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Overview

Tailor made trip to Senegal

This is a fascinating journey across this Western Africa country. Discover Dakar, the vibrant capital and its different facets as well as the historical island of Gorée, to learn the poignant slave trade memories. Along the Atlantic seashore, Lompoul, the most beautiful desert of Senegal, unveils its gigantic dunes. Enjoy a full day in Saint-Louis, a former capital of the country, and the beautiful mansions dating back to the French colonial era. Meet the salt harvesters on the Pink Lake, an incredible rose-colored body of water and find out how the salt is extracted. Excursions to the National Park of Djoudj, the third ornithological reserve in the world and enlisted in the World Heritage Sites of the UNESCO, will introduce you to the fantastic ballet of countless bird species such as flamingos, cormorants, herons, pelicans, aigrettes, spoonbills, marabou storks, among many others. Hit the road to the south of Dakar, at Mbour, and explore the Sine Saloum region, a beautiful landmark of Senegal. Swamps, forests, mangrove, lagoons, sand channels shape a broad range of wonderful landscapes, in addition to the wildlife of the nature reserve, the typical small harbours and the welcoming people of Senegal. Traditional accommodation all along the journey will offer a significant African flavour to dive you into a total change of scenery.

Feel free to contact our West Africa expert at Uniktour to get more information about this amazing tailor made trip in lifestyle guesthouses along the Senegalese coastline.

Itinerary

Day 1| International flight
Departure from Canada. International flight.

Day 2| Dakar
Upon arrival at Dakar in the evening, you will meet our permanent representative who will transfer you at the Ambre guesthouse, located 10 mn from the airport, for the night. Dinner on your own.

Day 3| Dakar - Gorée Island
Breakfast before you leave for a Dakar sightseeing tour. Settled in a natural harbour to the south of the Cap Vert presque-isle, Dakar is the westernmost point of Africa. The capital of Senegal since 1960, the architectural legacy of the colonial era still remains prominent as of today. Dakar is a large modern city of 1 million people where western and traditional lifestyles coexist. Visit of Independence Square and of the imposing cathedral of the Souvenir Africain, an eclectic blend of different styles with two towers reminiscent of Muslim minarets, a byzantine dome and a monumental front. Transfer to the Gorée pier to catch the 10:00 AM longboat.
Located 4 kilometres off Dakar and 20 mn away with the longboat, Gorée Island is one the most moving places of Senegal. Its trademark is a very homogenous architecture, and without the black children playing in the streets, the bougainvilleas and the baobabs, one could easily think he just reached a French Provencal village. The Slave House, where slaves back in the time were gathered, sorted and locked up, waiting for being boarded to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean: this moving visit evocates a painful past to which no one can stay indifferent. Lunch at the -Chevalier de Boufflers-. Journey back to Dakar on boat and transfer to the guesthouse. Dinner at a restaurant in town and night.

Day 4| Lake Retba (Lac Rose) - Lompoul
Breakfast and depart to Lake Retba. The lake originates from a lagoon that a sand dunes drift, along the sea, landlocked during the 15th century. It stands only a few hundred meters off the seashore, in the middle of a dunes and bush landscape. Its main characteristic is the changing colour according to the sunlight: pink at noon, it gets darker in the afternoon to take mauve and purple shades at twilight. In addition to this typical feature, an important salinity (300 gr/litre) makes it the second one behind the Dead Sea. Everything is floating at the surface. This salt density allows women of the village to extract the salt straight from the bottom of the lake. A short walk will introduce you to this ritual, a real godsend for many families of the region, carried out by the Fulani women of the villages around that use picks for the exploitation. Besides that, it used to be the starting line of the Paris-Dakar rally. Lunch at the Fulani Niaga. You're on your way to the beautiful Lompoul desert and its towering dunes that peak at 50m high kilometres around. Like spread by the trade winds, the very comfortable nomad tents seem nested in the heart of the thin sand dunes. An invitation to daydreaming, the camp of Lompoul is a unique site, totally fitting in its peaceful natural environment, and sheltered by the celestial vault, the desert will whisper his deepest secrets into your ear. Dinner and night at the Lompoul Lodge.

Day 5| Lompoul
Breakfast. You leave for a meharee (dromedary riding) of about 15/20 minutes on the wild trails. Lunch at Lompoul. During the afternoon, use an all-terrain vehicle to join Lompoul-sur-mer and bathe in the Atlantic Ocean or walk quietly on the beach. Dinner and night at the Lodge.

