Pirogue cruise through the bolongs
Bolongs are saltwater channels typical to Senegalese estuarine and coastal areas. These sea inlets – sometimes short-lived, sometimes large and classified as small tributaries – are particularly widespread in the Sine-Saloum delta. They are usually fringed with mangroves which are partially submerged at high tide. There is normally a wide variety of bird species, and they are home to several small mammals, such as monkeys and hyenas. The bolongs are accessible by pirogue.
Visit to the Sacred Baobab of Fadial (Adansonia digitata)
The village of Fadial sits in a lagoon area to the southeast of Joal-Fadiouth; a vast expanse dotted with baobabs and Palmyra palms, bordered by the “tanns” which comprise numerous types of landscapes: fossil valley, baobab forest, mangroves… We will visit the “Sacred Baobab” of Fadial, which has a massive trunk circumference of around 26.18 metres!
Visit to Fadiouth, the island of shells
This island is formed from layers upon layers of shells hundreds of years old, and the streets are literally strewn with them. According to the ancients, the island was built up from the accumulated shells discarded by villagers over the centuries. The island is linked to the coast by a wooden footbridge more than 500 metres in length – a real masterpiece of technical elegance, built by a French company in 2005.
Visit to Bandia Reserve
You will be driven round by a specialised guide. Created in 1990, Bandia became the first private reserve in Senegal. Fenced in on all sides, it covers a surface area of 3500 hectares, offering a habitat for many mammals that have been reintroduced to the region. Among the species resident in the reserve, one can observe most of the main African mammals: white rhinoceros, zebras, giraffes, buffalo, Lord Derby (giant) and common elands, oryxes, roan antelopes, waterbuck, Buffon’s kobs, greater kudu, impalas, dama gazelles, red-fronted gazelles, warthogs, patas monkeys, green monkeys, jackals and mongoose, as well as crocodiles, giant tortoises, ostriches, and over 120 species of birds. All the tumuli in the Bandia forest were classified as historical monuments in 2003.
Information about the side-trips included during the tour
Randonnées à cheval - La ferme de Sarène - Sénégal 