TOUR CODE: WA – SEN/GAM08

The highlights of this vacation will include the Bandia Game reserve, Tour to Goree island, Visit the twin village of Joul and fadiouth, Makusutu cultural forest, Fathala Lion adventure walk, Explore Lompoul Desert, Niokolo Koba Park, Dindefello falls,St Louis.

Day One: Arrival in Dakar – Senegal

Upon arrival at the airport in Dakar – Senegal, the guide from Afrikan Wildlife Safaris will welcome you and then to the hotel for dinner and overnight. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Farid or similar.

Day Two: Dakar city tour the Goree Island

After breakfast, you will go for Dakar City Tour and visit the independence place passing through the presidential palace and the main cathedral, soumbedioune market, the “mosque de la revelation.” Visit the Kermel, Tilene Market, Artisan’s Market, Renaissance Monument, the Museum of African Civilization which fulfilled the dreams of Senegal’s first president Leopold Sedar Senghor. In the afternoon, board a ferry to Goree Island. Spend your time exploring the quiet streets lined with colonial-era buildings. Your guide will show you one of the most famous buildings which mark the history of Goree. See the “Door of No Return,” where millions passed on their way to slavery. See also the House of Slaves. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Farid or similar

Day Three: Pink Lake and Lompoul Desert

This morning, you will drive to the pink lake, an important center for salt collection. Watch how salt diggers harvest the salt from the Lake and women pile it up. Have lunch, drive with a 4WD to Lompoul in the middle of the desert. Enjoy a great experience of the Lompoul desert as you will have dinner watching traditional ballet performing Jembe drums involving singing and dancing around the campfire enjoying the constellations. There will be the possibility of a camel ride. This will be a lifetime experience. Dinner and overnight at Lodge de Lompoul or similar.

Day Four: Thies – Saint Louis – Djoudi Park

Today, you will drive to the old city of Saint Louis, the former capital of Senegal. En route, stop in Thies to see the Tapestry Factory and the Artisanal Market. In St. Louis, explore the town on a horse-drawn carriage. The city reminds you of New Orleans with a wooden balcony align at the narrow streets. Stop by shining village of Guet Nadar. In the afternoon, visit to the Djoudj National Bird Park. It was one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the world. Located at the significant Palearctic migratory route and is a paradise for bird enthousiasts, world’s highest concentration of white flamingos, various songbirds and more. You will also see crocodiles, boas, boars, and other wildlife. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Cap Saint Louis or similar.

Day Five: Saint Louis – Touba – Kaolack

This morning, you will depart and head to the holy city of Touba. Visit one of the largest and most Magnificent Mosque in all of West Africa, the Grand Mosque. Your guide will help you understand Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba the founder of Mouridism and the history of Touba. Later head to Kaolack with a stop at Fulani and Wolof villages. Upon arrival at Kaolack, visit the local market before checking to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at Relais de Kaolack or similar.

Day Six: Laolack – Wassadou (Gate of Niokolo Koba Park)

After breakfast, take the route through the dense savannah with mounds of mounds to Tambacounda. There will be lunch in a typical local restaurant at Tambacounda. Continue to Niokolo Koba National Park. Check at the hotel, Wassadou Hotel on a bank of the Gambia River. Take a boat trip to observe the hippopotamus schools or a guided walk along the river to find the Local flora and Fauna such as Monkeys, birds, among others. Dinner and overnight at hotel Wassadou.

Day Seven: Nlokolo Koga Park – Kedougou

Get up very early for a guided game drive at Niokolo Koba Park which gives a great opportunity to encounter the warthogs, monkeys, antelopes, many species of birds and lions. After the game drive and picnic lunch, you will drive along the bank of Gambia River in search of hippos before continuing to Kedougou. Dinner and overnight at Bedik Hotel Kedougou or similar.

Day Eight: Kedougou – Dindefello – Kedougou

You will spend this day exploring the Bedik ethnic group. Visit the traditional village of Bediks Lwol perched on the heights. Trek to Peulh village of Dindefelo. Walk through the path that will surprise you with its abundance and small streams to reach the waterfall. Its’ cascades from a height of 80m in a basin that gives a chance for swimming. Have your picnic lunch at the foot of the waterfall. Later, proceed to Kédougou. Dinner and overnight at Bedik Hotel Kedougou or similar.

Day Nine: Kedougou – Toubacouta

On this day, you will depart for Toubacouta and en route, visit Saloum delta area well recognized by its stretches of salt marshes. There will be lunch in a local restaurant or picnic lunch. Dinner and overnight at Keur Saloum Hotel or Les Paletuviers

Day Ten: Toubacouta – Wassau Stones

After breakfast drive to Senegambia border. You will take a boat ride for about 4 hours to Wassau stones. The site consist of four large groups of stone circle that represent an extra ordinary concentration of over 1000 monuments in a band 100km wide. You will have a lunch picnic before joining the guide who will explain the history of the famous stone. Dinner and overnight at Kairoh Garden Kuntaur or similar.