Day 6| Saint-Louis
Breakfast. You're heading to Saint-Louis, the former capital of Senegal. Upon arrival, check in at the Maison Jamm. Lunch in town, and enjoy the afternoon to visit the city, following your curiosity. Dinner and night.

Day 7| Saint-Louis - Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary
Breakfast. You leave early in the morning to the Djoudj sanctuary. Created in 1971, it's as of today the third ornithological park in size around the world, spreading over 12,000 hectares in the Senegal River Delta. Located in a desert region, the Djoudj basin is the only green spot of this part of the Sahel. Therefore, it strongly attracts the migratory wildlife from Europe and Africa. From November to March, three millions of birds and about twenty different species of mammals gather to hibernate. The next big moment is a dugout excursion (from November to March, otherwise, an all-terrain vehicle is used). In slow-motion, the boat goes into the heart of the reserve while a fantastic aerial ballet begins: flamingos taking off in tight rows, pelicans flying majestically, cormorants diving into the waters. It's a fascinating, extraordinary show. Going back to Saint-Louis for lunch in a typical restaurant before a few hours dedicated to shopping or sunbathing by the Flamingo pool. Later, enjoy a tour of Saint-Louis in carriage. The city has a familiar and surreal atmosphere, whether it lies in the delicate balconies of the beautiful colonial mansions or in the different shades of yellow and ochre that take over in the streets at twilight. The northern borough of the island is separated from the southern one by the Faidherbe Square and the governance. Also must-sees are: the City Hall and the Court Hall (first trial in 1875), the hospital (1827), a charming ochre painted building. An urban legend says that the Faidherbe Bridge was not supposed to be built in Saint-Louis but somewhere in Southeast Asia after an administrative blooper. Dinner and night at the Maison Jamm.

Day 8| Saint-Louis
Day under own arrangements in half-board at the Maison Jamm.

Day 9| Saint-Louis - Langue de Barbarie
After breakfast, you leave to the Gandiole lighthouse. Boarding on a dugout to go down the Senegal River all the way to the estuary. The National Park of Langue de Barbarie is the third-ranked ornithologist reserve of the country, located between the river and the ocean and home for countless bird species. Lunch at the camp. Afternoon on your own to enjoy the free or paying activities at the camp. Dinner and night in a stilt house at the Ocean et Savane camp.

Day 10| Langue de Barbarie
Day under own arrangements in half-board at the Océan et Savane camp.

Day 11| Mbour
Breakfast and depart for Mbour. Upon arrival, lunch on your own. You settle in a waterfront enchanting scenery. The Tama Lodge is an exquisite hideaway. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon on the beach, in the shade of the palm trees or at the bar. Dinner and night.

Day 12| Mbour
Day on your own in half-board at the Tama Lodge. In the afternoon our representative based at Saly (15 mn ride on car) will invite you to take part in an information meeting.

Day 13| Mbour
Day on your own in half-board at the Tama Lodge.

Optional: visit of Joal-Fadiouth. (CAN$ 75)
Your leave the hotel for Joal-Fadiouth, an old animist Serer village where the first president of the Senegalese Republic and famous writer Leopold Sedar Senghor was born. Visit of the city and the traditional harbour, considered the biggest of the country, and trip to Fadiouth. Linked to Joal by a wooden bridge, Fadiouth was literally built on a hill made of clam shell fossils. The millet stilt granaries and the catholic cemetery are the picturesque features of this animist village. Walk around the streets for about 1,5 hour and enjoy the laid-back, quiet atmosphere. Trip back to the hotel for lunch.

Day 14| Mbour
Day on your own in half-board at the Tama Lodge.

Optional: the Saloum Delta. (CAN$ 135)
You hit the trail to the bolongs (sort of channels) of Saloum, and visit an open market at some point on the road where all the habitants from the villages around meet weekly to sell, buy or trade all kinds of goods from lighters to a zebu as well as spices and second-hand clothes. The market has a unique ambience made of colours, scents and sounds you won't encounter anywhere else. Heading to the bank of the Saloum River, you board on a traditional motor dugout to cross a labyrinth of river branches. The perfect occasion to look up at herons, pelicans, aigrettes... Lunch in a restaurant on one of the Saloum Islands and trip back through Joal where you will arrive in time to see the arrival of the fishermen on their huge multicolour dugouts. Return to the hotel during in the evening.

Day 15| Mbour
Day on your own in half-board at the Tama Lodge.

Day 16| Dakar - International flight
Breakfast and transfer to the airport depending on your flight time. Guidance to boarding.

