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- +1 877 203 5089
- info@daafricanvillage.org
- Mon - Fri: 9:00 - 5:00
“If I have ever seen magic, it has been in Africa.”
– John Hemingway
Day 1 – {B/D}
Tuesday, December 23
TRAVEL TO DAKAR, SENEGAL
Arrival via Delta Airline, pick up at Blaise Diagne International Airport (DDS), where you will be greeted by our team and transferred to your hotel.
Check in and settle into your accommodations at Campement Chez Salim near Lake Retba (Pink Lake). Enjoy a warm welcome reception by the pool surrounded by a beautiful flower garden. Take some time to relax, unwind by the pool, or handle any personal needs.
Later, we will depart on foot for a scenic walk around the lake, stopping to observe the traditional work of the local salt harvesters.
The journey continues across the legendary dunes once traveled by the Paris-Dakar Rally, offering a glimpse of the landscapes that make Pink Lake so famous.
Dinner and overnight stay at Chez Salim or similar accommodation.
Day 2 {B/D}
Wednesday, December 24
RETBA LAKE / DAKAR – GOREE ISLAND
After breakfast, begin a city tour of Dakar. Highlights include Kermel Market, Independence Square (Place de l’Indépendance), the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the handicraft village of Marché Soumbédioune, and the African Renaissance Monument (Monument de la Renaissance Africaine).
In the afternoon, transfer to Dakar Port and take a 20-minute ferry ride to Gorée Island. Visit the historic Slave House, viewing the prison cells, shackles, and the “Door of No Return.” Continue to the IFAN Museum, the island’s cathedral, local markets, and other points of interest. Conclude the day with a visit to the Museum of Black Civilizations.
Return to Lake Retba in the evening for a Christmas Party celebration and overnight stay.
Day 3 – {B/D}
Thursday, December 25
RETBA LAKE / DIOGO OASIS
After breakfast, drive to Diogo via Mboro. Upon arrival, check into traditional Mauritanian tents and enjoy a welcome refreshment from your local host in the outdoor lounge area. Dinner and overnight at Diogo Oasis.
Day 4 – {B/D}
Friday, December 26
DIOGO OASIS
After breakfast, enjoy a memorable camel trek, alternating between walking and riding a dromedary. Relax afterward on mats in the shade of the filaos trees. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5 – {B/D}
Saturday, December 27
DIOGO OASIS / TOUBACOUTA VIA TOUBA
Drive to Fatick to see the largest baobab tree, then continue to Toubacouta via the holy city of Touba. Dinner and overnight at Keur Saloum Hotel or similar.
Day 6 – {B/D}
Sunday, December 28
TOUR OF THE SALOUM RIVER (FATHALA)
Today, we drive to Fathala Natural Reserve for a 40-minute lion encounter. Return to your hotel and prepare for a trip to Sipo Island. At noon, board a bus to Toubacouta and enjoy a day boat ride on the Saloum River, visiting nearby areas and the Sipo village. Take a boat ride to observe local birdlife, explore Sipo Island, and enjoy a Barracuda picnic lunch with the local community. Return to your hotel in Toubacouta for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7 – {B/D}
Monday, December 29
TOUBACOUTA / JUFFUREH (KOUNTA KINTEH ISLAND)
After breakfast, drive to Gambia via Mandingo Village. Visit Juffureh, the village and birthplace of Kunta Kinte from Alex Haley’s Roots. Take a pirogue trip up the Gambia River from Albreda to Kounta Kinteh Island (formerly known as James Island) and meet descendants of Haley’s ancestor. Return to Albreda to explore the Juffureh Museums, then drive back to Toubacouta for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 8 – {B/D}
Tuesday, December 30
SALOUM RIVER / SALY RESORT VIA JOAL FADIOUTH
AM: After breakfast, drive to Joal-Fadiouth. Explore Fadiouth Island, known for its centuries-old shell layers and as the birthplace of President Léopold Sédar Senghor. Take a small outrigger canoe through oyster beds and mangroves to visit millet granaries and the mixed cemetery. Walk across the wooden bridge to explore the island’s streets and church, then return to Joal via the 800-meter bridge connecting it to the mainland.
