Classic Tour
This 8-day itinerary will take you on a journey to discover the must-see beauties of Senegal. From the Sine Saloum region to Saint-Louis, explore Gorée Island, the mangroves of the Saloum Delta, the Lompoul Desert, the Langue de Barbarie, the Djoudj National Bird Park, and the beautiful city of Saint-Louis.
Program
Day 1: Airport – Dakar
Welcome to Blaise Diagne International Airport. Transfer to your hotel in Dakar.
Day 2: Dakar – Gorée – Palmarin
Breakfast. Departure for a wonderful visit to the mythical island of Gorée. Located four kilometers off the coast of Dakar and a twenty-minute boat ride away, the island is part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. Successively Portuguese, Dutch, and French, the island became one of the main strongholds of the slave trade from the seventeenth century. With a past both tragic and splendid, the island with its faded colors, painted wooden balconies, and sandy streets leading to the sea exudes an enchanting charm.
Visit to the island and the House of Slaves, where slaves were gathered, sorted, and held before being shipped to the other side of the Atlantic: a testimony to a history of suffering, this visit is moving and leaves no one indifferent. Lunch at a restaurant on the island. Then, return to the mainland by boat and head towards the Sine Saloum region. You will pass through the Samba Dia forest and the village of Yayem: if you wish, you can make a brief stop there. Arrival in Palmarin. Check into your room. At the end of the day, you will appreciate the calm and tranquility of the site. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Palmarin
Breakfast. Departure for an unforgettable day aboard a motorized canoe. You will meander through the mangrove and discover the numerous bird species it shelters. The Sine Saloum region, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most beautiful regions of Senegal. Creeks, forests, mangroves, lagoons, and sandy ridges create a rich variety of landscapes, not to mention the wildlife and birds of the national park. You can try your hand at handline fishing. Grilled lunch/picnic. Return to the Eco-lodge.
At the end of the day, a short tour of the surroundings on a traditional cart: you will discover the surrounding villages. Enjoy a small dance/music performance by the village women, dressed in their finest attire, showcasing traditional dances. If you’re inclined, you can join in! Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Palmarin – Joal Fadiouth – Lompoul
Breakfast. Then, heading north. Along the way, you will make a stop in the small town of Joal Fadiouth, a commune in Senegal located at the end of the Petite-Côte, southeast of Dakar. It is, in fact, the merger of the two communes of Joal and Fadiouth, connected by a wooden bridge because Fadiouth is an island. The three islands of Fadiouth are inaccessible by car. Joal is a long and narrow town. This island has the peculiarity of being entirely made up of seashells! Visit the village with its main street nicknamed ‘Les Champs-Élysées.’ Another curiosity includes millet granaries on stilts or the cemetery of seashells, eternal resting places for Catholics and Muslims, and the famous ‘crab with one claw.’
Lunch and continuation towards Lompoul. Transfer to the desert in an off-road vehicle. Check into your Mauritanian tent. Then, enjoy a small djembe initiation session with your feet in the sand! Watch the sunset. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Lompoul – Sowène
Breakfast. Then, return to the village to continue your journey to Sowène. Arrival and check-in to your bungalow. Lunch at the lodge. A tranquil and relaxing day awaits, allowing you to enjoy the peaceful setting of the lodge: swimming in the pool or in the river, the possibility of borrowing kayaks, playing petanque, mini-golf…
In the late afternoon, you’ll attend a brief introductory class to African dance by the riverside (minimum of 5 people). Dinner at the magnificent panoramic restaurant and overnight stay.
Day 6: Sowène – Djoudj – Saint-Louis – Sowène
Breakfast. Early departure for Djoudj National Park. This reserve was established in 1971 and is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ranking as the third largest bird sanctuary in the world. It spans 12,000 hectares in the Senegal River delta and attracts a diverse avifauna from Europe and Africa. From November to March, three million birds gather here for the winter. You’ll also find around twenty species of mammals.
Embark on a canoe excursion. With the engine idling, the canoe delves into the heart of Djoudj, offering a fantastic spectacle: flamingos taking off in tight formation, pelicans soaring, cormorants diving. It’s a strangely extraordinary sight. Head to Saint Louis for a local lunch. Free time on the island. Then, around 5 p.m., embark on a boat tour around the island to discover Saint Louis from a different perspective – Some refreshments will be provided on board. Return to the lodge. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Sowène – Lac Rose – Saly
Breakfast. Then, off to Lac Rose. This large lagoon, approximately 3 square kilometers in size, shallow, and surrounded by dunes just a few meters from the Atlantic Ocean, is located 35 kilometers northeast of Dakar. Its exceptional feature is its pink color when the sun is directly overhead, and at dusk, the pink darkens to nuanced shades of mauve or violet. Its color is due to a cyanobacterium, a microscopic organism that produces a red pigment, especially in dry windy weather, to withstand the salt concentration. Besides its color, its high salinity (300 grams/liter) places it second only to the Dead Sea. Everything floats in it. This saline concentration allows women from surrounding villages to directly extract salt that settles at the bottom of the lake.
Lunch at a restaurant by the lake. Then, a 4×4 tour of the site, a ride that will take you around the lake, passing through the dunes. Then head towards Saly for your final stop. Arrival and check-in to your room at the Royal Saly. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Saly – Airport
Breakfast. Free morning. Lunch on your own (not included) and transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule. Assistance with boarding.
Rates
Benefit from preferential rates negotiated with our partner (starting from – rates vary depending on the date).
For a personalized quote or any specific request, please fill out the contact form on the contact page.
- For 12 to 14 people: € 912.5 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 881.2 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- For 8 to 11 people: € 943.7 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 912.5 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- For 6 to 7 people: € 987.5 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 956.2 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- For 4 to 5 people: € 1 106.2 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 1 075 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- For 3 people (minimum 2 adults **): € 1 137.5 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 1 106.2 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- For 2 people (1 adult + 1 child *): € 1 387.5 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 1 356.2 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- Child reduction 3 to 10 years: – € 256.2 net per child (from 01/11 to 30/06) / – € 237.5 net per child (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- Child reduction 13 to 18 years: – € 93.7 net per child (from 01/11 to 30/06) / – € 81.25 net per child (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- Triple room reduction (3 adults): – € 62.5 net per person
- Single supplement: € 200 net per person
- Adult New Year’s Eve: please contact us
- Children’s New Year’s Eve: please contact us
* In the case of an adult traveling with a child: (Rate for 2 people + single supplement for the adult) + (Rate for 2 people – child discount for the child)
** In the case of two adults traveling with a child: Rate for 3 people for the adults and rate for 3 people – child discount for the child in the room.
Note: Child rate valid when the child shares the same room as the adults.
These prices include:
- Provision of a vehicle from day 01 to day 07 with a driver and fuel
- Assistance of a French-speaking driver-guide from day 01 to day 08 – based on 02-03 persons
- Assistance of a French-speaking guide from day 01 to day 08 – based on 04 persons and more
- Accommodations as indicated in the program
- Board as indicated in the program on a full board basis from breakfast on day 02 to breakfast on day 08
- Excursions, activities, visits as indicated in the program
- Transfer OUT
These prices do not include:
- Tips and personal expenses
- Airline tickets
- Optional excursions
- Lunches that are free or not included