We took advantage of our stay in Guinea to discover a neighboring country, Senegal.
It’s a great opportunity to compare these two countries, which have developed differently for political reasons, and to see if the Senegalese really deserve the Wolof term teranga, which translates as “hospitality”.
While for me it was a first, for my two adventure companions Senegal was a familiar place, as they had already been there two or three times.
Why did you choose Senegal, one of the most stable and developed countries in West Africa?
As soon as we landed on the tarmac in the capital Dakar, and on the way to our hosts’ house, I realized that Senegal had taken advantage of French aid and tourism to improve living conditions and infrastructure (freeways, airport and brand-new TER, large soccer stadium…).
Since gaining independence in 1960, the country has institutionalized its democracy and achieved political stability. The country has never experienced a coup d’état, and four presidents have succeeded one another in power. Let’s hope this continues for them.
However, in terms of nature, I missed the lush vegetation, forests and waterfalls of Guinea. I can’t say that the whole country lacks natural diversity, because it’s impossible to do it all in ten days 😉 You’ll have to come back for that! Particularly in Casamance, which seems to be the most beautiful region of Senegal, more authentic, for nature lovers and beautiful beaches, far from the tourists… a dream, no? So why didn’t we go?!
As I explained in my article on the purpose of the round-the-world trip, the idea was to meet other people, not just be tourists. As fate would have it, while we were talking about our trip to Africa, my best man told us that her cousin was married to a Senegalese woman and that they owned a restaurant near Dakar. And as luck would have it, there was a direct flight from Dakar to Nantes at an unbeatable price.
So we offered to help them during our stay, both in the kitchen and in communication, an area in which we are more proficient 😉 They accepted, much to our delight.
And last but not least, we’re very happy with the great moments we’ve been able to share with Sina, Sylvain, Sitoé and all their family and friends.
With them and in their lovely complex located in Sébikotane, we’ve been able to chat, sing, laugh, taste new flavors and learn about habits and customs, all the while contributing our good will and skills.
My 5 favorites ♥️ from the trip
As is my wont now, here are the favorites I’ve chosen to share with you, if you too feel like spending a few days in Africa.
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The Lompoul desert
Located halfway between Dakar and Saint-Louis, Lompoul is a small desert area with beautiful ochre and even red dunes.
It’s the perfect place for a moment out of time. By the way, if you’d like to spend a night in this desert, we visited the desert camp, which looks like a very nice place for an unusual experience.
A local agency, Esprit d’Afrique, owns this camp, which is admittedly more modest than the nearby ecolodges, but for backpackers like us it was very classy! And we particularly appreciated the outdoor shower, which lets you admire the beauty of the landscape. That’s real luxury, isn’t it 😉
We also appreciated the concept’s philosophy. Esprit d’Afrique practices responsible tourism that promotes development. On the one hand, their aim is to avoid having a negative impact on the environment, and on the other, to encourage the development of local communities and businesses through solidarity initiatives. In particular, they work with women’s associations and on reforestation projects in Lompoul. Unfortunately, not everyone shares this concern for the environment. The Lompoul desert is threatened by a zircon mining project run by a French company.
If you’d like to contact the site manager, Abdou Ba, directly, I can give you his telephone number. All you have to do is leave me a message as a comment.
Expect to pay around forty euros per person for a standard room with half board (breakfast and dinner).
For more upmarket rooms, “a nomad’s dream”, the rate is around 60 euros per person on a half-board basis.
The camp has a bar, a restaurant under a large Berber tent and plenty of space to relax (deckchairs, hammocks…).
To get there, a pick-up truck will pick you up at Lompoul village and take you to the camp (don’t pay any attention to the state of the truck, that’s what traveling is all about ;)). Transfers are also available from Dakar or Saint-Louis.
The camp also offers a range of activities: camel rides, 4X4 (not great), picnics on the beach etc…
Additional practical information: the peak season in Senegal runs from November to July, and prices rise for Christmas and New Year’s, but the gift idea can be really great!
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Gorée Island
It’s impossible to pass through Dakar without taking a boat to the island of Gorée.