PM: Arrive at Saly Resort, check into your room, and relax for the remainder of the day. Dinner and overnight at Les Bougainvillées Hotel or similar.
Day 9 – {B/D}
Wednesday, December 31
SALY RESORT / TOUR BANDIA FOREST
Visit Bandia Private Reserve, a remarkable example of ecological restoration, located 65 km from Dakar and 15 km from Saly-Portudal. Enjoy a safari to see savannah wildlife, including giraffes, buffalo, and rhinos. Explore cultural sites such as Serer pyramids, a millennium-old baobab tomb, Fulani huts, and more, with insights and stories from knowledgeable, often multilingual guides. Return to your hotel and relax by the pool.
Enjoy your New Year’s Eve on December 31st.
Day 10 – {B/D}
Thursday, January 1
SALY RESORT
Day of relaxation or personal transactions. Evening Dinner with Naming ceremony. Pack your luggage and stay overnight at your hotel.
Day 11 – {B}
Friday, January 2
SALY RESORT / AIBD
Early Morning Transfer to Diass International Airport for your return flight to New York.
All excursions are included except tours listed below.
JOAL-FADIOUTH $80.00
Drive to Joal, Senegal the birthplace of President Léopold Sédar Senghor and its picturesque twin, Fadiouth is a fishing village covered in oyster and clamshells. Food supplies are housed in granaries built on stilts, visit a seashell cemetery, the Fadiouth Church, and more!
BANDIA ANIMAL RESERVE $80.00
The Bandia private reserve is a small jewel of ecological success through the surprising regeneration of its flora and the reintroduction of large mammals from Africa. Drive through the reserve and marvel at the animals up close, discover Serer pyramids with reconstructed mortuary chamber, tomb of griots
Note: Seats are limited as the price is based on a maximum of 20 people. Standard hotel rooms are double occupancy (for 2 adults)2
Note: Does not include gratuities, meals not stated, drinks, phone calls, laundry or all personal expenses and air tickets.
Senegal does not require visas for US passport holders. A visa for The Gambia is required for US citizens and we will assist you with obtaining it.
Only yellow fever inoculation is required for Senegal. Malaria pills are highly recommended; but please consult with your doctor for the proper type of medication for you.
Homeland Security requires us to send them pertinent information that is in your passport before you travel; we therefore request a high-resolution, color copy of your passport picture page.
Before submitting your application and $500 non-refundable, non-transferable deposit, please read our cancellation policy and terms. Your submission indicates that you agree to our terms.
IMPORTANT: The name on your airline ticket and passport must match. If this is not the case, you will be charged an airline service fee of $350 to reissue your ticket in the correct name. All airfares are subject to change until contracted or ticketed. You may email us anytime at africalove20@gmail.com or info@daafricanvillage.org.
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AIRFARES:
All airfares and/or taxes are subject to change until contracted or ticketed.
CANCELLATION FEES FOR TRAVELERS:
90 days or more $500 per person; 89-61 days 20% off tour cost; 60 days or less only monies that may be recovered from the overseas supplier(s) will be refunded. 45 days or less NO REFUND. Travel Insurance is strongly recommended. Your deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.
CHANGS IN THE ITINERARY:
Da’African Village will make every effort to operate all tours according to the itinerary (as shown in this brochure) or included in your final travel documents. However, due to the current COVID-19 Global Pandemic, we might be required to adjust the itinerary.
Other voluntary or involuntary situations may also arise which would require changes in the itinerary. These include weather, changes in airline schedules, government appropriation of hotel space, or events that are beyond the control of Da’African Village. If any of these events occur, we reserve the right to alter the itinerary as deemed necessary.
If there are any savings realized by these changes, it will be passed on to the traveler. Every effort will be made to confirm the hotels and lodges named in the itinerary.
If these hotels and/or lodges cannot be confirmed or must be changed once confirmed, we will select an appropriate property in the same category. All itineraries, hotels, and venues are subject to last-minute change. Any changes will be discussed with tour leaders before confirmations.
TOUR PROTECTION PLAN:
Travel insurance is strongly recommended. Cancellations can be expensive. Contact us if you need insurance.