Day 17| Arrival in Canada

Budget

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Other fees

Lodging

Overview

Senegal is a country south of the Senegal River in western Africa that gained its independence in 1960. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and shares borders with Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south; internally it almost entirely surrounds Gambia, except the narrow Atlantic Ocean coastline. Senegal spreads over a land area of almost 197,000 sq km, and has an estimated population of about 13.7 million. The capital Dakar is one of the busiest cities in western Africa, and lies on the westernmost tip of the continent. With 1 million habitants, it is also the biggest city of the country with all official buildings, a well developed transportation system and international connections. The main language spoken in Senegal is French, due to the colonial legacy, but dozens of regional languages are still used as of today by the population.

Tourism

By registering for any trip to Senegal, an amount of $ 100, already included in your package, will be donated to the Foundation against indifference for Children's Aid. Uniktour is proud to be a partner of the foundation, which mission is to help children in difficult situations, especially working children, beggars and housemaids. We want to give back human dignity to these slaves of all kinds, reintegrate them into their families when possible and support them for enrollment in the official education system of the country. For teenagers, we want to make literacy and apprenticeships accessible, in order to offer economic independence to the sponsored young women and men.

Short term project: Support training in carpentry workshops for the twenty young boys who have already enrolled can learn safely. Providing appropriate footwear, masks and gloves will improve 100% of their working conditions. Also, it is necessary to provide basic classes of skills and knowledge appropriate for these future carpenters. Being illiterate, they lack a fundamental basis of their learning.

An association created by the efforts of two Canadians outraged that slavery still exists nowadays and affects young Senegalese, the Foundation against indifference for Children's Aid was established in 2009. For more information please visit: www.aide-enfance.org

Geography

Most of Senegal is flat and composed of gently steppe or savanna grassland; there is forest only in the southwest, in the Casamance region, a broad strip of land located between Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. To the north lies the small Lompoul desert with impressive sand dunes, the westernmost fringe of a much bigger African ensemble, the Sahel desert. Nearly everywhere the land is only slightly above sea level. In the southeast, however, foothills of Guinea's Fouta Djallon highlands reach elevations of 500 m. The coastline, some 480 km long, varies from wide, sandy beaches north of Cape Verde with some rocky areas to a maze of plain, marshy islands and meandering streams in the south, called bolongs. These salted estuaries are coated with mangrove and totally disappear when the tide goes up.

Culture

Senegal has the required assets for a blooming tourism industry. It is only a few hours away from major tourist markets. Besides that, this sunny country claims more than 3000 hours of sunshine yearly. All forms of tourism can be experienced in Senegal seaside resorts: leisure, aquatic sports, scuba diving, horseback riding, and desert excursions are reminiscent of the mythical meharees from the spice trade era. Among the sand dunes, find out traditional villages where time stands still as the aboriginal people, such as the Fulani, stick to their timeless rites and surreal landscapes changing with the sun cycle. Many natural reserves across the country offer a privileged look upon a fantastic diversified fauna and flora: ecotourism is a rising interest in Senegal and opportunities to witness the rituals of natural life abound in this beautiful country. The reefs and cays of the coastline are heaven for divers, holding out the promise of such extraordinary sightings of the underworld, and the quiet beaches of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as fishermen harbours, are perfect for a relaxing walk with the caressing trade winds. Dakar, the melting pot capital city dotted with many historical museums and cultural landmarks, is one of the busiest cruise ships port in Africa and boasts an exciting restaurant and club scene, as well as duty-free shops.
Despite various influences (Western influence due to a long French presence in West Africa, Middle Eastern influence following a tradition of multiple exchanges with North Africa and Arab countries), Senegal has its own brand of exotic music, food and customs that gives it the right dash of spice. From the largest cities of Dakar and Saint-Louis to the tiniest and most remote villages in the hinterland, authenticity is everywhere and colours, scents, crafts and traditional patterns seem to blend harmoniously to bring the visitor into an exotic daydream.

Climate

The local climate is tropical with well-defined dry and humid seasons that result from northeast winter winds and southwest summer winds. Dakar's annual rainfall of about 600 mm occurs between June and October when maximum temperatures average 27 °C; December to February minimum temperatures are about 17 °C. The dry season runs from December through to April with cool trade winds in coastal areas. Throughout the rest of the year, a hot monsoon wind blows from the south bringing the rainy season and hot, humid weather. Interior temperatures can be substantially higher than along the coast, and rainfall increases substantially farther south, exceeding 1,500 mm annually in some areas. The far interior of the country, particularly on the border of Mali, temperatures can reach as high as 45 °C in summer. The best period to travel to Senegal is northern hemisphere winter, when the climate is mild to warm and the touristic activities are more enjoyable.