Senegal, experience from North to South of Senegal

Welcome at Dakar airport, then departure without delay towards the Lac Rose, or more precisely Lac Retba, known for its purplish waters and high salt content.

Check-in at the Gîte du Lac (or similar depending on availability), in the heart of the dunes and by a swimming pool.

The morning is devoted to visiting the House of Slaves, commented with passion by the curator.

The discovery continues with a stroll through the flowered streets up to the promontory, which offers a panorama over Dakar bay.

Visit also of the church.

Early afternoon, return by boat to Dakar, then city tour through several emblematic places: Independence Square, former colonial buildings, station, cathedral, presidential palace and Kermel market. The corniche allows you to enjoy a beautiful panorama of the Madeleine Islands at sunset.

The program continues with a stop at the Ouakam mosque then the African Renaissance Monument.

The road finally leads to Lac Retba for this first stage at the gates of Dakar.

Departure for the Lake Rose, where salt collectors work. On site, your local guide tells you the history of the lake and how salt extraction works, before a crossing in a salt canoe to the opposite shore.

You then experience a floating moment on the lake, followed by relaxation time on the arranged beach.

Lunch is planned in a bamboo restaurant.

Optional activities:

- 1-hour horse ride along the lagoon with return through the dunes: €20/person

- 1-hour mini quad raid on a cart path around the lake: €45/quad for 1 to 2 people

The route continues through the Dakar dunes by 4x4 truck to reach the vast beach of Grande Côte, then the cart paths leading to Kayar, the largest artisanal fishing center.

You witness the arrival of fishermen, the unloading of fish, negotiations on the beach, loading into carts, as well as salting, smoking and drying activities for unsold species. Under the hall, the finest specimens are offered for sale.

Continuation towards Saint-Louis.

Upon arrival, check-in at the hotel, then dinner and overnight by the ocean.

This day takes you first to Gandiolais, a market gardening region, then to Langue de Barbarie National Park. You board a pirogue to sail down the river along the bird island, where many species come to nest such as terns, gulls and pelicans.

You then step ashore on the sandy spit, between river and ocean, a territory frequented by sea turtles that come to lay their eggs. Navigation continues to the historic mouth of the Sénégal River, with perhaps the opportunity to observe pink flamingos.

Lunch is scheduled at a lodge on the riverside, followed by a moment of relaxation and swimming, at the pool, in the river or in the ocean.

In the afternoon, you get back on the road to reach Lompoul Desert. A 4x4 truck is necessary to cross the dunes and reach this Saharan setting.

Upon arrival, you settle into a charming bivouac, located in the heart of an oasis in the middle of the dunes.

You then enjoy your first camel ride, in a landscape overlooking the desert and the coast. At the bivouac, a welcome cocktail awaits you before a traditional meal made up of kid goat couscous with vegetables accompanied by Moroccan wine, to the sound of djembes and local dances, followed by Senegalese tea.

The night takes place under khaïmas, traditional Moorish tents equipped with full bedding and an individual bathroom.

After breakfast, you leave Lompoul by 4x4 truck to reach the village. You take cart tracks, skirting the dunes in the heart of a Sahelian landscape dotted with acacias.

Along the way, your guide presents the agricultural techniques used to grow vegetables in the hollows of the dunes, as well as how traditional goat and sheep herding works.

You then continue towards the Saloum, crossing the kingdom of Baol until Touba, a Sénégal city that is home to the headquarters of the Mouride Muslim brotherhood. The visit takes you to the heart of this holy city, where the Great Mosque stands, considered one of the largest in Africa.

Lunch is planned en route or in Kaolack.

The afternoon is dedicated to discovering the great market of Kaolack.

The departure is very early towards Casamance, with a passage through Gambia. Lunch is planned along the way.

You reach Ziguinchor in the middle of the afternoon and settle at the Flamboyant hotel, in the heart of the city. This colonial-style residence, surrounded by a tropical garden, offers comfortable rooms served by a panoramic balcony.

The discovery continues with a tour of Ziguinchor, marked by its colonial buildings. At the end of the day, time for a relaxing moment at the pool, before dinner and the night at the hotel.

