Private 10-Days Parks and Bassari Country Tour
We offer you the chance to explore the local culture to meet the Bassari and Bedik peoples who have preserved their traditional way of life and enjoy diverse naturel wonders and the story of Senegal. The unique thing about this itinerary is that it has mountains ,forests ,deserts, lakes, rivers, waterfalls in one and beautiful dynamic geography.
ItineraryDay 1: Gorée island - Dakar city sightseing Stop At: Goree Island, Goree Island, Dakar Region
The island of Goree is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a world symbol of the slave trade, a visit to the island of Goree is essential, it is 20 minutes by boat from Dakar. For 3 centuries, Africans were shipped from the island of Gorée to America. The famous House of Slaves is one of the most visited museums in Senegal, housing all the harrowing reality of this aspect of world history. Its picturesque architecture invites you to go back in time through the ocher plastered facades of the houses. This island holds a special charm and an extraordinary fascination for visitors who feel a special emotion. Lunch on the island near the ocean is possible.
Return to Daķar, explore the city and its hidden wonders.
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: Dakar Railway Station, Dakar-Plateau, Dakar Senegal
One of the most beautiful masterpieces of colonial architecture, its facade is of admirable beauty. The Dakar station was built in 1885 and linked the city of Dakar to St Louis, also served Dakar-Niger, which made it possible to reach Bamako (Mali) in 36 hours, twice a week.
Tens of thousands of sharpshooters from Sudan, Dahomey or haute Volta (current Burkina Faso )passed through this station to be embarked on the European fronts. The station quickly became the most important railway center in all of West Africa; hub of city activity; transit point for peanuts, arabic gum, cola, postal mail and thousands of travelers.
Located Place Dakar-Niger, renamed Place des Tirailleurs on August 23, 2004, it was rehabilitated by Eiffage Senegal.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Place de l'Independance, Rue de Essarts, Dakar, Senegal
La place de l'indépendance
The place de l'independence is in the beating heart of the city, home to majestic colonial buildings including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which was the (court of French West Africa) the Governance (office of the French governor) and the Chambre de Commerce.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Marche Kermel, Rue de Essarts, Dakar Senegal
The Kermel Market is recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site , very beautiful building from 1860 which was destroyed by fire in 1994, and rebuilt identically in 1997. The Kermel Market is a colonial-style building which is still excellently preserved. You can see lots of bright colors inside and outside the building. The market provides beautiful fresh products, typical of Senegal. Market gardeners, grocers, butchers and fishmongers are at the heart of the building, surrounded by decoration vendors, artists and artisans.
Duration: 20 minutes
Pass By: Senegal, Senegal
The Presidential Palace is immaculate white, large, spacious and attractive with its greenery and peacocks, its red carpet unrolled from the portal to the corridor. Since Senegal’s independence, the Place de la République has been the residence of the Head of State, a historic residence located in the Plateau district of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, and was occupied as such by the Presidents of Senegal.
Built in 1902, the Palace was the official residence of the Governor General of French West Africa (AOF).
Stop At: Cathedrale du Souvenir Africain de Dakar, Boulevard de la Republique, Dakar 12500 Senegal
Cathedral of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires or Cathedral of souvenir Africain is the largest church in Dakar and the seat of the archbishops. It is located on Boulevard de la République in the Dakar-Plateau district Built in the 1930s and consecrated in 1936, the Cathedral of Africain souvenir stands out in the landscape of Dakar with its immaculate white color. The materials chosen were imported from different countries (Sudan, Gabon, Tunisia, Benin, France) for a rather astonishing result with various influences. Erected on a former "Lebou"(the largest community in Dakar at that time)cemetery, it was originally a tribute to African soldiers, it which was once nicknamed the Pantheon of Africa.A building of formidable architecture with an extraordinary interior painting of the vault. The cathedral welcomed Pope John Paul II in 1992.
