St. St. Louis, old colonialism and jazz festivals
Experience authentic African village life in a special and unique way and enjoy the nature that passes you by. In St. Louis, an old colonial city, board the Bou El Mogdad for a multi-day boat trip on the Senegal River. You will visit the famous park Djoudj, the third most important bird park in the world, including flamingos, pelicans, spoonbills, cormorants, saddle-billed storks and red-breasted wheatears. In addition to all the (migratory) birds, more than 20 species of mammals live here, including baboons, green meerkats, otters and warthogs.
Rice fields along the banks of the Senegal River
The Senegal River is bordered by Senegal on one side and Mauritania on the other. The banks on the Senegal side are intensively cultivated; you will see many rice fields here. Further upstream, you will visit the large palm garden of Dagana and tour banana plantations in Mauretania. Podor, an old trading post is one of the last places you will visit. Here you will see trading houses with large courtyards and warehouses where Arab gum, firewood, ivory and slaves were "stored.
Tips & Tops Cruise Senegal River:
- Wander around the impressive colonial city of St. Louis, the oldest French settlement in West Africa, and enjoy the extraordinary architecture, colorful boats and the Eiffel-built Faidherbe Bridge. St Louis is therefore rightly a Unesco-protected World heritage site
- Dancing flamingos, flying pelicans and cormorants diving into the water, a fantastic sight at Djoudj National Park bird park
- Visit the 1822 trial garden built by the French in Richard Toll, just past Rosso, a lively frontier town
- Taste typical Senegalese dishes, such as the 'tiep bou djen'
- Visit some authentic populations in their traditional villages, such as the Peul, Toucouleur and Wolof
- Dive into colonial history and experience how the colonists secured their trade by building trading posts along the Senegal River
