Senegal – Gambia

DETAILED PROGRAM

DAY 1: ARRIVAL DAKAR
Welcome to the airport and transfer to hotel Novotel Dakar.

DAY 2: DAKAR – GOREE – LAC ROSE (About- 25 mns ferry and 40km/45mn)
Crossing with the ferry to join the island.
The Island offers a harbour of peace and gentleness. Narrow and peaceful lanes and red ochre houses adorned with bougainvilleas impart indisputable charm on this town.
Listed among the Unesco World Heritage Sites, Goree is a veritable place of memory and contemplation: millions of people have passed before being taken to America to become slaves.
Visit of the slaves’ house, to the St Charles’ church, to the historical museum.
Walk into the alley and visit to the workshops’ painters.
Road to the Pink Lake.
Retba lake is an amazing marvel of nature, known throughout the world as the Pink Lake. It’s famous for its remarkable pinkish-coloured water (due to unique bacteria and its strong salt content) that can turn to purple depending on the intensity of the sunlight.
It’s also famous as the last stage of the famed Paris-Dakar car rally.
Visit of the salt extraction area, visit of a Peul village.
Dinner and overnight in hotel Chez Salim in Pink lake.

DAY 3: PINK LAKE – SAINT LOUIS (About – 240km/04h)
Road to St Louis.
Arrival and typical Lunch in St Louis in  «Galaxie ». restaurant
Traditional horse carriage to visit the historical colonial district Listed among the Unesco World Heritage Sites, the aero-postal museum and the fishermen’s quarter.
Dinner and overnight in St Louis in hotel La Poste.

DAY 4: SAINT LOUIS –DJOUDJ NATIONAL PARK – SAINT LOUIS (About-120 km/02h)
After breakfast (8h00), road to Djoudj National park, 3rd ornithological birds reserve in the world and  listed among the Unesco World Heritage. Sites bird safari in pirogue (best period is from nov to apr) watching pelicans, cormorants, whistling ducks, Gambian geese, fishing eagles, and also crocodiles, snakes. Lunch in Djoudj restaurant. Back to St Louis in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight in St Louis in hotel La Poste.

DAY 5: SAINTLOUIS – TOUBA –SALOUM DELTA (About 370km/06h)
Early departure to reach the Sine-Saloum Delta.
Stop at the Holy Town of Touba, city of one of the most important and influent Muslim brotherhood group in Senegal: The “Murids”; visit of the Grand Mosque. Continuation to Kaolack and picnic lunch by the way.
After lunch, continuation to Saloum Delta. Dinner and overnight in hôtel Palétuviers.

DAY 6: SALOUM DELTA – JUFFUREH – JAMES ISLAND – BANJUL (About 1h30 ferry and 105km/01h40)
Early departure to the village of Juffureh (Roots) & James Island.
The small Gambian village of Juffureh became famous in the 1970s following the television release of the bestselling book, “Roots”, written by the African-American author Alex Haley, a descendant of Kunta Kinte.
Picnic lunch. Continuation to Banjul, crossing the Gambia river with the ferry (45mn) to join the town of Banjul. Dinner and overnight in Ocean Bay. hotel.

DAY 7: BANJUL – MAKASUTU RESERVE – BANJUL (About 70km/01h)
Departure for a visit of Makasutu reserve.
Makasutu, a Palm forest situated on the banks of a beautiful meandering tributary of The Gambia River, encompassing many different eco-systems including dense forest, savanna and mangrove regions. The area is a home for a variety of birds, monkeys, monitor lizards, pygmy deer and man goose and if lucky you will catch a glimpse of baboons. A canoe trip is organized and a guided nature walks.
There is also a chance to observe traditional bush people going on their daily business, palm wine tapers, local fishermen and the women collecting oysters from the mangrove
Lunch buffet at Makasutu and return to Banjul for a city tour.
Dinner and overnight in Ocean Bay. Hotel

DAY 8: BANJUL – DAKAR (About 01h30 ferry/ 305km/05h30)
Early Departure for Senegal.
Lunch at Relais de Kaolack and continuation to Dakar.
Late arrival in the afternoon and transfer to the airport.

Rates are indicative and subject to change without notice*

CANCELLATION FEES

D – 7 to D – 3
25 % of charge

D-2  to  no show : 50 % of charge

Included

• Hotel mentioned or similar.

• Full board from lunch D2 to lunch D8.

• Air-conditioner vehicle, driver and guide or driver/guide depending on the number of persons.

• Al the fees for guide and/or driver.

• All the fees for mentioned excursions and visits.

• Visa cost for Gambia

Not included

• Drinks, water, personals expenses, Christmas and New Year Eve, tips.

Remarks

• English or French speaking guide, others languages on request.

• Possibility of rent, quads, 4wd or truck at Pink Lake for the dunes and beach tour; please consult us.

• From May to beginning of October, Djoudj birds Park is closed and will be replaced by Guembeul reserve located in the Langue de Barbarie National Park.