Elinkine
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At a glance
| Region | Casamance — Ziguinchor Region, Oussouye department, commune of Mlomp |
| Type of place | Village and small-scale fishing port at the mouth of the Casamance River; landing stage for Carabane |
| Getting there from Dakar | A flight to Cap Skirring or Ziguinchor, an overnight boat to Ziguinchor, or a long day on the road via the Gambia; then the Oussouye and Mlomp road |
| Getting there from Ziguinchor | Around one to one and a half hours by road |
| Recommended time | A late afternoon at the port, or one night before heading out to the islands |
| Official fees | No additional official fees: the village and the quay are free to visit |
| Best time to go | Dry season, from November to May |
| On QFS | No dedicated outing yet: pirogue trips, island excursions and village visits in Lower Casamance |
Resident or visitor: the same quay, two ways to use it
If you live in Senegal, make Elinkine your gateway to island Casamance. Rather than cramming the drive and the crossing into a single day, sleep here or in Oussouye and set off in the morning, when the tide is right. If you are visiting, do not treat the port as a backdrop: the men loading ice and the women sorting fish are at work. Say hello, ask before taking photos, and let the tide set your departure time, not your watch.
A port from everywhere
Elinkine has not always been this crossroads. A modest village in the commune of Mlomp, it entered the history books in the mid-19th century, when a treaty was signed there with the chiefs of Kagnout to cede the neighbouring island of Carabane to France. Its real turning point is more recent. In the 1990s, at the height of the Casamance conflict, fishermen driven out of other coastal villages fell back here, and the small port grew into a regional fishing hub. Ghanaian fishermen, drawn by the fish stocks, joined them and put down roots.
Today the quay is shared by Diola, Wolof, Serer, Fula (Peul) and Mandinka, as well as Ghanaians and fishermen from Guinea or Sierra Leone. For a long time the port specialised in fishing for shark and ray, whose flesh and fins are dried, an activity now criticised for the pressure it puts on fish stocks. It is this mix that makes the return of the boats such a spectacle.
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Getting there and boarding
From Ziguinchor, the road runs through Oussouye and then Mlomp. In Elinkine, everything happens by pirogue: the crossing to Carabane Island (see the place) takes under an hour, at the pace of the tide. Check the departure time the day before, insist on a life jacket, carry cash in small notes, and bring mosquito repellent and shoes that can get wet for boarding from the bank.
Book an outing from Elinkine with QFS
Elinkine does not yet have an activity of its own on QFS: you will find outings in the area under pirogue trips, island excursions, birdwatching and traditional sites & villages. To choose a base, see Oussouye, Cap Skirring, Ziguinchor or the whole of Casamance. You pay 20% to secure your booking (the booking fee), and the balance is paid on site, on the day, to the professional; if you live in Senegal, you get the resident rate: up to 30% off.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get from Elinkine to Carabane?
Do you have to pay to visit the port?
What is the best time to see the port?
Why are there so many nationalities in Elinkine?
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