Bandia Safari and Somone Lagoon
You will set off on a safari in the Bandia Wildlife Reserve in search of wildlife roaming freely. You may spot buffalo wallowing in the water, monkeys playing in the trees, rhinoceroses strolling მშვიდly, and crocodiles basking in the sun. Giraffes rise majestically as they feed from treetops, antelopes sprint across the plains, and vultures soar overhead, watching their surroundings.
Throughout your visit, you will also discover unique cultural and historical treasures, such as the Serer pyramids, featuring a reconstructed burial chamber, as well as a griot tomb nestled בתוך a thousand-year-old baobab tree, where authentic human remains rest. You will also observe traces of traditional local life, such as charcoal makers’ kilns. During the dry season, a walk through the dried bed of the Somone River will take you across a mahogany forest, where the shade of the trees provides a refreshing escape.
Next, you will head to the Somone Lagoon, located on the Petite Côte, about 75 km from Dakar. There, you will enjoy a lunch break on the beach, savoring a delicious local dish freshly prepared by a local cook.
You will then embark on a pirogue ride to explore the lagoon, a natural area surrounded by mangroves and sandy stretches that are flooded with the tides. A sanctuary for migratory birds, the lagoon is home to a wide variety of marine life and bird species such as pelicans, egrets, kingfishers, herons, and flamingos, often hidden among the mangrove roots.