On the surface, the place looks idyllic. A veritable cinema set, with palm trees and Instagrammable facades.
Yet behind the postcard landscape lies a dark and painful history. The Slave House is there to remind us. A sad symbol of the memory of the African slave trade, officially recognized by the United Nations (UN) in 1978. Gorée is today the “memory island” of this tragedy.
I really enjoyed visiting this house, especially as, being from Nantes, I found objects and photos that were donated by the city of Nantes, which was unfortunately heavily involved in the triangular trade.
The only downside to this very pleasant visit was the constant feeling of being there to give money. It started during boarding when a woman approached me to exchange a few courtesies about our stay in Senegal, but I soon realized that she was a store assistant who simply wanted us to visit her store on our arrival on the island.
And it continued with other vendors and/or guides on our walk.
Frankly, is this Senegalese hospitality? I assure you that these methods drive us away and make us distrustful rather than open to exchange. Especially when it’s the xth solicitation.
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Pink Lake
Even if we didn’t see it quite pink because we were there at the wrong time (rainy season), I put the lake in my favorites because I’m always amazed and like a child in front of the beauties of nature and in particular the very particular color (50 shades of pink ;)) that salt lakes can take on. I remember the first time I saw this phenomenon, on the side of a road in the United States.
So I was keen to see for myself the world’s second saltiest lake after the Dead Sea (which is why you float when you swim in it).
What I hadn’t imagined when I arrived was that there were so many salt operations and activities going on around it.
Day and night, there’s a constant ballet of men and women who come to extract the salt from the lake by hand. A tough and very physical activity.
The second thing that struck me was its size. I don’t know why I imagined it any bigger. It covers an area of 3 km2, but the fear of the locals we met during our visit was that it would shrink a little more each year. Will it ever disappear? That would be tragic for the ecosystem and for those who live off the lake.
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Toubab Dialaw beach
After a month in Guinea without being able to swim in the sea (due to beach pollution), we wanted to enjoy a lazy day, and our hosts kindly recommended this beach near Sébikotane: Toubab Dialaw. And what a pleasure it was!
At last, deckchairs and little beach restaurants where you can sip a natural juice and eat fish in coconut milk!
And best of all, when we went there, there were hardly any tourists 🙂
The little village still seemed untouched by the mass tourism seen in Saly. It looked peaceful. We really enjoyed our afternoon there. Especially as it’s quite possible to get there by public bus.
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Mass at Keur Moussa Abbey with the monks and their koras
Whether you’re a believer or not, if you’re open-minded and curious, I’m sure you’ll be moved by the kora’s inimitable, spellbinding sound.
The abbey was founded in the 1960s by 9 monks.
The story goes that in 1964, these monks received a gift of a traditional kora from a Senegalese priest. They went on to design the first kora made of wooden keys, as well as teaching methods for this traditional instrument. One of the founding brothers, Dominique Catta, even composed special prayers to accompany community singing.
For this, the community even received the Albert Schweitzer prize, and Father Catta was elevated in 2016 by Senegal to the rank of Living Human Treasure, recognized by Unesco.
After mass, stop by the abbey store to buy a small gourmet souvenir made by the monks. We really enjoyed the dried mangoes.
I’ve decided on 5 favorites, but if there’s one more thing I’d like to add, it’s the pleasure I got from tasting Sina’s and her mom’s local dishes. What a pleasure it was to enjoy fish or new spices still unknown to my palate!
Two examples, including the first photo: a fish thiéboudiene.
But beyond all that, what I enjoyed most of all were the encounters and experiences we had with Sina and Sylvain’s family and friends, such as the musical evenings, the participation in church celebrations and the lunch we shared with Sina’s parents and cousin. And that’s not in the tourist guides 😉
So before you travel, I advise you to find out if any of your family or friends have already visited the country or have friends there. Who knows, it’s a small world out there? Once you really open your heart and ears 😉
It’s just goodbye Senegal?
In any case, I hope this travel diary has inspired you to take an interest in the countries of West Africa. They’re well worth a change of scenery and an introduction to another culture.
Don’t hesitate if you have any questions about city tours or activities, I’d be delighted to help.
See you soon 😉
