Egueye Island: an island with no village, where the mangrove has the last word

You do not go to Egueye Island to see something; you go so that nothing happens. No road, no village, no engine once the pirogue is moored: a quarter of an hour along the bolong (tidal creek) from Diakène, and you are on a small Lower Casamance island where the mangrove decides everything, from the light to the time you head back. Our advice: do not make it one more box to tick on a packed itinerary. Give it at least an afternoon, ideally a night.

At a glance

Resident or visitor: the same silence, two ways to take it

Live in Senegal? Egueye is the antidote to the working week, provided you are already in Casamance. From Cap Skirring or Oussouye, half a day is enough: transfer to Diakène, pirogue, kayaking in the bolongs, back before nightfall. On activities booked through QFS, you get the resident rate: up to 30% off, enough to make it a fixture of every stay in Cap Skirring.

Just passing through? This is the place that gives the word bolong its meaning. There is nothing to visit here, and that is the whole point. Come with no plan and a book, and let the tide set the time for your walk.

An island left to the mangrove

What strikes you first is the absence. There is no village on Egueye: the island is uninhabited, and village life is on the other bank, in Diakène Ouolof, where the pirogues leave from. Over there, people grow rice and vegetables and fish in the bolongs, and that is where the fish and fresh produce that reach the island come from. The division is clear: the mainland for people, the island for the mangrove.

The crossing itself is part of the visit. The pirogue leaves the bank at Diakène, threads through a channel lined with mangrove trees, comes out into a wider stretch of water, then pulls in at the foot of the island. At low tide, the exposed mud reveals the stilt roots of the mangroves and, with luck, a crocodile warming itself in the sun. Egrets and herons fish along the banks.

On the island, the setting comes down to a few things: trees, a waterline, small sandy cliffs and a little beach on the bolong, the arm of the sea that carries the Casamance River inland. Nothing like the Atlantic at Cap Skirring: the water is calm and flat.

A mangrove being cared for. The mangrove of Lower Casamance has suffered from droughts and rising salt levels. Around Egueye, kayak outings are often combined with mangrove replanting: you plant propagules in the mud and, in doing so, come to understand that these trees hold everything together, from the fish to the oysters to the rice paddies.

Mangrove oysters. Clinging to the roots, they are harvested by women using traditional methods, in time with the tides. Grilled over embers, they are the local speciality, depending on the season.

Key facts & figures

Getting there & official fees

From Cap Skirring or Oussouye. First head to Diakène, on the tarmac road linking Oussouye to Cap Skirring, then down a short track to the edge of the bolong: about half an hour from Cap Skirring, a little less from Oussouye. The pirogue takes over from there, 10 to 20 minutes depending on the tide.

From Ziguinchor. Allow roughly one to one and a half hours by road to the edge of the Diakène bolong, then the crossing.

On foot, for hikers. Some hiking routes reach Egueye through the rice paddies and palm groves of Oukout, then along a path through the mangrove and across a ford. Do not attempt it without a guide: the crossing depends on the tide.

From Dakar. Fly to Cap Skirring, the closest option, or to Ziguinchor, or take the night boat to Ziguinchor.

Official fees. No additional official fees: there is no entry charge for the island. You only pay for the crossing, the kayak outing and, if you spend the night, your stay.

What to see

• The bolong from Diakène. The channel between the mangrove trees, at its most beautiful early in the morning, when the water is glassy.
• The little beach. For a swim in calm water or to sit facing the bolong at the end of the day.
• The sandy cliffs. Small pale banks between the mangroves, a surprise in this flat landscape.
• The mud at low tide. Crabs, roots, birds fishing and, sometimes, a crocodile.

Nearby

On the bank, Diakène, its two villages and its rice paddies. Further into the bolongs, Ourong Island, Kadioute Island and, towards the river mouth, Carabane Island and Cachouane. On the land side, Oussouye, heart of the Diola kingdom, the potters of Édioungou, where the pirogues leave for Éloubaline Island, and the two-storey houses of Mlomp. On the ocean side, Cap Skirring, Boucotte and Pointe Saint-Georges. For the bigger picture, our Casamance page.

The right time

The tide matters more than the clock: some channels can only be navigated at high tide, and it is at low tide that you see the mud, the oysters and the wildlife. In the evening, the bolong takes on the colour of the sky; stay on the little beach until nightfall, the best moment on the island.

Practical tips

• Cash: withdraw money in Cap Skirring, Oussouye or Ziguinchor, in small notes; there is nothing on the island or in Diakène.
• On the water: life jackets for everyone, a hat, sun cream and water; out in the middle of the bolong, there is no shade.
• Mosquitoes: repellent and long sleeves in the evening, especially in the rainy season.
• Swimming: only in calm water near the beach, never alone or far from the edge; avoid the mud and the banks at low tide.
• The mangrove: do not break branches, do not gather oysters yourself, leave no rubbish behind.
• Respect for local people: in Diakène, wear modest clothing and ask before photographing a person or a house. As everywhere in Diola country, sacred groves and shrines are not to be photographed.
• Safety: the tourist areas of Lower Casamance can be visited normally; check your country’s official travel advice and travel by day.

Book an activity here with QFS

To discover Egueye, head out with an independent local professional: paddle, kayak & canoe outings in the mangrove, often combined with mangrove replanting, pirogue trips through the bolongs, island excursions to take in several islands in a row, birdwatching or guided hikes through the rice paddies to the island. To get here, see the airport / Cap Skirring – Ziguinchor transfers.

The price shown is the price of the service. You pay 20% to secure your booking (the booking fee), and the balance is paid on site, on the day, to the professional. There are no additional official fees for Egueye. If you live in Senegal, you get the resident rate: up to 30% off (the exact rate is shown on each listing).

Frequently asked questions