craft cooperative before a picnic lunch by the sea, weather permitting. Return to Ndangane for a free afternoon, followed by dinner at the hotel.

Overnight stay in Ndangane.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we’ll follow the coast to Joal-Fadiouth, the shell island, a unique enclave linked to the mainland by a long wooden bridge. Stroll through a village built on countless layers of shells and visit its cemetery, where Christian and Muslim graves lie side by side - a true symbol of Senegal’s religious diversity.

After free time for lunch, we’ll see Joal’s sacred baobab, one of the region’s most iconic trees. Discover the spiritual and historical role of these African giants, traditionally linked to the griots, the guardians of West Africa’s memory and oral tradition. In the evening, enjoy dinner at the hotel.

 Overnight stay in the Joal-Fadiouth or Palmarin area.

Breakfast at the hotel. At the scheduled time, transfer to Dakar International Airport for your flight back to the US. If your scheduled flight time allows it and you’d like to spend your last hours in Senegal surrounded by nature, we recommend an optional boat trip through the mangroves of the La Somone Lagoon*. Night on board.

*La Somone Lagoon boat trip: Drift by pirogue through the tranquil mangroves where the lagoon meets the Atlantic, and discover how oyster farming supports local communities. If you like, you can even try a freshly harvested oyster (at an additional cost).