Field guide
Senegal: the Saloum Delta, the pink lake and Dakar
The Saloum Delta was inscribed by UNESCO in 2011 and takes in more than 200 islands and islets of mangrove and channels. Its landscape holds 218 ancient shell mounds, some of them several hundred metres long.
By water
The delta is best explored by boat, slowly, with a guide who knows the channels and the birds. Quiet camps on the islands make a night on the water part of the journey, and the dry season, roughly November to May, is the most comfortable.
The pink lake and the baobabs
Lac Rose lies about 30 kilometres north-east of Dakar and takes its colour from salt and algae. It is often most vivid in bright light. Inland, baobabs stand across the savannah, and are best met at sunrise.
Dakar after dark
Dakar is a city of music, art and food. A guide who knows its galleries, kitchens and late-night rooms turns a stopover into an evening worth remembering, and the night is when the city is most itself.
How long to stay
A week suits Senegal well: two nights in Dakar, a few days in the Saloum Delta and a day for the pink lake. The dry season is the most comfortable, and a longer stay allows a visit to Gorée or to the interior.
Who it suits
Senegal suits guests who love music, food and water, and who like to meet people. It is lively and warm, and it works best with a guide who opens the doors that visitors rarely see.
Beginning the conversation
Tell us whether birdlife, the delta, or Dakar's art and music draws you most. We will plan the pace and the places to sleep around that choice.