TRAVEL EXPERIENCE IN SENEGAL

A travel experience in Senegal is the best way to introduce you to Black Africa. In Middle-Africa we are experts in Senegal as a tourist destination and we offer all types of tours around this African country. The advantages of traveling to Senegal are many: It is only a few hours away from major tourist markets; five hours away from Western Europe and about seven hours away from the East Coast of the United States. Besides it is a sunny country claiming more than 3000 hours of sunshine yearly. All forms of tourism can be experienced in Senegal seaside resorts (leisure, aquatic sports, horseback riding, discovery and more), cultural tourism, bird watching, sport tourism (hunting, scuba diving), ecotourism, historic museums, gorgeous natural sites, six major game parks and reserves, diversified fauna and flora to name a few. %u2028%u2028



TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS OF SENEGAL

Dakar, the capital of Senegal is a modern city of more than 1.5 million people with beautiful contemporary buildings and some historical colonial houses. It is a vibrant city with active open-air markets, cafe terraces, a wide range of hotels, delicious food and a great night life. You can discover Dakar by taking a walk along the ocean or the busy city streets. %u2028Art lovers will find an abundance of galleries, artists' studios, museums, and festivals. Dakar is a shopper's paradise and exquisite crafts can be found in markets, on the streets, and in stores everywhere.

Gorée Island is about twenty minutes ride from Dakar. The island of Goree, deeply rooted in the history of the slave trade. From the beginning of the sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century, men, women, and children were gathered on this small piece of land, locked up in cells before being shipped away to the New World. The island was seized by the Portuguese, the Dutch, the French, and the British all of whom participated in the trade. Most of the buildings were used as warehouses or slaves houses. Some have been turned into museums. The most famous is "La Maison des Esclaves" which used to hold up to two hundred captives. Their cells can be visited, as can be the apartment of the slave dealers upstairs. From the "Door of no Return" countless Senegalese caught a last glimpse of their homeland before boarding the slave ships.

Saly Portudal, a coastal area known as ‘Petit Cote’ (Little Coast) is just one hour and a half south of Dakar and the ideal place to relax before going back home. Scores of hotels and luxury residences are spread along the beach, each with air-conditioning, swimming pools, restaurants, and bars. Discos, a casino, a horse stable, a deep sea fishing center, a biking center and a shopping area are common to the hotels.

Mbour is a big fishing town 20 minutes from Saly center. At 17:00hrs you must be there to experience an incredible ‘spectacle’ of fishing boats, fish carriers, merchants, and buyers on the Mbour beach. In the afternoon, hundreds of fishermen come back from the high sea where they have spent the night. They bring tons of fish, shrimp, and lobsters in their brightly-colored dugout canoes. The beach is alive with buyers, families, and children. It is a colorful spectacle that you should not miss.

The Pink Lake, can be visited on your way to Saint Louis. The Pink Lake, also known as Lake Retba in local Serer language is shallow, warm, and is surrounded by white foam. Everything floats on it, because of its very high salinity. During the week, Serer men and mostly women are busy crushing the bottom of the lake, which consists of a thick crust of salt that they gather to sell. Sand dunes, a baobab forest and traditional villages with thatch-roofed huts surround the Pink Lake.

Touba is the capital of Mouridism at 3hrs from Dakar (via Thies). The followers are called Mourides, from the Arabic word mur%u012Bd (literally "one who desires"), a term used generally in Sufism to designate a disciple of a spiritual guide. At the heart of this Mouride holy city you can visit the Great Mosque, purported to be one of the largest in Africa.

Lampoul Desert is a beautiful virgin area between the Atlantic Ocean and the road that unites Dakar with Saint Louis. There are tented camps in the middle of the golden colored dunes. It’s a great place to spend a night and admire the stars of the unpolluted sky.  

Saint Louis, founded in 1673, is Senegal’s former colonial capital and today’s jewel of the crown in tourism terms. Walking along the streets of old Saint Louis is like travelling back on time. This beautiful colonial city preserves much of its 19th century morphology, reminiscent of other cities of the “Creole Atlantic”: Bahia, Cartagena, Havana and New Orleans. Thanks to its distinctive appearance, numerous sites of attraction and its international music festivals and cultural exhibitions, Saint-Louis attracts many tourists each year. Saint-Louis' characteristic colonial architecture along with its regular town plan, its location on an island at the mouth of the Senegal River and the system of quays, gives Saint-Louis the distinctive appearance and identity that have raised the Island to the rank of world heritage since 2000. The Island of Saint-Louis is inscribed on the World Heritage list.

From Saint Louis, exciting trips can be taken down the Senegal River to the traditional and historic towns of Podor, Bakel, and Matam with their distinctive mud architecture.

Langue de Barbarie National Park is located in northern Senegal about 18km south of Saint-Louis in the region of Gandiol. The entrance to the park is in a small town called Mouit.

The Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary lies on the southeast bank of the River Senegal in Senegal, in northern Biffeche, north east of St-Louis. It provides a range of wetland habitats which prove very popular with migrating birds, many of which have just crossed the Sahara. Of almost 400 species of birds, the most visible are pelicans and flamingos.

Bassari Mountains (Southeast). There, far from the tourist areas, you will enjoy the traditional African life of the little villages. The Bedik, Bassari, and Tenda people of the Kedougou area proudly retain their customs, costumes, and ornaments. Their villages are perched on top of green hills, near waterfalls, in the middle of breathtaking landscapes.

Niokolo Koba, the largest of Senegal's National Parks is located in the heart of the region on more than 2 million acres. Lions, elephants, antelope, monkeys, crocodiles, hippopotami, and 300 species of birds live there perfectly protected.

Fuladu Valley is one of Senegal’s less explored areas. It is a wonderful rural region inhabited by the Fulani or Peul people. From Velingara, the regional capital you can explore villages like Sare Soukande, Sare Konko and the colourful market of Djaoube.

Casamance is Senegal’s jungle southern region and a great place to experience real tribal life. The Mandinga and Diola people live in the islands and forests of this remote region of Senegal. Villages like Kaparan, Oussouye, and Djembering still keep the traditional architecture and the fetish Shrines to honour the ancestors. You can reach Casamance by air, boat or car from Dakar or you can fly directly to Banjul, since The Gambia separates Senegal from Casamance.

Saloum Delta Islands. The river Saloum Delta, 4h ride from Dakar, consists of an archipelago of small islands which are home of ecotourism practice. It is a good place to rest after having explored Senegal. The Saloum area is less touristy than Saly and you have a feeling of virginity and isolation. A good place to start the exploration of the region is Ndangane and from there go to Mar Lodj Island where you can experience the authentic Serer culture, with its mixture of Animistic, Islamic and Christina beliefs.



ORGANISING YOUR TRIP TO

Middle-Africa organises travel tours to every corner of Senegal all year around. Please feel free to contact us at any time.