End of June TUI organised an affiliate trip and I was lucky enough to be invited, being the account manager of their affiliate program. It was my first affiliate trip but I had already heard plenty of stories to know that it was gonna be an epic trip. As I am usually not a group traveler and didn’t know most of the affiliates yet, I wasn’t sure how I would experience traveling with a group of nearly “ strangers” to Senegal. Turns out it was great!
After an early departure without any stress at the Schiphol Airport (unique at that time) we arrived in Dakar. Our bags were loaded on top of the TUI bus and we drove in true African style to the brand new RIU Baobab hotel. This was going to be our base for the week. That afternoon we enjoyed the pool (bar) and got to know each other a bit better.
We had a full program but this gave us the opportunity to see a lot of Senegal. Therefore, I will share our itinerary with you.
Wildlife spotting in Bandia Reserve
On the first morning we left early for a safari in Reserve de Bandia, a wildlife reserve of about 3500 hectare. They reintroduced some of the native animals of Senegal by importing them from surrounding countries, as they had disappeared from Senegal. They started for example with 2 giraffes and have now increased this number to over 60. Besides many giraffes we spotted zebras, Senegalese water buffalos, various types of antelopes, gazelles, the one and only Poemba and his family, and many exotic birds. Oh and not to forget, lots of monkeys. I had only been on a horse safari near Johannesburg in South Africa, so I really enjoyed driving around in the open truck. One of my bucket list items is to drive overland across the African continent and sleep in a tent on top of a 4WD.
Ecolodge – Lompoul, a night in the desert of Senegal
On the second full day we had the morning off so I took that time to try out the gym and have a big brekkie. All restaurants in the Baobab are buffet style with a lot of options, perfect after a workout! Around lunchtime we headed to the Lompoul desert for an overnight stay in the Ecolodoge de Lompoul. I honestly had no idea Senegal had a desert so it was a very nice surprise. With 18km2 it’s quite a small desert compared to the 9,2 million km2 Sahara desert. Did you know the Sahara desert is bigger than the USA?
We stayed in luxurious tents, including a toilet and shower. During the evening a local band played live music and some of the group danced like there was no tomorrow. By the time I finally left my comfy seat in the sand, dinner was about to be served, so sadly I couldn’t show anyone my amazing dance skills.
After dinner we sat down by the fire as it had gotten quite chilly. In general the desert is one of the best places for stargazing due to the darkness. Unfortunately that night wasn’t very clear but the bonfire made up for it!
The Ecolodge can be booked as an experience through the RIU hotel, but you can also book it separately through Trivago if you are not staying in RIU Baobab.
Explore the former capital: Saint-Louis
We left quite early that morning to head to the Island of Saint-Louis. Saint-Louis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and used to be the capital of Senegal and Mauritania. It played an important role in the European trade while it was a French colony. We explored this area by ourselves and met up with the group later for lunch. I really enjoyed walking around this city as it reminded me of Havana. For some reason I have a thing for colonial buildings, both new and old run-down ones. I’m always surprised how some of those buildings haven’t collapsed yet. Besides that a lot of people were sitting outside in front of their door, which is something I noticed in Havana as well. The drive back from Saint-Louis to RIU Baobab was quite long, but with some splashes of wifi now and then, a little nap here and there, and nice company it wasn’t too bad.
Sunday Funday at the beach of Saly
Sunday was our “day off” and we decided to enjoy it at the beach of Saly, a more popular town among tourists. Once we arrived we all had lunch at beachclub Iroko where they served fresh bowls and I must say that the burgers looked pretty decent as well. Content and with full bellies we chilled on the beach for a while until we found the banana guy. As we had seen the banana on the water during lunch a couple of us got excited and were determined to do it as well. Obviously I was one of them. If there is something that makes me happy it’s water activities. I’m basically up for anything that gives you adrenaline.
Saly is located North of RIU Baobab, a 45 minutes drive away.
Meet the local community in Senegalese villages
After another big breakfast at the hotel we went back into the bus as we were going to visit 2 local families. These families are living in relatively remote places with no direct access to basic facilities. Therefore, we stopped at a mini-market on the way to buy them groceries and some toys. We were shows around their houses/village and the guide told us how they sustain and make a living. What we all noticed was the enormous amount of sheep and goats, while some people barely had a bed to sleep on. These animals are basically their live savings and in case there is an emergency or they need to purchase something expensive, they sell one of their animals.
Although some were shy, most of the kids were very excited to show us around and play with us, but during the drive there I also noticed that some kids were already expecting to receive something from us. Even to an extent where they became sort of rude. I know I am not in a position to judge, but I do have mixed feelings. Especially for the children as some of them don’t know any better. Obviously it is great for them to receive toys and crafts and to help the families a bit with their basic needs by bringing them potatoes and soap for instance, but I am doubting what the effect of this will be on the long term. I guess it’s most important to try and help them develop as a community. For me it was definitely interesting to see their way of living and to see this part of Senegal as well. The differences between poor and rich are enormous, as in many developing countries, so I think it’s important to give back to the local communities as well.
Bird spotting in the Saloum Delta
The village experience was followed by a boat trip on to the Saloum Delta. Once we had all entered the boat we headed towards the delta around midday. Well, let me tell you one thing.. that is pretty much the worst time to be on the water, in a boat smelling like sunscreen, with zero wind, looking for spectacular birds. I am not exaggerating when I say that we nearly sank in our own sweat. After living in UAE for 3,5 years, I thought I could handle the heat pretty well, but this was some very unexpected humidity. We spotted a couple of interesting birds and then headed back for lunch at the beautiful Ecolodge de Palmarin.
Step inside a Sacred Baobab
After an intense rain shower we left the restaurant for our last stop: the Sacred Baobab of Nianing. This tree is with its 32 meters in diameter, gigantic, to say the least. And the most interesting part is that there is a hole in the tree and it’s hollow from the inside. This means you can actually stand inside the tree with a couple of other people. There are a lot of stories about this tree, some even believe it is a remedy for infertile women. I think we can say that it’s a tree with a lot of history and definitely worth a visit.
Learn about slavery at Île de Gorée
A painful part of history, but one we certainly can’t ignore or forget. Île de Gorée used to play an important role in the times of slavery because of its favourable location. The island in front of the coast of Dakar used to be the largest slave trading centre of the African coast. We visited the House of Slaves (Maison des Esclaves), the museum and memorial to the victims of the Atlantic slave trade here. A large part of the island is full of tiny shops and stalls with colourful souvenirs. This island is not only visited by tourists, but it seemed like schools also bring their students here on a “field trip”.
Senegal is a country that should definitely be added to your bucket list. It has a lot to offer and since the distances aren’t too long you can see and do a lot in just one week!
Travelbecks 