North Circuit - Saint-Louis
Discover the treasures of Northern Senegal with this 8-day itinerary: the Lac Rose, Lompoul Desert, Langue de Barbarie, Djoudj National Bird Park, and the city of Saint-Louis. A journey that allows you to meet a warm-hearted population and admire the flora and fauna of the Saint-Louis region.
Program
Day 1: Airport – Lac Rose
Arrival and welcome by our correspondent at the airport. Meeting with your driver and guide. Then transfer to Lac Rose and check-in at your hotel, Chez Salim. Dinner on your own (not included) and overnight stay.
Day 2: Lac Rose – Lompoul
Breakfast. Then, it’s time to explore Lac Rose on foot. This vast lagoon, approximately 3 square kilometers in size, shallow, and surrounded by dunes just a few meters from the Atlantic Ocean, is located 35 kilometers northeast of Dakar. Its exceptional feature is its pink color when the sun is directly overhead, and at dusk, the pink darkens to nuanced shades of mauve or violet. Its color is due to a cyanobacterium, a microscopic organism that produces a red pigment, especially in dry windy weather, to withstand the salt concentration. Besides its color, its high salinity (300 grams/liter) places it second only to the Dead Sea. Everything floats in it. This saline concentration allows women from surrounding villages to directly extract the salt that settles at the bottom of the lake.
Lunch on your own (not included). Then, heading towards Lompoul. Transfer to the desert in an off-road vehicle. It is located in the Louga region, less than 10 km from the ocean, between Lompoul-sur-Mer and Kébémer. It covers an area of 18 km2. The dunes can reach a height of 40 to 50 meters. The sand, ranging in shades from ochre to red, is very fine. There is almost no vegetation. Check-in to your Mauritanian tent. Musical entertainment with djembe players. Dinner and overnight stay.
Optional:
- 4×4 tour around Lac Rose
- Djembe initiation in Lompoul
- 20-minute camel ride
Day 3: Lompoul – Sowène
Breakfast. Then, return to Lompoul village in an off-road vehicle. (Possibility to do this on foot if you wish to stroll through the bush paths discovering market gardening cultures – approximately 2 hours 30 minutes walk).
Then, drive to Sowène via the beautiful Niayes road. Arrival at the Ocean and Savannah Lodge and check-in to your cabins. Lunch on your own (not included). Then, free afternoon at the lodge to enjoy the calm and tranquility of the place. From the lodge, you can take a kayak ride, play a game of petanque or mini-golf. You can also swim in the pool or the lagoon and stroll along the river. Dinner and overnight stay.
Optional:
- Additional night stay in a bungalow
- Barbecue lunch at Lompoul beach – Return to Lompoul village and visit the village. Then head towards Lompoul-sur-Mer to visit the port and stroll along the beach. Have a beachside barbecue lunch. And then proceed to Sowène.
- Visit to Nguelakh and lunch in the village – Return to Lompoul village and head towards Rao. From there, embark on a 4×4 to reach the village of Nguelakh. Visit the village and have a local lunch there. Then head towards Sowène.
Day 4: Sowène
Breakfast. Then, departure in a traditional cart to visit the surroundings. You’ll pass through villages and observe impressive market gardening cultures and vast onion fields. Lunch on your own (not included). Free afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay.
Optional:
- Additional night stay in a bungalow
- Canoe excursion on the Langue de Barbarie to Bird Island in the late afternoon.
Day 5: Sowène – Saint-Louis
Breakfast and off to a new and beautiful experience within a typical Senegalese family. Colors, scents, and flavors will set the tone for this day. It’s time for you to test your culinary skills by being invited into the intimacy of a Senegalese family, warmly welcoming you. They will teach you to recognize, chop, peel, and prepare our local products.
Meet around 10:00 AM with your host for the day, where you’ll head to the market to buy the necessary spices for your lunch preparation. Return home and begin the cooking workshop. Lunch with the family and tasting of traditional tea, ataaya. After lunch, for a good digestion, you’ll explore Saint Louis Island on foot. Saint Louis Island has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000: its perpendicular streets, colonial houses in ochre colors, and typical balconies from the colonial era. A warm ambiance, a mix of the city’s colonial past and the laid-back activities of Saint Louis inhabitants. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel La Résidence.
