MAURITANIA & SENEGAL DISCOVERY -14 DAYS

A full city tour of Nouakchott, whose name is said to derive from the Berber for “the place of the winds,” one of the largest cities in the Sahara. Visit the craft market, the grand mosque with its twin minarets, and the National Museum with its ethnographic and anthropological collections. Continue to the lively camel market and the main city market, then drive to the fishing port, where the return of the pirogues in the late afternoon is an unforgettable spectacle. Return to your hotel for overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Hotel: Hotel SUNSET

After breakfast, drive to Atar, capital of the Adrar region, passing nomadic encampments along the way. Atar is an ideal place to break the long desert drive; explore its small market and a museum with a well-preserved collection of artifacts and paintings. A short drive reaches Azougui, once a base of the Almoravid dynasty, whose territory stretched from the Ghana Empire to Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula in the 11th century. Transfer to your accommodation for check-in, dinner and overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Hotel: Palm Beach Resort & Spa

Begin with a drive to Guelb Er Richat, the “Eye of Africa,” a vast circular formation that resembles a blue eye from the sky. Once thought to have an asteroid impact, it is now believed to be uplifted rock sculpted by millennia of erosion. Continue to the ancient city of Ouadane, a former stop on the trans-Saharan caravan route that carried salt from the mines of Idjil. This UNESCO World Heritage Site holds many well-preserved and fascinating ruins. Drive to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Hotel: Auberge Vasque

Drive to Chinguetti, the seventh holy city of Islam and a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in the 13th century. This medieval Berber town was the meeting point of several trans-Saharan trade routes and is considered by many the “jewel of Mauritania.” Admire its Saharan architecture and its celebrated minaret, the second oldest in continuous use in the world. The Friday Mosque dates to the town’s 13th-century founders, and its ancient libraries preserve a remarkable collection of Islamic manuscripts, including Ould Habott, the largest in Mauritania. Transfer to your accommodation for check-in, dinner and overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Hotel:Auberge des Caravanes

Begin with the spectacular canyon and mountain views of the Amogjar Pass, the setting for the French film “Fort Saganne.” Explore caves with ancient Neolithic rock paintings depicting a once-green landscape of giraffes and antelope. Cross the oasis of Mheirith and the White Valley to reach Terjit, the most beautiful oasis in Mauritania, where thermal springs and shaded pools nestle in a gorge, a rare chance to “swim in the desert.” Return to Atar for check-in, dinner and overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Hotel: Hôtel Étoile du Nor

After breakfast, drive back to Nouakchott. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

Hotel: Hotel SUNSET

After breakfast, drive south to Rosso on the Senegal River. Complete border formalities with our assistance and cross into Senegal, then continue to Saint-Louis, the former capital of French West Africa and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, beautifully set on an island in the middle of the Senegal River. Check in, dinner and overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner

Hotel: Hôtel La Résidence, Saint-Louis

Optional excursions vary by season. 1. In the early morning, enjoy a canoe trip to observe the wildlife in the park of Djoudj, the third-largest ornithological reserve in the world. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this park is also the first watering point for many migratory birds after they cross the Sahara Desert. We sail along the south bank of the Senegal River to take in the landscape. 2. Enjoy a pirogue excursion along the Senegal River for a tour of the island and a visit to its mangrove forest. Once back on the mainland, we will discover Saint-Louis, founded in 1659, with its faded pastel colonial architecture, the iconic Faidherbe Bridge, and the vibrant Guet Ndar fishing quarter on the Langue de Barbarie, where hundreds of brightly painted pirogues line the shore.

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner

Hotel: Hôtel La Résidence, Saint-Louis

After breakfast, depart from Saint-Louis and drive south to Lac Rose (Lake Retba), famed for the pink hue created by its micro-algae and high salt content, and long the legendary finish line of the Dakar Rally. Board an ATV to explore the salt-harvesting operations and the surrounding scenery. There is time to swim or float on its buoyant, salt-rich waters before continuing to Dakar, the spirited Atlantic capital of Senegal. Check in, dinner and overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner

Hotel: Azalaï Hôtel Dakar

A full day exploring Gorée Island and Dakar on the Cap-Vert Peninsula. From the port, take the ferry to Gorée, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a moving memorial to the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Visit the famous House of Slaves and its Door of No Return, through which millions of Africans passed during their deportation. Tour the capital’s landmarks, including the African Renaissance Monument, Independence Square, the Presidential Palace, and the Soumbédioune craft market. Dinner and overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner

Hotel : Azalaï Hôtel Dakar

Checkout from Dakar and drive along La Petite Côte to the Bandia Wildlife Reserve, where giraffe, rhino, zebra, antelope, and crocodile roam a restored bushland, then pause at the tranquil Somone Lagoon. From there, sail by motorized boat to visit the oyster farm and spot shore birds. Continue to the Atlantic beach resort of Saly. Check in, dinner and overnight.

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner

Hotel: Royam Hotel

A day at leisure on the Petite Côte to relax on the beach or by the pool to enjoy the resort amenities. Optional excursions are available, among them a pirogue outing in the Sine-Saloum Delta. Drive through the savannah, crossing a landscape of baobab forest and palm groves. Stop to meet villagers along the way. At the pier of Ndangane, begin a pirogue ride inside this unique biosphere reserve. Or visit the fishing town of Mbour to watch the fishermen return, and walk through its open-air souk, rich in colors and smells. A farewell dinner is arranged at a special spot facing the Atlantic. Overnight in Saly.

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner

Hotel: Royam Hotel

After breakfast, transfer from Saly to Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) for your departure flight, at least three hours before departure.

Meals included: Breakfast