Coast and Delta Explorer

Coast and Delta Explorer

Duration
7 days
Group Size
12 people
Price
From £1995
Region
Africa
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Overview

An intriguing journey touching the edge of the Western Sahara. Start in Dakar and explore this bustling city before immersing yourself in the slave history at Goree Island. Travel north through Senegal, reaching the border with Mauritania and the Djoudj National Park, a natural oasis composed of hundreds of miles of partially flooded land. We then head south to the holy city of Touba and visit its Grand Mosque before visiting small, ethnic villages and ending the tour back in Dakar.

Highlights

Included/Excluded

Arrival and departure transfers
Overland transport throughout with professional driver
All accommodation
Services of English-speaking guide / tour leader
Meals as listed B – Breakfast L – Lunch D – Dinner
Entrance fees for sites listed as part of the itinerary
International flights (contact us for expert advice and a quote)
Any airport taxes Travel Insurance
Visa – when required
Drinks
Items of personal nature
Tips (Discretionary)

Tour Ratings

Fitness: 2/5
Unexplored: 4/5
Culture: 5/5
History: 4/5
Wildlife: 3/5
Tour-pace: 4/5
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Map and Tour Itinerary

Arrive in vibrant Dakar, Africa’s westernmost city, before touring key landmarks and nearby peaceful Goree Island. Visit the Museum of Black Civilizations and the “Door of No Return.” See the pink-hued Retba Lake, then journey to Langue de Barbarie for sunset views and an overnight stay. Explore historic Saint Louis via carriage and visit fishing communities and colonial architecture. Discover birdlife at Djoudj National Park. Travel to holy Touba, then to the serene Saloum Delta and eco-lodge in Palmarin. Take a canoe to Mar Lodj Island, meet local Sérère villagers, and return for dinner. End in Joal-Fadiouth, visiting Shell Island and the iconic baobab tree, before transferring to Dakar airport.

Itinerary Highlights
Dakar City & Goree Island Tour

Explore Dakar’s major landmarks including the Presidential Palace and Museum of Black Civilizations, followed by a moving visit to Goree Island and the House of Slaves.

Pink Lake & Salt Harvesting

Witness the strikingly colored Retba Lake and observe women harvesting salt in a unique natural environment.

Saint Louis UNESCO Site

Discover Senegal’s colonial history with a horse-drawn carriage ride through Saint Louis and visits to the Governor's Palace and the fisherman’s district of Guet N'Dar.

Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary

Experience world-class bird watching by pirogue in one of the largest bird sanctuaries on Earth, home to millions of migratory birds.

Joal-Fadiouth Shell Island

Walk through a unique island made of shells, with interfaith cemeteries and serene coastal villages showcasing Senegal’s cultural harmony.

Day 1: Day 1: Arrival in Dakar (62km, approx. 1hr10m)

Arrive in Dakar and transfer to your hotel. Overnight at Ibis Dakar or similar

Dakar

Located on the Cap Vert peninsula and Africa’s westernmost city, Dakar is thriving, colourful, and lively providing the first real experience of urban West Africa on this trip. Brash and often uncompromising, it was once one of the major cities of the French Empire and today is home to over a million people. With busy traffic and street vendors everywhere, Dakar is a world away from the rest of Senegal. Nearby is Gore Island, in contrast a peaceful sanctuary with well-preserved colonial buildings, giving it an almost Mediterranean feel. Gore is best known for its associations with the slave trade, although there is some controversy about how much of a role it actually played.

Day 2: Dakar City Tour – Goree Island – Pink Lake – Langue de Barbarie (25min Ferry + 275km, approx. 5hr50m)

This morning we take a city tour of Dakar. Highlights include the Presidential Palace, Republic Square and Soweto Square to see the National Assembly. We then drive to the Cathedral du Souvenir Africain and the train station, with its elegant and inspiring façade, and is the region´s oldest major transit hub. Visit the Museum of Black Civilizations, the museum is dedicated to African civilizations, a place of civilizational encounter and dialogue between cultures before we catch a ferry to Goree Island. On arrival we visit the house of slaves, a living testimony of the times of slavery, where you se the ‘door of no return’ where slaves were allegedly sent through to board boats. Continue to visit the town square and Catholic Church before stopping at the historical museum.

Return to Dakar for the second part of the city tour, visit of the Great Mosque Massalikoul Djinaan, University “Cheikh Anta Diop”, the monument of the African Renaissance, the divinity Mosque on the West Corniche, on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, the “Village des Arts” composed of fifty-two artist’s studios (ateliers).

