Senegal and The Gambia

Our tour starts today in Saly, located on the coast south of the capital Dakar, the gateway to the country. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Senegal at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS), which is around a 40-minute drive from the hotel. Our welcome meeting will take place on the morning of day two at 8.30am. Our joining hotel features a swimming pool set in landscaped gardens and well-appointed, modern rooms, there is a restaurant, a bar and room service. Should you wish to head to the beach in Saly a taxi costs around 2,500 West African francs (CFA) around £3/$4 USD and takes less than ten minutes.

After breakfast we'll meet with our tour leader for a welcome meeting. Then, we'll head north to Dakar, the capital of Senegal, to catch the ferry to Isle de Goree, a small peaceful, traffic-free island. The crossing takes around 30 minutes and gives us the chance to see the scale of Dakar's busy port, once of the largest trading hubs in West Africa. On arrival, we'll head for lunch at a local restaurant next to the jetty, overlooking the bay surrounded by brightly coloured houses, whilst our luggage is taken to our hotel. A busy trading centre during the 18th and 19th centuries, the island of Goree is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The island is compact and easy to walk around, with charming colonial-style houses, wrought iron balconies and narrow streets filled with brightly coloured bougainvillaea - you could kid yourself you've been transported back in time as we explore the island's streets. After lunch, we'll take a walking tour of the island accompanied by a local guide. We start with a moving visit to the old Slave House, originally built in 1786, the house represents a very dark chapter in the island's history. We'll also visit the Le Castel fortification, on a rocky outcrop at the southern tip of the island, where we'll get panoramic views and can check out local art workshops filled with pieces by local artists. This evening is free to relax at our hotel on the island, take a stroll around the streets and head out for dinner.

This morning, we'll catch the 8am ferry back to the mainland and drive north for around five hours to St. Louis, on the border of Senegal and Mauritania, stopping of a picnic lunch enroute. Once the French capital of West Africa, St Louis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site - it's a colourful, charming city, moving to the rhythm of the local jazz musicians. The streets of St. Louis are narrow, dusty and easy to navigate, lined with crumbling old French-style villas. After checking into our hotel, our base for the next two nights, we'll explore this marvellous old town by calesh (horse-drawn carriage) with a local guide. Full of 19th-century French colonial buildings, this was the first French settlement in Africa and the headquarters of Senegambia (the term used to describe the whole region). By the late 18th century, St Louis was a busy port and trading centre. The town is split into three distinct areas, the mainland and two islands connected by the Faidherbe bridge, with the furthest island home to a thriving fishing community. Dinner is included tonight. We'll eat at our hotel in a restaurant overlooking the estuary.

This morning, we'll have an early start to visit Djoudj National Park, regarded as one of the most important wetland bird reserves in West Africa. This national park provides the first major water source for migratory birds after their long and gruelling flight over the Sahara Desert. After driving northeast, following the border of Mauritania, we'll disembark our bus and travel by motorised boat along the complex network of channels which lead off the Senegal River. The bird count here reaches millions and some species such as pelicans are prevalent (there are as many as 15,000 in the park). We might see them performing a synchronized dive as they try to catch fish - we'll also try to spot a breeding colony. Around three million birds, made up of 400 different species, pass through the park every year, including herons, white-breasted cormorants, spoonbills, jacanas, Egyptian geese, West African fish eagles and flamingos to name but a few. You might also spot crocodiles, wild hogs, monitor lizards and water pythons. Heading back to St Louis for a late lunch, this afternoon we'll visit the Langue de Barbarie National Park, located on a thin sandspit to the south, in the estuary of the Senegal River. The park is home to water birds such as flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, herons, egrets and ducks. From November to April, it also welcomes more migratory birds from Europe. We plan to be back at our hotel around 7pm and the rest of the evening is free to explore the town. You might like to try the local dish, Thieboudienne, a mix of fish, tomato, rice and vegetables.

