Sene – Gambia Culture & People

Day 1: Arrival

Upon arrival at Blaise Diagne International Airport and after completing your entry formalities, you will be met by one of our representatives and transferred to your hotel. Once you have checked in, your guide, who will be with you throughout your stay, will brief you on what to expect during your time in Senegal and Gambia

Hotel: Azalai

Day 2: Dakar – Goree Island

After breakfast, begin the city tour of Dakar and its vicinity. Sites include the African Renaissance Monument: a 164-foot high monument unveiled in 2010, 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, symbolizing renewed African hope. The woman is now decently clothed, as conservative groups forced the government to lengthen her formerly short skirt, at a cost of more than US$10 million, to a more modest length.

We will also visit Independence Place, the heart of the city, and pass by the presidential palace and the main cathedral. Enjoy a scenic drive by the ocean on your way to Soumbedioune market and the Mosque de la Révélation. The tour of Dakar will highlight the contrasts between some upscale residential areas and other popular neighborhoods. We will also visit tourist hotspots like Kermel or Soumbedioune market.

In the afternoon, 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, where you can enjoy an amazing view 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 in the Americas. 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 overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Hotel: Azalai

Day 3: Pink Lake

Hotel: Residence Saint Louis

Day 4: St. Louis – Lompoul

Following a well-deserved breakfast, we embark on a tour by horse carriage to explore the narrow streets of this area, known as the Kingdom of the Signars, founded in the mid-17th century. The Signars are mixed-race women, descendants of black African mothers who were slaves and European fathers who were slave masters. Stop at the Governor’s Palace, a fortress built in the 18th century. We will visit the Nguet Ndar area, the famous fishing village nestled between the river and the Atlantic Ocean.

After lunch, we drive to the Lompoul Desert, nestled between the great coast and the eucalyptus forest. This desert is characterized by its pink and orange sand dunes. Enjoy a camel ride, and at the top of the dunes, stop for a picturesque view of the coastline and sunset. Dance your way into the night with Djembe dance entertainment or enjoy a Senegalese tea tasting around a bonfire. Overnight in tents and feel like nomads admiring the moon or the stars.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Hotel: Ecolodge Lompoul

Day 5: Lompoul – Touba – Kaolack

After enjoying the sunrise in the desert and breakfast, we proceed to the holy city of Touba. Visit the main Mosque, the largest and most magnificent mosque in all of West Africa. You will learn about Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba, the spiritual founder of Mouridism, the only brotherhood born in Senegal. Spend a few minutes in the large library which holds thousands of volumes, all hand-written by the mystic founder. Learn about the history of Touba, an autonomous city that operates much like the Vatican and is noted as one of the most significant cities in Senegal.

Continue to Kaolack in the south, with stops at various villages along the way. Meet the locals and learn about their daily activities and culture. Upon arrival in Kaolack, visit the local open-air market if time permits.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Hotel: Ajana

Day 6: Kaolack – Sine Ngayene – Jame Island – Banjul

We depart early in the morning to visit the Sine Ngayene stone circles complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It consists of 52 circles of standing stones, including one double circle. In total, there are 1102 carved stones on the site. Nearby is the quarry from which the monoliths were extracted, and the sources of around 150 stones can be traced. We travel to Gambia by road, entering the border to the East of Banjul. After completing immigration formalities, we will drive a short distance to the twin villages of Juffureh and Albreda, which lie on the North Bank of the River Gambia about 25km upriver from Banjul. Juffureh is the land of Alex Haley’s “Roots” movie. Albreda is regarded as an important slave trade post and gained popularity during the slave period because of its Flag Pole, which many believed would guarantee freedom to anyone who touched it after escaping from nearby James Island. Observe the ruins of Kunta Kinteh Island, a place of dispute between the French, English, Portuguese, and Dutch in the middle of the Gambia River. Sail back to the village of Juffureh, where the ancestry of “Kunta Kinteh” of Roots fame was traced. The restored original home of the Kinteh clan, still occupied by the Kinteh family, can be visited. After lunch, we drive towards Bara, the border to the West, and sail by ferry to reach Banjul. Transfer to your hotel and check-in.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Hotel:African Princess

Day 7: Lamin Lodge – Banjul – Serrekunda

This morning, we will explore the south bank of the Gambia River by dugout canoe. Sailing through a vast labyrinth of creeks inside the mangrove forest, we will visit the village of the Socè tribes tucked behind the wetlands. Row back to Banjul and embark on a city tour. We will start at the National Museum, which exhibits the history of The Gambia, tracing the blend of African culture and European colonialism. We then take a short drive through Banjul to “see the sights,” stopping to visit Albert Market with its bustling activity, where anything from live chickens and vegetables to herbs and hair extensions can be purchased. Alternatively, visit Serrekunda, the most densely populated town in The Gambia, where you can see displays of “Tie & Dye” fabrics and beautiful Batik cottons. We drive back to the hotel for overnight stay.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Hotel: African Princess

Day 8: Banjul – Joal and Bush – Fishermen Arrival

After breakfast, cross the ferry back into Senegal towards Joal at the mouth of the Saloum River. En route, visit the oldest baobab tree in West Africa, which is 1500 years old, followed by a visit to typical villages of the Serere farmers, the second largest ethnic group in Senegal. Alternatively, make a stop at a Fulani nomadic camp, the third largest ethnic group. After lunch, visit the shell island of Fadiouth, a symbol of tolerance where Muslims, Christians, and animists coexist peacefully and share a cemetery where they bury their dead side by side. In the late afternoon, drive to the Mbour fishing port to observe the return of the fishermen, with intense trade activity creating a unique atmosphere of sensation and smell. Continue to Saly for your overnight stay.

Meals included: Breakfast,Dinner

Hotel: Royam Beach

DAY 9: Saly – Bandia Reserve – Somone Delta

Enjoy a scenic drive this morning to visit Bandia National Park for a three-hour safari. This is a great opportunity to see wildlife such as giraffes, antelopes, rhinoceroses, monkeys, buffalos, impala gazelles, oryx, and others, as well as several bird species including small hornbills, grey herons, ostriches, eagles, blackbirds, and kingfishers. Observe the legendary Baobab tree, which in the past was used as a burial place for griots. Griots were caste people, and according to an old legend, once dead, they were buried in the hollow walls of baobab trees.

Continue to the Somone Delta for a boat cruise through the mangrove forest to observe various shorebirds, the oyster farm, and the seafood exploitation.

Meals : Breakfast,Dinner

Hotel: Royam Beach

Day 10: Departure

Enjoy this morning at your leisure, whether it’s shopping or exploring any outstanding excursions. Later, you will be transferred to the airport in time for your onward flight.