If you intend to enter, remember that it is forbidden to wear a hat, mini skirts or shorts.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Le Monument de la Renaissance Africaine, Rte de la Corniche Ouest Ouakam, Dakar Senegal
The monument of African renaissance inaugurated in 2010,This gigantic 52 m High bronze statue accessible through a 198 steps stairway, which can be visited as it offers à beautiful view of the peninsula.
The man, woman and their child will face the sun, symbolizing the opening of the continent to the rest of the world.
On the ground floor, a slide show describing the history of the construction of the monument and a fresco retracing the history of Africa and its great figures.
On the 3rd floor, a small temporary exhibition room. On the 4th floor, the main lounge .On the 15th floor, you are in the head of the man and enjoy a breathtaking view of Dakar and the peninsula.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Farid hotel 3 star hotel or similar
Day 2: Pink lake - Saint Louis Stop At: Lake Retba, Rufisque Senegal
Lake Retba ,better known as pink lake is renowned for its color that changes from pink to purple based on the intensity of the sun rays ,the lake is separated from the atlantic ocean by a large dune,the lake and environs provide a good terrain for crossing the dunes.
many people through salt collection for several decades by the inhabitants of the surrounding village as well as guineans and malians.with water to the waist ,they tear at the salt crust deposited at the bottom with a picket called 《djodj》before transferring shovelfuls of salt into canoes.women offload and pile the salt into the lake side to dry and bleach in the sun
for activities you will have :
# tour around the lake ,surrounding fulani villages and beach by Quad bike or 4x4vehicle or for strolls on camels
# boat riding to observe the salt seekers.
# One can bath in the lake it self to enjoy the floating sensation due to the salt which happens to be a wonderful experience.
# lunch into lakeside.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis Region
The Island of Saint-Louis, the gateway to the ocean of West Africa, constitutes a unique landscape. Indeed, this tiny strip of land, now inserted between the two arms of the mouth of the Senegal River, enjoys an exceptional environment, a subtle marriage between a land and river landscape.
The first French counter on the Atlantic coast of Africa in 1659, the Island of Saint-Louis was a hub for European traders going up the river year round in search of slaves, but also of gum arabic, gold, skins and other products. The small ocean city will be the political capital of the colony and of French West Africa (AOF) until 1902, and capital of Senegal and Mauritania until 1957, before falling into decline due to the transfer of capital in Dakar.
The Island is a remarkable example of a colonial city, characterized by a particular natural setting, and illustrates the development of colonial government in the region.
Duration: 15 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight Diamarek hotel 3stars hotel or similar
Day 3: Saint Louis - Djoudj park - Lompoul Desert Pass By: Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, North of St. Louis, Saint-Louis Senegal
In the morning, visit of the ornithological park of Djoudj. Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, located about sixty kilometers north of Saint-Louis by the national 2, it is the first water point after crossing the Sahara for migratory birds: Open to the public from November to June it is an absolutely magnificent spectacle not to be missed. You will be able to admire thousands of gray pelican, waders, teals, dendrocygans, pink flamingos and spoonbills, crowned cranes, ospreys, orico vultures, Arabian bustards, egrets, geese, gambia, gray herons, cormorants, kingfishers, jacanas, marabouts and black storks.
About 350 species are listed there.
You will also discover red monkeys (patas), warthogs, monitor lizards and pythons as well as crocodiles Canoe tour of the Park through the backwaters. Return to saint Louis city for lunch and city tour.
Pass By: Faidherbe Bridge, Pont Faidherbe, Saint-Louis Senegal
Exploring the city by the horse carriage tour :Saint-Louis of Senegal is a city known for its famous bridge: the Faidherbe Bridge which connects the island of Saint-Louis (classified world heritage) to the rest of the city. 114 years old, the 511 m long structure is the pride of the city since its inauguration in 1897 and contributes to its reputation around the world.
Listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site and considered the lungs of this former French colony, the Faidherbe Bridge makes it possible for 19,000 vehicles and more than 21,000 pedestrians to cross daily. This keeps the economic pulse of the old town's business and administration alive. It was inaugurated on November 19, 2011.