Early this morning, we'll begin our long drive south. We'll break up the first leg of the journey with a visit to the Great Mosque of Touba, the sacred focus of the Mouride Islamic Brotherhood constructed in 1963. Their founder Amadou Bamba, Senegal's most famous and influential 'marabout' (holy man), is buried here and pilgrims visit the town all year round. The Great Mosque of Touba is kept immaculate, in contrast to the surrounding town, and we'll be able to enter the richly decorated prayer areas that surround the central structure. Until recently, it was the largest mosque in Africa with seven elaborate minarets and three large domes. We'll be accompanied by a local guide who can also provide garments needed to enter the mosque. Continuing to Kaolack, Senegal's second largest city, we'll pay a visit to its thriving local market. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax at our hotel which overlooks the expansive Saloum River. The hotel also has a large swimming pool, bar and restaurant to make use of. Our total driving time today is around six hours.

Today we have a 90-minute drive to the Senegal-Gambia border. After completing border formalities, we head east, following the route of the river towards Janjanbureh (also known as Georgetown) which was an important administrative centre during the colonial period. Along the way today, we'll visit the Wassu Stone Circles. There are several circles each consisting of 10 to 24, reddish-brown stones between 1 and 2.5 metres/3.2 and 8.2 feet high and weighing several tons. These were burial sites dating back to 500 to 1000 AD, however very little is known about the people who were buried here and the stones still present a mystery to archaeologists. On arriving in Janjanbureh, we'll take a short tour of the historical town which is built on an island in the river. Our accommodation this evening is a simple riverside camp made up of rondavels with very basic ensuite facilities. There is no mains electricity, but we'll have limited power from solar-charged panels. There is also no hot water, however, the fantastic location is well worth the trade-off, as we get to fall asleep to the sounds of monkeys and birds in the nature that surrounds us.

The Gambia River flows along the entire length of the country for 483 kilometres/300 miles from east to west into the Atlantic Ocean and the banks of the river have been inhabited since 2,000 BC. The pace of the trip slows down significantly from this point, as we spend the next day and a half on this mighty waterway, cruising downstream in a converted groundnut boat, passing tropical forest, bamboo groves, rice paddies and mangrove swamps. Amongst the varied fauna present in this area are monkeys, hippos, crocodiles and of course a great number of bird species. Boarding our boat directly from Laminkoto Camp, we'll have breakfast onboard. As we make our way slowly downstream, our local leader will point out sights of interest. Towards the end of the day, we reach Kuntaur where we'll make a shore excursion for a stroll around the rice paddy fields. We'll spend tonight onboard a motor cruiser. Facilities are very simple with a western-style toilet, a small kitchen and a bar. The food is freshly prepared by our chef with a choice of wholesome local dishes. Drinks (alcoholic and soft drinks) are available for purchase onboard, too. At night, we'll sleep in a communal setting on the upper deck on mattresses, and the daytime can be spent relaxing on the upper deck in the sun or on the lower deck with seating in the shade. Whilst the facilities are basic, it's a wonderful way to explore a part of Gambia that very few tourists get to see.

This morning, we'll continue our leisurely cruise downstream, with time to take in the flora and wildlife along the riverbanks. The crew will put together lunch on the boat before arriving in the small settlement of Tendaba on the Gambia's south bank in the mid afternoon. On arrival, we'll leave our boat and drive to a lodge on the banks of a tributary of the Gambia River at Bintang Bolong and check in to our accommodation. The setting of our lodge is spectacular, set amongst the mangrove channels, rich with wildlife. It's a great chance to explore the natural surroundings spotting the resident birdlife from the restaurant terrace or in one of the comfortable observation decks dotted around the grounds of the lodge. Late afternoon we head out by small boat, for further exploration of the river basin, accompanied by a local guide and our tour leader, to spot wildlife on the banks of the river including three species of monkeys, and at low tide, crocodiles and lizards. In the evening, apes and vultures inhabit the overwhelming Baobab trees, and after dusk, great colonies of fruit bats can be seen swarming into the night. Dinner is back at the lodge.

