Merilen | Senegal's True Colors

From per person · 7 nights

Experience the authentic heart of Senegal on this immersive 8-day tour, designed to showcase the country's rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and warm hospitality.

Your journey begins in Dakar before visiting the historic Island of Gorée, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a powerful symbol of the transatlantic slave trade. Continue to the famous Pink Lake (Lac Rose), once the legendary finish line of the Paris-Dakar Rally, before exploring the charming colonial city of Saint-Louis, the former capital of French West Africa.

Discover one of the world's most important bird sanctuaries, home to thousands of migratory species, then travel south to Toubacouta in the UNESCO-listed Saloum Delta, where mangrove forests, winding waterways, and abundant wildlife create a truly unforgettable setting.

The adventure concludes in Casamance, Senegal's lush tropical region, renowned for its vibrant culture, traditional Diola villages, and spectacular natural beauty.

Guide language: available in French, Italian, Spanish or English
Meal plan: full board
Entrance fees to sites and attractions: included
Travel insurance: not included
Required travel document: passport
Transfers: the package includes the arrival transfer from the airport only. Return transfer is not included.

Your route

SENEGAL · 8 days

1 ARRIVAL IN DAKAR

2 GOREE/LAC ROSE

3 LAC ROSE/LOMPOUL

4 LOMPOUL/SAINT -LOUIS

5 SAINT-LOUIS/LANGUE DE BARBARIE O DJOUDJ /SAINT-LOUIS

6 SAINT -LOUIS/TOUBA/TOUBACOUTA

7 TOUBACOUTA/JOAL /SALY

8 SALY & DEPARTURE

Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVAL IN DAKAR

Arrival in Dakar in the evening. Meet & greet assistance at the airport followed by transfer to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 2 GOREE/LAC ROSE

09:00 AM: A first short tour of Dakar before reaching the ferry pier for Gorée. Visit to the legendary island: the House of Slaves, the Fort, and Saint Charles Borromeo Church, along with strolls through the island's narrow lanes, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lunch at "Chez Thio" restaurant in Gorée. 02:00 PM: Return to Dakar and continuation of the visit to the Senegalese capital, a city full of contrasts. Visit to the modern center built around Independence Square. Visit to the Presidential Palace with its striking Red Guard, and to the traditional markets. Stop at the Great Mosque and the Cathedral. You will pass through the picturesque Medina with its many streets. Stop at the Millennium Gate before arriving in Fann, a residential district showcasing new Senegalese architecture. Visit to the African Renaissance Monument. 05:00 PM: Departure for Lac Rose, arriving around sunset. Check-in at Keur Salim Lodge. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 3 LAC ROSE/LOMPOUL

Breakfast at the lodge. 09:00 AM: 4x4 tour of Lac Rose, passing through the sand dunes surrounding the lake. Visit to a Fulani village, meeting the village chief and its inhabitants. Drive along the magnificent wild beach, the final stage of the historic Paris-Dakar rally. Time to walk and enjoy the beach before returning to the lake, meeting the "salt collectors" and socializing with them. Those who wish may enjoy a swim in the lake. 12:30 PM: Lunch at the lodge restaurant. Departure for Lompoul in the early afternoon, crossing typical villages in this rural area. Arrival in Lompoul to admire the magnificent sunset behind the sand dunes. Transfer to the tented camp by 4x4. Dinner and overnight stay in Bedouin tents with private bathroom, savoring the silence of the desert.

Day 4 LOMPOUL/SAINT -LOUIS

Breakfast, followed by departure by 4x4 to discover Lompoul with its sand dunes and the encampments scattered across this sea of sand. Continuation towards Saint-Louis, hugging the coastline and discovering various market-garden areas with their vegetables and small local markets. Arrival in Saint-Louis around lunchtime. Lunch at a restaurant, where you will enjoy "Thieboudienne," Senegal's national dish, now recognized by UNESCO as part of the world's cultural heritage. After lunch, the famous and traditional mint tea will offer a chance to socialize with the family. In the afternoon, check-in at the hotel, with some time to stroll through the narrow streets of Saint-Louis before dinner. Dinner and overnight stay at "La Résidence" hotel or similar.

Day 5 SAINT-LOUIS/LANGUE DE BARBARIE O DJOUDJ /SAINT-LOUIS

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by motorized pirogue to discover the "Langue de Barbarie" National Park, a wonderful natural setting on a strip of land between the Senegal River and the Atlantic Ocean. Thousands of birds from various parts of the world live here. Return to the mainland and lunch at the "Océan et Savane" Lodge. In the afternoon, visit to the city of Saint-Louis, passing through Ghet Ndar, the lively, picturesque, and welcoming fishermen's district. Visit to the central market. Horse-drawn carriage tour of the historic center, admiring the colonial houses with their wrought-iron or colorful wooden balconies. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 6 SAINT -LOUIS/TOUBA/TOUBACOUTA

Breakfast, followed by departure from Saint-Louis for the city of Touba, the religious city of the Murid Muslim brotherhood. Along the way, visit to a colorful and lively weekly rural market. In Touba, visit to the mosque, beautifully decorated with crystal, silver, and gold. Meeting with the Murid community. Lunch at a restaurant. In the afternoon, continuation to Toubacouta, with visits to Wolof and Peulh villages, and a refreshment stop in Kaolack before continuing on to Toubacouta, arriving in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay at Keur Saloum Lodge.

Day 7 TOUBACOUTA/JOAL /SALY

Breakfast at the lodge. In the morning, visit to the fishing village of Missira, then departure via Foundiougne for Joal-Fadiouth, passing salt flats bordering the mangroves. Arrival in Joal around 11:00 AM. Visit to Joal, birthplace of the former President and poet Léopold Sédar Senghor, and to Fadiouth, a typical island of the Serer ethnic group. Visit to the granaries on stilts, and to the shell cemetery. Lunch at the lagoon restaurant before reaching Saly, the seaside resort, where day-use rooms will be taken at the Royal Hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at the Royal Saly Hotel.

Day 8 SALY & DEPARTURE

Room available until departure. Lunch and dinner at the hotel; a day for relaxing by the sea. Transfer to the airport and assistance for departure by flight.