Pass By: Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis, Saint-Louis Region
Gouvernance de Saint Louis senegal
Arrived on the island by going down the faidherbe bridge the view is filled by a block of building: the governance of the old colonial fort, still remain walls with the very thick base, vestiges of the first buttresses, visible from the street miles The cross.
To the west, the governance opens onto a shady square bearing the name of Governor Faidherbe whose statue sits imperturbably in the garden. Place Faidherbe first called the Savannah then Place d'Oleans bordered by the northern and southern roghat barracks.
On either side of this central square are the two districts of the island: the south and the north. Along the way you can discover old buildings with architecture.
Free afternoon to enjoy the beach or the swimming pool, dinner at the hotel or in tow.
Stop At: Désert de Lompoul, Senegal
After Saint Louis city tour, we will then drive to Lompoul, in the village of Lompoul, a vehicle dune will transfer us to the desert.
On the coastal border between Dakar and Saint-Louis, the Lilliputian desert of Lompoul exudes a bewitching charm of a fictional landscape. Barely 18 km² of ocher-red sand dunes whose slender and moving shapes bend to the whims of the trade winds.
Some reach nearly 50 meters high, offering those who conquer them an unparalleled panorama: that of the waves of the Atlantic Ocean succeeding the waves of the desert. Just as the loneliness of the desert fascinates.
as accommodation, have a sublime and comfortable Khayma tent with its nomadic style, this landscape and its magnificent sunset.
Morning of camel ride or on foot in the dunes.
Possibility of surfing on the dunes.
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at Lompoul Camp du desert or similar
Day 4: Lompoul -Touba - kaolack Stop At: Touba, Touba, Diourbel Region
Early departure for Touba the holy city of Mouridism and fief of one of the most influential brothere hoods of Senegal. Today, the Great Mosque of Touba is one of the wonders of Senegal and the jewel of the Mouride Brotherhood. With an area of 8790m2, the mosque, inspired by an Arab architecture, is now composed of 7 minarets: 4 minarets of 66m high; 2 minarets of 60m, and a minaret of 87 meters tall named Lamp Fall.
Lamp Fall is a nickname of cheikh Ibrahim fall one of the most famous disciples of cheikh ahmadou bamba founded a community called baye fall.the baye fall which substitute manual labor in the fields,begging and devotion to customary piety such as the practice of prayers and fasting.
Its capacity is 6000 people. Inside, the decoration recalls the Byzantine style. Precious blue marble and alabaster were used for its construction and renovation. We find in the mosque the mausoleum of Sheik Ahmadou Bamba.
Have a lunch At TOUBA
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Kaolack, Kaolack, Kaolack Region
Visit the city of kaolack, this region, is located halfway between Dakar, Tambacounda and The Gambia. Its market alone justifies a stop, its large entrance gives access to several shopping arcades overlooked by oriental arcades.A hub for the peanut and salt trade, is home to one of the most picturesque markets - and one of the largest in Senegal, far ahead of Dakar. You will find there musical instruments, agricultural equipment and incongruous objects punctuate the aisles alongside many fruit and vegetable stalls, even a variety of aphrodisiac remedies (made from gazelle horns, snakeskin, lion's manes ... ) which Senegalese women use to care for their loved ones.Visit the great mosque of medina baye The district of Medina Baye is one of the rare places in Senegal where more than twenty colonies of different nationalities are gathered. West Africans are present there in colonies, plus others from the center and Americans who are there to study the Koran, Sufism and Tidjania.Overnight
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at adjana hotel or"relais de kaolack " hotel or similar
Day 5: Kaolack-Tambacounda-MakoStop At: Tambacounda, Tambacounda, Tambacounda Region
(About 468 kms) After breakfast departure for eastern Senegal through the shrub steppe, favorite area of nomadic herders.You will arrive in Tambacounda which is the largest city in eastern Senegal, bordering Mali and Guinea Carrefour some of these remains were included in the list of Historic Monuments in 2003, Tambacounda naturally developed around its train station. Local activities include cattle breeding, cotton farming as well as tourism, due to the proximity of hunting camps and the Niokolo Koba National Park. Visit of the Tambacounda market.
