Itinerary
- Day 1
Dakar
Your guide will meet you at arrival and handle the check-in process, then transfer you to the hotel. Once you're settled, you'll have an orientation briefing about the safari activities coming up.
- Meals
- Dinner, Breakfast
- Day 2
Goree Island
After breakfast, you'll take a city tour through Dakar hitting Independence Place, the presidential palace, and the main cathedral. From there, head to the seafront and check out Soumbedioune Market and the Mosque of Divinity. You'll see the contrasts between different neighborhoods, visiting Kermel Market, Tilene Market, and the Renaissance Monument. The Museum of African Civilization is also on the list. By midday, you'll board a ferry to Goree Island to walk through colonial-era buildings and see the historic 'Door of No Return'.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- City tour of Dakar
- Visit Independence Place and Presidential Palace
- Visit Main Cathedral
- Visit Soumbedioune Market
- Visit Mosque of Divinity
- Visit Kermel Market
- Visit Tilene Market
- Visit Renaissance Monument
- Visit Museum of African Civilization
- Ferry to Goree Island
- Explore colonial-era buildings on Goree Island
- Visit Door of No Return
Landmarks/POIs Independence Place Presidential Palace Main Cathedral Soumbedioune Market Mosque of Divinity Kermel Market Tilene Market Renaissance Monument Museum of African Civilization Goree Island Door of No Return - Day 3
Pink Lake - Lompoul Desert
After breakfast, you'll drive about 1.5 hours to Pink Lake and watch salt diggers at work, piling up salt by hand. Lunch is on your own. Then it's a 3-hour drive to Lompoul Desert where you'll get into a 4WD to explore the middle of the desert. Dinner comes with traditional ballet featuring Jembe drums, singing, and dancing around a campfire under the stars. A camel ride is available if you want to try it.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner watching traditional ballet performing Jembe drums with singing and dancing around campfire), Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Pink Lake
- Observe salt harvesting
- 4WD desert tour
- Traditional ballet performance with Jembe drums
- Campfire dinner with singing and dancing
Optional Activities
- Camel ride
Landmarks/POIs Pink Lake (Lac Rose) Lompoul Desert - Day 4
Saint Louis
After a 2-hour drive, you'll arrive in Saint Louis, the old city and former capital of Senegal. You'll explore the town by horse-drawn carriage, taking in the wooden balconies lining narrow streets that feel a bit like New Orleans.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Explore Saint Louis by horse-drawn carriage
Landmarks/POIs Saint Louis - Day 5
Touba - Kaolack
You'll head to Touba to visit the Grand Mosque, one of the largest mosques in West Africa. Your guide will explain the history of Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba and Mouridism. Later, you'll travel to Kaolack with stops at Fulani and Wolof villages along the way. When you arrive, you'll check out the local market before heading to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Grand Mosque of Touba
- Stops at Fulani villages
- Stops at Wolof villages
- Visit local market in Kaolack
Landmarks/POIs Grand Mosque of Touba Touba Kaolack Market - Day 6
Jufureh - Banjul
After about 3 hours of driving to the Gambia border, you'll go through customs and police checks. You'll reach Jufureh, connected to Alex Haley's 'Roots', and visit Albreda on the mainland. Then you'll explore the ruins of Kunta Kinteh Island, a site with a complicated history involving French, English, Portuguese and Dutch forces. You'll sail back to Jufureh to see the restored Kinteh family home, grab lunch, and then take a ferry to your hotel in Banjul.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Jufureh
- Visit Albreda
- Visit Kunta Kinteh Island ruins
- Visit restored Kinteh family home
- Boat journey on Gambia River
- Ferry to Banjul
Landmarks/POIs Jufureh Albreda Kunta Kinteh Island James Island Gambia River - Day 7
Banjul
You'll start at the National Museum to learn about The Gambia's history, including the blend of African culture and European colonialism. A short drive takes you to Albert Market, where you can find live chickens, vegetables, herbs, and crafts. In the afternoon, you can go to Serekunda, the most densely populated town in The Gambia, to see tie-dye displays and beautiful Batik cottons. You'll head back to the hotel for the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit National Museum
- Visit Albert Market
Optional Activities
- Visit Serekunda in the afternoon
- View tie-dye displays
- View Batik cotton displays
Landmarks/POIs National Museum Albert Market Serekunda - Day 8
Wassadou