Day 6: Saint-Louis
Breakfast, then set off on foot for a wonderful day in Saint Louis with a local guide. The sectors of crafts and art in Senegal are often intertwined; you’ll visit the numerous art galleries on Saint Louis Island where you can witness the talent of Saint Louis residents. Lunch at a local spot on your own (not included).
Next, you’ll cross the small bridge leading to the Langue de Barbarie to explore the alleys of the Ndar Market. Here, you’ll discover various stalls selling fabrics, beauty products, and local incense called “le chourail.” If you desire, extend your stroll to the fishermen’s village with its numerous multicolored pirogues. Finally, conclude the day with a visit to the Photo Museum. The showcased artists, from yesterday and today, come from Senegal, Africa, and beyond. Dinner at a restaurant on the island. Overnight stay.
Optional:
- 30-minute open bar aperitif with local appetizers in the patio bar at Hotel La Résidence.
Day 7: Saint-Louis – Djoudj – Saint-Louis
Breakfast. Early departure for Djoudj National Park. This reserve was established in 1971. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is the third-largest ornithological park in the world. It spans 12,000 hectares in the delta of the Senegal River. It irresistibly attracts birdlife from both Europe and Africa. From November to March, three million birds gather here for the winter. You’ll also find around twenty species of mammals.
Embark on a canoe excursion. With the engine idling, the canoe delves into the heart of Djoudj, triggering a fantastic ballet: flocks of flamingos take off in tight formations, pelicans soar, and cormorants dive. A simultaneously strange and extraordinary spectacle. Return to Saint Louis. Lunch on your own (not included). Free afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 8: Saint-Louis – Airport
Breakfast. Free morning. Lunch on your own (not included) and transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule. Assistance with boarding.
Rates
Benefit from preferential rates negotiated with our partner (starting from – rates vary depending on the date).
For a personalized quote or any specific request, please fill out the contact form on the contact page.
- For 12 to 14 persons: € 618.7 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 587.5 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- For 8 to 11 persons: € 643.7 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 612.5 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- For 6 to 7 persons: € 662.5 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 631.2 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- For 4 to 5 persons: € 762.5 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 731.2 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- For 3 persons (minimum 2 adults **): € 800 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 768.7 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- For 2 persons (1 adult + 1 child *): € 893.7 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 862.5 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- Child reduction 3 to 10 years: – € 256.2 net per child (from 01/11 to 30/06) / – € 231.2 net per child (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- Child reduction 13 to 18 years: – € 68.7 net per child (from 01/11 to 30/06) / – € 62.5 net per child (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- Supplement Bungalow at Océan & Savane: € 12.5 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 11.2 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- Single Supplement: € 206.2 net per person (from 01/11 to 30/06) / € 181.2 net per person (from 01/07 to 30/10)
- Adult New Year’s Eve: consult us
- Child New Year’s Eve: consult us
* In the case of one adult traveling with a child: (Rate for 2 + single supplement for the adult) + (rate for 2 – child discount for the child)
** In the case of two adults traveling with a child: (Rate for 3 for adults and rate for 3) – (child discount for the child in the room)
Note: Child rate applies when the child shares the same room as the adults.
Options (net rates in euros per person):
These prices include:
- Provision of a suitable vehicle from day 01 to day 03 (inclusive) with a driver-guide and fuel – based on 02 / 03 persons
- Provision of a suitable vehicle from day 01 to day 03 (inclusive) with a driver and fuel – based on 04 persons and more
- Assistance of a French-speaking guide from day 01 to day 03 (inclusive) – based on 04 persons and more
- Guide assistance on days 04, 05, 06, and 07
- Transfers as outlined in this program: Sowène – Saint Louis on day 05 / Saint Louis – Djoudj – Saint Louis on day 07 / Saint Louis – Airport on day 08
These prices do not include:
- Tips and personal expenses
- Airfare
- Optional excursions
- Lunches that are free or not included
- Beverages during meals
- New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day supplements