Lunch in Tambacounda before departure for MAKO on the outskirts of Niokolo koba park.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Mako, Mako, Kedougou Region
Mako is a small village located on the banks of the Gambia River, between Tambacounda and Kédougou.
Mako is a perfect location to start tours within the south west of the country its wild and beautiful nature.
A highlight is the river cruises which are possibly to come back with amazing photographs of kingfishers,égyptien plovers,hadedah ibis,monkey baboons,hippos that occupy their stretch of the river, or walk along the river in search of hippos,the river has great bird life.
Visit the village to meet its predominantly Mandingo inhabitants.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Mako eco camp Keur Annick located in a wonderful site by the river.
Day 6: Bedik country-Dindefelo-KedougouStop At: Ibel, Senegal
IBEL
After breakfast, departure to visit the Bedik ethnic group. Visit of the village of Ibel.
ibel is to have desires for the end of the world, for a total change of scenery.
Ibel is a Fulani village in the heart of the Bedik country in the center of one of the largest marble exploitations in Senegal, the inhabitants, Fulani and Bediks, are particularly welcoming and friendly.
In Ibel, all the buildings are made of marble. They are tons and tons of off-white, gray, pink, green colored stones, this is the only place you will see them during your trip: impressive visit of the marble mine.
It is also the starting point to the village of Iwol.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Iwol, Senegal
Iwol, is located in altitude village nestled on a hill at the top of the mountain (2h30 walk there and back), between the Niokolo-Koba National Park and Guinea, in order to avoid "in the past" to be discovered by the invaders.
An ethnic Bassari group, a minority in Senegal, and have the dubious privilege of better preserving their customs, from the oblivion in which they are integrated, with a view of the savannah landscape which extends to the foot of the mountain. In bedik people live. As soon as you arrive, you will find that among the large baobabs, there is also a gigantic sacred baobab. Steeped in history, the villagers call it "amak". It is a place of sacrifice and offering for the Bedik community, but above all to discover the lifestyles of the Bedik community and the neighboring communities, the roofs of dozens of traditional huts in a landscape more like a fairy tale than reality.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Dindefelo, Senegal
After 20 minutes of walking in the forest to get to the Dindefelo waterfalls. This famous waterfall which is the attraction of the Bassari country, falling from its 80 meters offers a natural swimming pool as a deserved gift! the waterfall rises at an altitude of 318 m at Mount Dandé, in the heart of lush vegetation and rugged terrain that requires a real obstacle course before being discovered. Refreshing picnic near the waterfalls.
Apart from the waterfall, the locality has its community nature reserve made up of chimpanzees, panthers, birds, mammal species, monkeys... And to better integrate and understand the places, a detour in the village of the same name housed in one of the francs of the hill is essential. Populated by Bédicks, Bassaris, Kognaguis, Peuls, this locality which shares these wonders with the villages of Ethiolo, Iwol, Salemata, Bandafassi, fongolembi, is an authentic showcase of the peoples of eastern Senegal, to be discovered absolutely! Overnight to kedougou.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight Bedik hotel .3 stars hotel
Day 7: Kedougou-Tomboronkoto-WassadouStop At: Kedougou, Kedougou, Kedougou Region
Visit of the typical and colorful market of kedougou. This market is one of the most interesting in Senegal, because there are fabrics imported directly from Guinea-Conakry and Mali, There are indigo, batiks and fabrics handmade cotton, shea butter, palm oil, honey, natural health products and a variety of products and fruits from the region and the West African sub-region.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kedougou, Kedougou, Kedougou Region
Raod to Tomboronkoto village. This village attracts a lot of African Nationals, for the gold discovery. Visit of the artisanal gold mining.
After the visit of Tomboronkoto, road to Wassadou village for lunch and overnight.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Wassadou, Senegal
Wassadou is located on an exceptional site, in the middle of the forest, where one can see the restless fauna, and the only place where one still finds the noises and smells of the bush. facing the many baboons playing in the palm three forest overlooking the hippopotamuses.
