Treasures of Senegal & Gambia - Overland Trip

Itineraries

Arrive and transfer to your hotel.

A morning city tour followed by a visit to Goree Island. We take a ferry ride to the first port on the West African coast from where thousands of slaves were sent to the Americas. (B)

Visit the extraordinary Pink Lake where we have the opportunity to swim in this natural wonder. We pass striking landscapes of baobab trees and fields of millet and cassava before entering the semi-desert near Saint Louis. (B)

Visit Djoudj National Park, where millions of migratory birds turn up to nest during the winter season. Afternoon tour of the old French colonial city of Saint Louis. (B)

We cross the ‘peanut basin’ and visit a number of small rural villages as well as the mosque of Touba, one of the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa. Continue to Kaolack, an old harbour town on the Saloum River which was famous for peanut processing during the colonial era. The market here sells brightly coloured fabrics, spices, amulets and gold. (B)

Travel to Simenti, located in the Niokolo Koba National Park, the only park in Senegal still to contain large mammals. En route we stop at the bizarre megaliths of Koungheul. (B)

We spend the morning exploring the park, one of the largest in West Africa, where you have the opportunity to spot gazelle, antelope, jackal, lion, hippo, crocodile and a wide variety of birds. We then continue to Kedougou. (BD)

Just outside Kedougou are the rugged highlands of the Fouta Djalon. We visit the Dindifellou waterfalls. (BD)

We spend the morning hiking through wonderful scenery to the hilltop animist village of Iwol. We then travel to Tambacounda, crossing the Niokolo Koba National Park, and take a tour around the city. (BD)

We drive towards the Gambian border, visiting a number of small villages along the way. After crossing the border we continue to Georgetown. Free afternoon. (BD)

A full day boat trip along the Gambia River, with opportunities to spot crocodiles and hippos. The boat moors at Kuntaur, then by road we travel to Farafenny where we take a boat to Tendaba, a typical village on the banks of the river. (B)

We visit a number of Diola villages and a large local market before heading for the coast. We spend the night in Banjul on the coast. (BD)

We enjoy a city tour before crossing the border back into Senegal. We then travel to Saloum island, a beautifully preserved wetland area that we explore by boat. We spend the night in Kaolack. (B)

Departure for Fatick, a small town on the Sine River, for a visit to traditional healers. We then continue to Fadiouth, the native village of the poet and ex-president Senghor. There is time to explore this friendly fishing village before we return to Dakar. (B)

Tour ends. (B)