The 4×4 safari in Bandia is made in an off-road vehicle with a wildlife guide, along the tracks of a 3,500-hectare reserve of open woodland, baobabs and acacias. The 4×4, the entrance ticket and the binoculars are included, for an outing of about 2 hours.

What the 4×4 safari includes

Included are the 4×4 vehicle, the entrance ticket and the binoculars. A wildlife guide goes with you along the reserve tracks and shares what he knows about each species you meet: watching becomes a reading of the landscape rather than a list of animals ticked off. The visit lasts about 2 hours, at the guide’s pace, with stops near the waterholes.

You can see giraffes, white rhinos, zebras, buffalo, antelopes, Derby’s elands, gazelles, ostriches and monkeys, with crocodiles and tortoises depending on where you pass. Birds are plentiful: eagles, herons, flamingos, vultures, enough to keep a pair of binoculars busy. The safari suits all ages.

Outings take place in the morning or the afternoon, when the animals are active and the light on the savannah is at its best. Bring light clothing, a hat, sun cream and a camera.

If you live in Dakar, it is a short day to organise on a weekend, without spending the night on the coast. If you are staying on the Petite Côte, it is the easiest nature outing to slot between two beach days.

Bandia, on the Petite Côte

The reserve lies on the Petite Côte, the hundred or so kilometres of coastline that run from Bargny to Joal-Fadiouth, about an hour’s drive from Dakar. All the offers at this place are collected on the Bandia page, and the Bandia Park page presents the reserve itself.

Around the reserve

The safari combines well with the rest of the Petite Côte: the Somone lagoon for bird watching, the Popenguine reserve for its red cliffs, or Joal-Fadiouth for a cultural day. Other safaris and other reserves and wildlife parks exist in the country, so you can compare the options.