Itinerary
- Day 1
Saly
You'll arrive in Saly whenever works for you, and if timing lines up, your tour leader will be waiting at the hotel around 6pm. Dinner out is an option tonight, but nothing is scheduled if you'd rather take it easy after your journey.
Optional Activities
- Dinner out in Saly
- Day 2
Saly to Île de Gorée
After breakfast, you'll meet with your tour leader. From there, head to Dakar for a ferry ride to Île de Gorée, which takes about 30 minutes. You'll walk through this UNESCO site with its colonial buildings, bougainvillaea, narrow streets, Le Castel castle, and the old Slave House. Lunch is included. Your evening is free to unwind.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Île de Gorée
- Visit to Le Castel castle
- Visit to old Slave House
Landmarks/POIs Île de Gorée Le Castel Slave House - Day 3
Île de Gorée to Saint-Louis
Take the ferry back to the mainland, then a short bus tour of Dakar before a five-hour drive north to Saint-Louis. You'll have a picnic lunch along the way. Once there, a local guide takes you around in a calesh (horse-drawn carriage) to see the 19th-century French colonial buildings throughout this UNESCO site. The evening is yours, and trying Thieboudienne, the local dish, is worth considering for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic lunch en route)
Included Activities
- Short tour of Dakar by bus
- Calesh tour of Saint-Louis with local guide
Optional Activities
- Dinner at local restaurant (Thieboudienne recommended)
Landmarks/POIs Saint-Louis - Day 4
Saint-Louis
An early motorised boat takes you through Djoudj National Park's channels where you'll see millions of migratory birds like pelicans, herons, cormorants, spoonbills, eagles, and flamingos. In the afternoon, head to Langue de Barbarie National Park on a sandspit for more birdwatching. You'll return around 7pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at hotel)
Included Activities
- Motorised boat tour of Djoudj National Park
- Visit to Langue de Barbarie National Park
Landmarks/POIs Djoudj National Park Langue de Barbarie National Park - Day 5
Saint-Louis to Kaolack
You'll start early driving south with a stop at Touba's impressive mosque, the sacred center of the Mouride Islamic Brotherhood where Amadou Bamba is buried. Continue to Kaolack to explore the local market and salt mining area. The afternoon is free for rest, and the total drive is around six hours.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to mosque in Touba
- Market visit in Kaolack
- Salt mining area visit in Kaolack
Landmarks/POIs Mosque of Touba - Day 6
Kaolack to Georgetown, Gambia
Drive to the Senegal-Gambia border in about 1.5 hours, handle the formalities, then head east to Georgetown. Along the way you'll stop at Wassu Stone Circles, ancient burial sites with reddish-brown stones 1-2.5 metres high from 500-1000 AD. A short tour of Georgetown follows, and you'll stay in simple riverside rondavels with solar power.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Wassu Stone Circles
- Short tour of Georgetown
Landmarks/POIs Wassu Stone Circles Georgetown - Day 7
Georgetown
You'll begin a two-day cruise downstream along the Gambia River on a converted groundnut boat. Tropical forest, bamboo groves, rice paddies, and mangrove swamps pass by as you watch for monkeys, hippos, crocodiles, and birds. The motor cruiser has simple Western toilets, a small kitchen, and a bar. You'll sleep communally on mattresses on the upper deck.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Motorised boat cruise downstream along Gambia River
Landmarks/POIs Gambia River - Day 8
Gambia River to Bintang Bolong
The cruise continues downstream with time to take in the river's wildlife and vegetation. Lunch is prepared on board. By late afternoon you'll disembark at Tendaba and drive to the Bintang Bolong riverfront lodge. From the restaurant terrace you can watch resident birdlife, and at dusk you might spot apes and vultures in Baobab trees, plus fruit bat colonies after dark.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch on board boat)
Included Activities
- Motorised boat cruise continuation
Landmarks/POIs Bintang Bolong - Day 9
Bintang Bolong to Coast
An early motorised boat trip through the river basin near Bintang Bolong lets you spot three monkey species, crocodiles, and lizards at low tide. Birdwatching is excellent with kingfishers, egrets, parrots, hornbills, lapwings, and herons all around. In the afternoon, drive to The Gambia's coast for a night on the golden sand beaches along the Atlantic.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Early morning wildlife boat trip
Landmarks/POIs Bintang Bolong - Day 10
Coast to Toubacouta
A morning tour of Banjul, The Gambia's laid-back capital, includes watching a batik demonstration. After lunch, take the ferry from Banjul to Barra on the North Bank, then drive to Toubacouta in Senegal. You'll stay in rondavels within lush grounds on the riverbank. An optional evening boat excursion is available if you're interested.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Tour of Banjul
- Batik demonstration
Optional Activities
- Evening boat excursion
Landmarks/POIs Banjul - Day 11
Toubacouta to Ndangane
A motorised fibre boat cruise north through the Sine-Saloum Delta takes about 4-5 hours. You'll navigate wide channels past mangroves, open forests, sand islands, and villages on oyster shell islands while spotting pelicans and flamingos. Packed lunch is served on board. You'll arrive in Ndangane, a small fishing village where the beach is lined with traditional pirogues. The afternoon is yours to absorb the pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Packed lunch on board)
Included Activities
- Motorised fibre boat cruise through Sine-Saloum Delta
Landmarks/POIs Sine-Saloum Delta Ndangane - Day 12
Ndangane to Saly
Leaving the Saloum Delta National Park, you'll head back toward Dakar with a stop to see a giant Baobab tree, Senegal's national symbol. A guided walk through the Fadiout Islands follows, an unusual place made from oyster and clam shells where Muslim and Christian communities live together peacefully. You'll see cemeteries on ancient shell mounds before continuing to Saly in time for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Stop at giant Baobab tree
- Guided walking tour of Fadiout Islands
Landmarks/POIs Fadiout Islands - Day 13
Saly
Your tour concludes after breakfast at the Saly hotel, close to the airport. No activities are planned, so you'll depart whenever suits your flight time. Luggage storage is available if you need it for a later departure.
- Meals
- Breakfast