We'll spend this morning in the river basin around Bintang Bolong. The lodge is located in the middle of a mangrove forest which offers fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities, in particular for those with a keen interest in birdwatching. The rich habitat supports a huge range of birds, including kingfishers, egrets parrots, hornbills, lapwings and herons in abundance. Birdlife is at its most active in the mornings, we'll start the day with an early morning boat trip to spot wildlife on the banks of the river including three species of monkeys, and at low tide, crocodiles and lizards. This afternoon we drive to the Gambia coast for a night on the golden sand beaches of the Atlantic. The Senegambia beach hotel is situated in a lively part of town with extensive landscaped grounds, a choice of two swimming pools and a private beach. Dinner is included tonight, there are several bars within a very short distance of the hotel should you wish to head out after dinner.

This morning we have a tour of the laid back capital of The Gambia, Banjul including the iconic Arch 22 that commemorates the 1994 military coup and offers panoramic views of the city and river from the top of the tallest building in Banjul. There is a moving small museum which charts the history of the former regime. Note there are around 100 stairs to climb to the top of the building, there is a mid level platform where you can stop, should you wish. As part of our tour we will also have a batik demonstration and if time permits make a stop at the natural history museum. Lunch is included today and is taken at a local beachfront restaurant. It's a short drive to the ferry port on the south bank of the river, which serves at the main crossing point between the capital, Banjul and Senegal to the north. The ferry crossing is an experience, with traders and locals commuting using the service on a daily basis. The crossing takes around thirty minutes and provides a wonderful glimpse into everyday Gambian life. We arrive into Barra on the North Bank of the river Gambia, a sleepy town compared to Banjul, where we are reunited with our bus and driver. It's around twenty minutes to the Karang border post, where we bid farewell to The Gambia and cross back into Senegal. The drive to Toubacouta is less than an hour and we aim to arrive at our lodge around 4pm. Our accommodation tonight is arguably the best on the trip. Accommodation is in recently refurbished rondavels set within the grounds of the lodge on the riverbank. The views from the deck are wonderful, overlooking the delta, it is the perfect spot for a sundowner watching the sun set over the waters of the Saolum delta. Just outside the lodge there are a small number of craft shops.The lodge offers a swimming pool and restaurant, dinner is included tonight. Around 5pm there is the opportunity to join other guests on an optional boat excursion, see the budgeting section for details.

It's a bus free day today, we move between our hotels purely by boat, cruising along the Sine-Saloum Delta by motorised fibre boat for approximately four to five hours to reach our next destination. We'll weave our way through the maze of wide channels, past mangroves, open forests, sand islands and villages built on islands constructed with oyster shells. Along the way, we might be lucky enough to spot pelicans and flamingos. It's a wonderful way for an up close experience of the delta. Note that if the wind picks up the waters in the delta can be a little choppy, so it is worth packing a light weight waterproof. After a packed lunch onboard, we'll arrive in Ndangane, our destination for tonight where the afternoon will be free to absorb the slower pace of life. Ndangane is a small fishing village often used as a base along the Delta, the beach is lined with traditional pirogues.

Today, we'll depart Saloum Delta National Park to begin our journey back to Dakar. Our first stop, just a short time away is to see a giant Baobab tree. Baobab trees are the national symbol of Senegal, some trees dating back 6,000 years and can only be found in a few places around the world. We'll have a short stop here before we continue. Our next stop will be for a guided walking tour Fadiout Islands. This unusual destination is composed of oysters and clam shells, and the inhabitants are both Muslim and Christian who all live together peacefully. The Christian and Muslim cemeteries are built on a huge ancient shell mound and our guide will take us around to help us understand this very unique community. Later we'll continue our return journey to Saly, arriving in time for lunch. The rest of the day is free.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Saly, close to the airport. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Dakar at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS), which is around a 40 minute from the hotel.