Next depart to Retba Lake, also nicknamed Pink, nestled between white sand dunes and the Atlantic Ocean. Tour of the lake and see how women harvest the salt from the depth of the lake. Lunch at a local restaurant and continue to Ocean et Savane Lodge located in Langue de Barbarie National Park in front of the river. Enjoy a beautiful sunset in front the river. Dinner and overnight in Ocean et Savane Lodge or similar (BLD)

Day 3: Langue de Barbarie – Saint Louis (35Km / approx. 1h)

Spend the morning at leisure. After lunch we head to St. Louis, Senegal’s first capital, and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch at a local restaurant, before enjoying a horse-drawn carriage ride around the city. Visit the fisherman’s district, the lively fishing community of Guet N’Dar in the “Langue de Barbarie”, a magical place with dozens of pirogues used for local fishing as well as the Cathedral, situated next to the Governor’s Palace, an 1828 building. with a neoclassical facade and one of the oldest churches in Senegal. Dinner and overnight at Hotel La Residence or similar (BD)

Day 4: Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary

Today visit Djoudj National Park, the third largest bird reserve in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A living sanctuary, situated in the Senegal River Delta, with a wetland of 16,000 hectares and 1, 5 million migratory birds. It is a lush setting with wetlands comprising lakes, streams, valleys and pieces of sand. Bird watching in a pirogue, with particular emphasis on the white pelican, cormorants, Gambian geese, ospreys, crocodiles, among other species. Return to St. Louis for lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure. Overnight at Hotel La Residence or similar (BLD)

Day 5: Saint Louis – Touba – Palmarin (340Km / approx. 6h30m)

Depart to Saloum Delta. Along the slopes, you will have chance to meet the Peuhls breeders at the time of the regrouping of the zebus herds for the milking of animals. Then visit the holy city of Touba and its famous mosque. After lunch we continue our journey on the Saloum Delta in Senegal. Dinner and overnight at the eco-lodge of Palmarin or similar (BD)

Day 6: Palmarin – Mar Lodj (30Km / approx. 45min + 30min boat trip)

We take a canoe to cross to the picturesque island of Mar Lodj, just opposite Ndangane. Visit the villages of Mar Lodj and Marfafaco, home of the Sérère ethnic group. Lunch at the Essamaye camp on the edge of the lagoon before returning to Palmarin in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Ecolodge of Palmarin or similar (BD)

Day 7: Palmarin – Joal Fadiouth – Dakar Departure (80Km / approx. 2hrs) 

Depart for Joal Fadiouth where we drive into a palm tree and baobabs forest. Stop at Fadial Village to admire one of the biggest baobab trees in Senegal then continue to Joal – Fadiouth. Drive through the forest of Samba Dia and charming “Serere” villages with traditional huts. Visit Fadiouth Shell Island by foot. Highlights include the cemetery for Muslims and Christians, the market, the church, and the white alleys where shells are ubiquitous. Have lunch at the restaurant of Taverne du Pêcheur of Joal before transferring to the airport for your departure flight* (BL)

*if you are combining this tour with our Guinea Bissau tour, the departure flight to Bissau is at 1700hrs (subject to change)

*if you are leaving Dakar for the end of the trip, please book a flight after 1500hrs.

Download the Information Pack

To download the tour full dossier, which includes a complete day-by-day itinerary breakdown and detailed tour information, fill in the details below.

Dates and Prices

Tours & Dates
Destination Tour Code Start End Trip Status Pricing Per person
Senegal - Coast and Delta Explorer