The camp overlooks the Gambia River, ride a canoe to observe colonies of hippos (water level permitting) or guided walk along the river to discover the local flora and fauna.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight wassadou hotel eco camp.
Day 8: Wassadou- Saloum Delta parkStop At: Le Relais Hotel, 4WJ8+4VC, Kaolack, Senegal
Early departure to the Delta Saloum.We cross, in the middle of the steppes, some nomadic Fulani with their herds, and villages. Stop at «Relais de Kaolack» front of river Saloum for lunch.
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Pass By: Ndangane, Ndangane, Fatick Region
After the lunch,departure to Ndagane When we get to Ndangane we will stop at the edge of the river, where a motorized canoe will be waiting for us.These amazing boat are the typical means of transportation for the inhabitants of this region.Sailing to Marlodj Island,once aboard , we will take a tour along the magnificent Saloum Delta, in which the Sine and Saloum rivers converge and flow into the Atlantic Ocean. As we cruise downstream, we will admire the magical landscapes filled with mangroves, marshes and palm trees. You will also see various species of exotic birds like magnificent pelicans.
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight to Marloth eco Camp "la nouvelle vague" or "le kooniguy"
Day 9: Saloum Delta park Stop At: Parc National du Delta du Saloum, Ndangane Senegal
we offer you a full sized day. Boarding a traditional canoe for an exceptional day in the National Park of the Saloum Islands, classified as a World Biosphere Reserve. Covering an area of about 180,000 hectares, it is an area made up of mangroves, lagoons, forests and sandbanks. it is home to a rich fauna composed largely of birds: pelicans, flamingos, herons, cormorants, green parrots... a fishing trip is possible (at the request of the participant). we settle on a beach of these islets virgins and have a picnic in the middle of nature.
Duration: 5 hours
Stop At: Mar Lodj, Senegal
in the afternoon exploring Marlodj the savannah and villages around by horse carriage tour. Located in the Saloum delta, a site included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In Mar Lodj, three different trees stand out from the ordinary. An imposing kapok tree, a palm tree and a caïlcedrat intertwine their trunks from a distant past. This seemingly natural phenomenon finds an explanation rooted in the tradition and beliefs of the Serer inhabitants of this city. It symbolizes the harmony between the three religions practiced on the island: Islam, Christianity and animism.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at Marlodj eco camp "la nouvelle vague " or "le kooniguy"
Day 10: Joal-Fadiouth & Bandia safari Stop At: Joal Fadiouth, Joal Fadiouth, La Petite Cote, Thies Region
Departure for the twin village of Joal and Fadiouth, on the way Visit one of the largest baobab trees in West Africa.
Joal is the one located on the mainland, birthplace of the first president Léopold Senghor. Fadiouth is on a small island reached by a long wooden bridge made entirely of shells: these shell middens are actually the remains of the molluscs eaten here by humans since ancient times and a quiet shell graveyard, which has been deposited over the centuries, hosting both Muslim and Christian tombs. It is possible to take the bridge but also to take a canoe to connect Joal to Fadiouth. After departure for the Bandia reserve.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Reserve De Bandia, N 2 Route de Mbour, Saly Senegal
This visit to the Bandia reserve will give you the opportunity to observe wildlife close up in an friendly environmentally nature.
Up on arrived we will take a 4×4 WD used specialy for safari, this park of 3,500 ha is home to many animals, some of which were reintroduced to Senegal after having disappeared there for a long time, such as: rhinoceros, giraffes, large antelopes, dama gazelles, Derby elks, buffalos, patas monkeys, vervets, warthogs, hippotragues, jackals...
After the visit take you to your accommodation or drop off to the airport then the end of the service.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.
Informacion Adicional
"Not wheelchair accessible"
"Not recommended for pregnant travelers"
"Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level"
"This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund"
"This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate"
"Confirmation will be received at time of booking"
Duração: 10 Days
Ponto de partida: Traveler pickup is offered
Ports- Môle 1 Port de Dakar, 1 Av. de la Liberation, Dakar, Senegal
Cancelamentos e reembolsos:
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
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