Authentic Cultural Experience of Senegal – 6 Days

DAY 1: ARRIVE DAKAR, SENEGAL

Upon arrival at the Blaise Diagne International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed and transferred to your hotel. Relax and unwind for the rest of the day.

Hotel: Novotel

DAY 2: DAKAR CITY TOUR – GOREE

Following breakfast, we depart on a discovery tour of Dakar. Sites include the African Renaissance Monument, a 164-foot-high monument overlooking Dakar and taller than the Statue of Liberty. The once controversial bronze statue is a popular attraction among locals as well as visitors. It features a man, woman, and child pointing forward, symbolizing renewed African hope. The woman is now decently clothed, as conservative groups forced the lengthening of her formerly short skirt to a more modest length at a cost of more than US$ 10 million. We will also visit Independence Place, the heart of the city, where you will pass by the Presidential Palace and the main cathedral.

In the afternoon, we depart on a 20-minute ferry ride to visit the charming yet infamous Goree Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the usually quiet streets lined with pastel-colored colonial-era buildings, from where you can enjoy amazing views over the Dakar Bay. Among the most famous buildings here is the House of Slaves, which records the painful history of Goree’s past. Observe the “Door of No Return,” through which millions of Africans passed on their way to slavery. The tour includes a visit to the ethnographic museum and a lecture by the curator on the history of Goree.

We return to Dakar for an overnight stay.

Hotel: Novotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 3: DAKAR – PINK LAKE – TOUBA – KAOLACK

After breakfast, we check out and depart for Kaolack, stopping at points of interest along the way. En route, we visit Pink Lake, a rare natural phenomenon caused by a unique combination of microorganisms and a high concentration of salts, which give the lake its unique pink color. Here, you can interact with the salt harvesters.

We continue to the holy city of Touba, where we visit one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in West Africa. You will learn about Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, the spiritual founder of Mouridism, and the history of Touba, an autonomous city much like the Vatican and one of the most significant cities in Senegal.

Our journey proceeds to Kaolack, a crossroads of various civilizations and well regarded as Senegal’s peanut production center. En route, we visit Fulani or Wolof villages.

Hotel: RELAIS

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 4: KAOLACK – STONE CIRCLES – SALOUM DELTA

In the morning, we’ll drive close to the Gambia border to visit the megalithic circles of Sine Ngayene, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This complex is composed of 52 circles of standing stones, with more than 11,000 carved stones on the site. Nearby is the quarry from which the monoliths were extracted, where more than a hundred have been traced.

We continue on our way back to the Sine Saloum Delta. Here, we will sail through the mangrove forest to spot river birds and enjoy the beautiful views of nature.

Overnight stay will be in Palmarin Ndangane.

Hotel: ECOLODGE

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 5: NDAGANE – JOAL – SALY

After a well-deserved breakfast, we check out and drive to Saly. Along the way, we will visit villages and ancient sacred trees. Our journey includes a stop at Joal, a former Portuguese settlement and the birthplace of Senghor, the first president of Senegal. Here, we’ll walk on a wooden bridge to Fadiouth island, settled on a mound of shells, and visit the mixed cemetery where Animists, Muslims, and Christians are buried side by side.

Continuing on, we arrive at Mbour and visit the bustling fishing port before checking into your hotel in Saly.

Hotel: ROYAM

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 6: SALY – DAKAR – DEPART

Enjoy the day at leisure. Later, you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight.

Meals included: Breakfast