SCD/221225 Dec 22, 2025

Monday
Dec 28, 2025

Sunday
Guaranteed £2,295.00

Single Room Supplement: £385.00
Book Now
Senegal - Coast and Delta Explorer

SCD/020326 Mar 02, 2026

Monday
Mar 08, 2026

Sunday
Guaranteed £1,995.00

Single Room Supplement: £275.00
Book Now
Senegal - Coast and Delta Explorer

SCD/040526 May 04, 2026

Monday
May 10, 2026

Sunday
Guaranteed £1,995.00

Single Room Supplement: £275.00
Book Now
Senegal - Coast and Delta Explorer

SCD/211226 Dec 21, 2026

Monday
Dec 27, 2026

Sunday
Guaranteed £2,295.00

Single Room Supplement: £385.00
Book Now
Senegal - Coast and Delta Explorer

SCD/010327 Mar 01, 2027

Monday
Mar 07, 2027

Sunday
Guaranteed £1,995.00

Single Room Supplement: £275.00
Book Now
Senegal - Coast and Delta Explorer

SCD/030527 May 03, 2027

Monday
May 09, 2027

Sunday
Guaranteed £1,995.00

Single Room Supplement: £275.00
Book Now
Senegal - Coast and Delta Explorer

SCD/201227 Dec 20, 2027

Monday
Dec 26, 2027

Sunday
Guaranteed £2,295.00

Single Room Supplement: £385.00
Book Now

Feedback from our Travellers

Essential Info

Foreign Office Travel Warnings

Before booking your tour, please familiarise yourself with the country specific information provided by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) – www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. This includes important information such as latest immigration requirements, and details of any travel advisories.

We constantly monitor the advice posted by the FCDO. In particular we will always advise clients of any travel warnings. At present there are no warnings against travel to the parts of Senegal that we visit on this tour. Please feel free to contact us should you have any specific concerns or would like to know in detail what measures are being taken to ensure visits remain trouble free and without incident.

It should be noted that this information applies to British citizens. Other nationals are asked to check the current position of their respective government.

Visa Information

At the time of writing British, and US nationals do not require a visa for a tourist visit to Senegal. Australiain nationals will require a visa. For further details please visit the applicable website shown below.

British Nationals – www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice 

US Nationals – travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html 

Australian Nationals – www.smartraveller.gov.au

Other nationals should check the latest requirements with the authorities in their home country, or with the destination’s nearest embassy or consulate.

Should you require any documentation to support a visa application, such as a letter of invitation, upon request this will be provided by Undiscovered Destinations after receipt of your balance payment.

As it is the travellers’ responsibility to ensure that they meet all entry requirements it is essential that you check the rules and any other conditions at the time of booking and again when making your balance payment. In addition, we would strongly advise that you make a final check around two weeks before your arrival. This is important as requirements can change at short notice. Undiscovered Destinations, when possible, will provide guidance about entry rules, but in the first instance please contact the relevant authorities, including the applicable embassy or consulate for assistance.

Passports

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of a full passport, valid for at least six months after the date of return to your country.

We strongly advise that your passport contains a minimum of two blank pages, as this may be a requirement of the local immigration authorities. In addition, certain countries will stipulate that the two blank pages are opposite each other. If you are unable to meet these requirements, you may be refused boarding by your airline or denied entry by the immigration authorities.

For specific information about the requirements for your destination please check with the country’s embassy or consulate. Alternatively, UK citizens can visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

Vaccinations & Protection

As with travel to most parts of Africa, we strongly recommend that you contact your doctor’s surgery or a specialist travel clinic for up-to-date information, advice, and the necessary vaccinations. For a visit of less than one month, almost certainly you will be advised to have immunisations against the following: Diphtheria and Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Meningitis. The use of a DEET-containing insect repellent is highly recommended.

The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or purchased in your home country can be different in other countries. If you’re travelling with prescription or over-the-counter medicine, read this guidance from NaTHNaC on best practice when travelling with medicines. For further information on the legal status of a specific medicine, you’ll need to contact the embassy, high commission or consulate of the country or territory you’re travelling to.

Travel Insurance

It is a condition of booking with Undiscovered Destinations that you have adequate valid travel insurance. It is your responsibility to arrange appropriate travel insurance and ensure you have read and understood the full terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy to ensure that you are covered for all activities you intend to undertake whilst on the tour, including all optional activities. Your Insurance Policy must fully cover you for medical expenses (including cover for Covid-19 conditions) and emergency repatriation to your home country and be valid for the entire duration of your holiday.

Local Conditions

When travelling to our destinations, many of which are underdeveloped and untouristed by mainstream tourism, a good deal of patience and a sense of humour is an important attribute. This will help you to cope with problems such as ageing or poor infrastructure and when maintenance may not be as high as we would always like.

The choice of appropriate accommodation in some towns and cities (particularly the smaller places) can be limited, and standards of both service and maintenance can be less than polished. Guides and other service providers in some of our destinations do not always have the decades of collective practice and experience that their counterparts in more developed countries can draw upon. Although we will always try and resolve any issues as quickly as possible, on occasions there may be some shortcomings which no matter how hard we try will be unavoidable.

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