Dat Eleven: Fathala ( Game Safari and Lion Walk Adventure) – Banjul

After breakfast, transfer to Fathala Reserve and get a lifetime experience of the African bush with your guide. You will have a great chance to see the herds of the rare West African Giant derby eland, only found in this part of the world, and other antelope species such as roan, waterbuck, and bushbuck. You will also see the Giraffes, Rhino, buffalo, warthog as well as red Colombus, green velvet and red Patas monkeys and colored bird species amongst the giant African trees. Experience the lion walk adventure as you will get an opportunity to accompany them on foot. Later, drive to Banjul, crossing border after immigration formalities. Dinner and overnight at Laico Atlantic Banjul Hotel.

Day Twelve: Banjul Highlights – Bintang Bolon

Today you will drive to Lamin Lodge Mangrove Forests on a tributary of the Gambia River. This is where the Ouster factory is located and the shelling of Ousters takes place quite interesting exercise because when they finish they turn it to white cement. There is descent restaurant right on the sea with mangroves surrounding you and monkeys that entertaining guests. Later you will embark on city tour. This is a Tour where you will have the opportunity to see the capital city of The Gambia. Visit the ARCH 22 which is one of our national monuments, The July 22nd Arch is a monument that spans the Independence Drive which is the road that leads into the Gambia’s capital. A good reason to visit the monument is for the panoramic views you get of the city from the top floor terrace. Continue the drive-to the national Museum , Albert Markets. In the afternoon, depart to bintang bolon and have boat trip to Kunta Kinteh island .Our first stop will be at Albreda, where you will see the freedom flag pole and also visit the slave museum. The essence of stopping here, is to explain how the freedom flagpole came into being, which is now days one of our national monuments since 1970. From here we proceed on top Juffureh and visit Kunta Kinteh village and see his 7 generation family members, back to the boat for a lunch break. After lunch, we continue with the boat to visit the Fort James Island the slavery house and see where they keep slaves before shipment to the new world. Then drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight with bit of entertainment at the lodge.

Day Thirteen: Departure to Makasutu Cultural Forest

After breakfast, we depart to makasutu cultural forest .Makasutu is a fabulous palm forest situated on the banks of Beautiful meandering tributary of the river Gambia. There will be a professional forest guide who will guide and educate you about the ecosystem while on the boat trip and the forest walk. During this tour in Makasutu you will spot baboons, different species of birds and natural vegetation. You will also be able to visit the fortune teller who does palm reading. And you will visit a wine tapper who will give you the opportunity to taste the palm juice. Enjoy the traditional Gambian lunch and later drive back to your hotel.

Day Fourteen: South Gambia excursion, Monkey Park

After breakfast, you will go to the monkey park where you can spot two out of three kind of monkeys in the Gambia including the green velvet monkey and the red colobus which have red belly and grey back and are always on the trees. Take 35 minute walk in the forest for monkey feeding. Later we will drive to Bakau at the Crocodile Pool. This is a pond full of crocodiles, of which people used to belief (some still do) belief it had a “healing power”. Sprinkle yourself with this water and it will prosper pregnancy. Then we pass by Serrekunda, the largest town in the Gambia with over 200.000 inhabitants. We have an interesting stop there by the animal meat market, and during a rounded tour of the market the guide will inform you about the meat culture of the Gambia and other traditions. You will also see the “Tie & Dye” and Batik cottons. Then proceed to Brikama, Gambia’s second largest town with over 150.000 inhabitants. Here we visit the wood carving factory and its from here you can buy cheap and beautiful carvings made of mahogany and other tree types. We will have lunch break at the Paradise Beach Bar & Restaurant. After lunch, stop at Tanji fishing village Tanji is a bigger fishing village in The Gambia. The drive  back to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day Fifteen: Gambia- Joal Fadiouth – Saly

On this day, you will depart Gambia to enter back to Senegal Joal and Fadiouth. Joal is on the main island, the birthplace of the first president- Leopold Senghor. Fadiouth is on a small island reached by a long wooden bridge composed entirely of Oyster and a calm shell that has been deposited over the centuries. Then continue to Saly. Dinner and overnight at Royam Hotel or Royal Hotel

Day Sixteen: Saly – Bandia Safari Game Reserve

After your breakfast, drive to Bandia safari reserve, one of the major attractions for tourists staying in Dakar. After the game drive visit the sanctuary, there will be an Accrobaobab adventure consisting of the park for tree climbing, outdoor recreation, and courtesy house. It is an unmemorable adventure you would not like to miss.

Day Seventeen: Dakar and fly out

After your breakfast, the guide will be available during day to take around for the optional activities of your choice. Then he will transfer you to the airport to catch your next flight home.

ENJOY AFRICA