Cruise aboard the Bou El Mogdad

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  PARIS - DAKAR

  

  Paris – Dakar Airport – Thiès • (30 km/about 40 min) Flight to Dakar. Welcome and assistance by our representative, then transfer to Thiès, the former railway capital. Overnight at the Big Faim 3* hotel or similar.

• day 2

  THIÈS - DIAMA

  

  Thies - Saint-Louis – Diama - Bou El Mogdad cruise • (200 km/about 3h) • Night on board Departure at 09:00 AM (unless otherwise indicated by the driver) and transfer to Saint-Louis. Lunch at the Résidence hotel. City tour by horse-drawn carriage to discover Saint-Louis. On the island, you will visit the town hall and the courthouse, the hospital, a beautiful ochre-yellow building, and the famous Faidherbe Bridge (500 m long), shipped to Saint-Louis in 1897 following a gigantic administrative error. Transfer of about 30 minutes to the Diama dam. Boarding and settling into the cabins. Dinner and overnight on board.

• day 3

  DIAMA - TIGUET

  

  Diama – Tiguet (Djoudj Park) • Night on board Visit of the Diama dam, which prevents the entry of salty Atlantic waters into the Senegal River valley, a major agricultural area of the country. Lunch on board, then ascent of the river up to the Djoudj bird park: the 3rd largest ornithological park in the world, which covers 12,000 ha in the Senegal River delta, where 3 million birds gather every winter. With the engine idling, the park's pirogue moves into the heart of Djoudj, while a fantastic ballet unfolds: flamingos taking off in tight rows, pelicans flying away, cormorants diving... Return to the boat. Dinner and night on board.

• day 4

  TIGUET - RICHARD TOLL

  

  Tiguet – Diaouar – Richard Toll • Night on board Navigation along the rice-growing lands and off the coast of Rosso, a crossroads town where pirogues and a ferry carry people, animals, and vehicles across. The arrival or departure of these barges gives rise to intense, colorful, and particularly lively activities. Lunch on board. Arrival in the evening at Richard Toll, "Richard's garden." Visit of the town and the sugar cane factory, the main source of income for the locality. Dinner and night on board.

• day 5

  RICHARD TOLL - DAGANA

  

  Richard Toll – Dagana • Night on board Discovery of Baron Roger's madness: a French-style château now closed, surrounded by banco constructions, traditional architectures of the region. Navigation to the mango plantation bordering the village of Goumel. Traditional lunch "Tiep bou dijen" or "rice with fish" on the banks of the Senegal River. Departure with the boat's dinghy to the Wolof village of Dagana. You will then visit this former trading post from the colonial era, which preserves the remains of an old fort, as well as some trading stores and its market. Return to the boat at sunset. Dinner and night on board.

• day 6

  DAGANA - THIANGAYE

  Dagana – Thiangaye • Night on board Morning walk (approx. 2 km) in the Goumel forest. Visit to a traditional Peulh village composed of oblong huts built by the women. Return to the boat, navigation towards the heart of the African Sahel in the Toucouleur kingdom: the beauty of the landscape and the tranquility of these waters will only be disturbed by the splashing of a few children with ochre-colored eyes, the washerwomen with their multicolored wraps, and the herds of animals coming to drink along the banks. Lunch on board. Visit to Toucouleur villages entirely built of earth, perched on the steep banks of the Senegal River. These villages are the oldest Toucouleur villages on the river. Return on board. Departure at night for a méchoui dinner on the riverbanks by storm lamp. Night on board.

• day 7

  THIANGAYE ARM - PODOR

  

  Bras de Thiangaye – Podor • Night on board Navigation to Podor: this river port was once a French colonial trading post, known for its warehouses of gum arabic, ivory, and firewood. Today, a few remnants still remain, notably the port fort, built by Faidherbe. Lunch on board. Afternoon stroll through the peaceful alleys or a short visit to the market. Dinner and night on board.

• day 8

  PODOR - SAINT-LOUIS

  

  Podor – Saint-Louis – Thiès - Dakar Airport – Paris Transfer to Saint-Louis. Lunch break at the Océan et Savane lodge by the lagoon. Room available to relax depending on flight schedules, then continue to Thiès (about 3 hours by road). Dinner in Thiès, then transfer to the airport and flight to France.

• day 9

  DAKAR - PARIS

  

  Arrival in Paris in the morning.