This day takes you first by road and then by track to Enampore and Seleki, for a first approach to the animist Diola world and the discovery of impluvium houses. The route crosses lush vegetation, marked by the presence of majestic silk cotton trees.

You then continue to Oussouye, for a walking discovery of the Wolof kingdom. You cross beautiful traditional villages, observe fetish sites and Diola architecture, amid palm groves, large silk cotton trees and caïcédrats.

A stop is planned at a square with its bonbolong, the telephone drum, as well as its fetishes. Depending on encounters, you may also meet palm wine collectors and enjoy a tasting.

Lunch is planned at the auberge des bolongs, installed overlooking a bolong with an open view of the mangrove.

You then join Oussouye to settle at the Aljowe camp, designed in the form of an impluvium house. The early afternoon gives way to a moment of relaxation.

It is then possible to take a walking tour following the dykes of the rice fields to the village of Siganar. You discover in particular the square of Queen Sibeth, with its bonbolong, its fetishes and a family impluvium house. The route continues among Diola houses, between silk cotton trees and caïcédrats, to Kabounkout, with possible encounters with local populations.

The return to Oussouye is by the palm grove, before dinner and the night at the camp.

The day can start with an early morning swim on a white sand beach lined with coconut trees, followed by a tour of the island on foot.

You then board a pirogue to reach the village of Cachouane, with the possibility of being accompanied by dolphins along the way. Lunch is planned on the edge of a small bolong.

The journey continues towards the bird island, marked by the presence of migratory birds, particularly from June to October, before reaching Ehidjé, a former island of fetishers, linked to ancestral animist beliefs. You visit the village and discover its traditions.

You then sail around Ourong island to reach Egueye island, where your camp is located, set on a site along the bolong. The day continues with a 2-hour kayaking trip through the mangrove ecosystem. You explore the winding small bolongs, paddle through mangrove roots, observe seabirds and may, depending on the time, spot a monkey or a dwarf crocodile. You also meet villagers in their rowing pirogues, busy harvesting mangrove oysters or transporting wood intended for building huts.

In late afternoon, return to the camp for an aperitif with mangrove oyster tasting, followed by dinner and an overnight stay on site.

At the Campement de l'île d'Egueye, you enjoy a moment of rest in a calm environment, in the heart of the mangrove. The morning can begin with a swim on the beach or a walking tour of the island.

Lunch is scheduled on the edge of a small bolong. The restaurant, set on an overlook, offers a varied menu of seafood prepared with local products from the region.

You then board a pirogue to reach Katakalousse, before heading on the road to Cap Skirring.

Upon arrival, you settle in at the Hotel Maya, located 7 kilometers north of Cap Skirring, near the village of Boucotte. The establishment offers a panoramic view of the ocean. You can enjoy the large swimming pool, also open to the ocean, as well as the immense beach that stretches out in the distance, ideal for swimming, hiking on foot or by bike, jogging or relaxing.

The night unfolds to the rhythm of the ocean.

The morning is dedicated to discovering the villages of Diembereng and Bouyouye. You travel through rice paddies and palm groves to Diembereng, one of the largest Diola villages in Lower Casamance. The visit takes you through its streets and neighborhoods, in contact with the local population.

You discover a Diola village that is both animist and Catholic, then visit the open-air museum presented by Joseph. He unveils various objects linked to Diola traditions: musical instruments, fishing tools, kitchen utensils, African fetishes, wrestlers' outfits with their loincloths colored according to age class, as well as the equipment used to collect palm wine. These objects are installed in the hollows of silk cotton trees, at the origin of the museum's name, Kadioute, which means hole in Diola.

The afternoon gives way to a moment of relaxation at the pool or on the vast beach. It is also possible to take a walk along the beach or in the bush. Hotel lunches remain free and not included.

You are then transferred to Cap Skirring airport for your flight to Dakar, with arrival at the airport scheduled 2 hours before departure.

Upon arrival, you are welcomed and then head to Royal Saly hotel.

Check-in to your room, then dinner according to your arrival time and overnight at the hotel.