This is the longest drive of the trip at around 8 hours to Wassadou. Depending on water levels, you might see hippopotamus colonies or take a guided walk along the river to spot local wildlife like monkeys, birds, and monitor lizards.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided walk along river
Optional Activities
- Observe hippopotamus colonies (if water level allows)
Landmarks/POIs Wassadou - Day 9
Kedougou
After breakfast, you'll transfer to Kedougou with a few stops along the way to photograph landscapes and wildlife. Lunch is on your own. When you arrive at Kedougou, you'll check into your hotel and have dinner before settling in for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Photograph landscapes
- Photograph animals near the road
Landmarks/POIs Kedougou - Day 10
Iwol - Bedik Region
After breakfast, you'll head to the plain to join Iwol and learn about Bedik culture, one of Senegal's most traditional cultures. A one and a half hour trek takes you up the Fouta Djallon mountains to explore this mountain enclave of the Bedik tribe, who are related to the Bassari people. You'll have a picnic lunch, then visit the Fulani village of Ibel to see traditional millet and groundnut cultivation. You'll return to Kedougou for dinner and your overnight stay.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Iwol
- Learn about Bedik culture
- Trekking on Fouta Djallon mountains (one and a half hours)
- Visit Fulani village of Ibel
- Observe traditional millet cultivation
- Observe traditional groundnut cultivation
Landmarks/POIs Iwol Fouta Djallon Ibel - Day 11
Bassari Mountains - Ethiolo
After breakfast, you'll check out the Bassari Mountains and the people living there with their traditional customs and way of life. You'll explore their culture, habitat, crafts, and beliefs in an area where Bassari and Fulanies live together. You'll reach Ethiolo and check into camp. Lunch isn't included. In the afternoon, you'll visit wine collectors, the sacred wood, and Alpha Yaya Fort. If you're lucky, you might see an initiation ceremony with disguised dance. You'll return to the hotel for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Explore Bassari culture
- Visit wine collectors
- Visit sacred wood
- Visit Alpha Yaya Fort
Optional Activities
- Observe initiation ceremony with disguised dance (if available)
Landmarks/POIs Bassari Mountains Ethiolo Alpha Yaya Fort - Day 12
Saloum
After breakfast, you'll head to Saloum with possible stops to see the savanna of baobabs. This western region is crossed by the Saloum River and has small islands reached by traditional canoes. The landscape is filled with mangroves and birds. You'll arrive and check into your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Drive through baobab savanna
Landmarks/POIs Saloum River Saloum Region - Day 13
Saloum Delta
After breakfast, you'll board motorized canoes for a cruise through the Saloum River into the Delta of Saloum National Park, a bird paradise and UNESCO World Heritage site. You can try fishing with hand lines. You'll head back to the hotel for lunch (not included). In the afternoon, you'll walk through the bush and visit a village with an animistic population still practicing their traditional ways. You'll return for dinner and your overnight stay.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Motorized canoe cruise through Saloum River
- Visit Delta of Saloum National Park
- Hand line fishing initiation
- Pedestrian stroll through bush
- Visit animistic village
Landmarks/POIs Saloum River Delta of Saloum National Park - Day 14
Joal - Fadiouth - Saly
After breakfast, you'll transfer to Mbour. On the way, you'll stop at Senegal's biggest baobab tree, which served as a cemetery for the Griot tribe. You'll visit Joal, the childhood city of former president Léopold Sédar Senghor, and see his childhood home. Then you'll continue to Fadiouth, the Shellfish Island, crossing by wooden bridge to this animistic village with Catholic influences, featuring houses on piles and a shell cemetery. You'll have lunch at a typical restaurant by the river and bridge. Later you'll head to Saly for dinner and overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit biggest baobab tree of Senegal
- Visit Joal
- Visit Senghor's childhood home
- Visit Fadiouth Island
- Cross wooden bridge to Fadiouth
- Explore animistic village of Catholic adoption
- Visit shell cemetery
Optional Activities
- Lunch in typical restaurant next to river and bridge
Landmarks/POIs Baobab Tree (Senegal's Biggest) Joal Senghor's Childhood Home Fadiouth Island Mbour - Day 15
Airport
This is a relaxation day, giving you plenty of time before your transfer to the airport. You'll get help with your boarding arrangements.
