Ourong Island: the end of the chain, where the Casamance islands run out

On a map of the mouth of the Casamance River, Ourong Island is the last one: beyond it, to the south, there are no more inhabited islands, only mangroves and the mainland. Ourong has no monument, no developed beach, no viewpoint. It is a Diola fishing village where you step off a pirogue, and that is exactly why it is worth a stop. An hour on Ourong Island will tell you more about these islands the sea is eating away than a day on the beach.

At a glance

Resident or visitor: a stop, not a separate excursion

Live in Senegal? Ourong alone does not justify the trip from Dakar, but it adds depth to a stay in Cap Skirring or Oussouye. Simply ask for your pirogue trip through the bolongs to stop there: you will see a side of the islands that rushed tours skip. On activities booked through QFS, you get the resident rate: up to 30% off, reason enough to come back a second time at the end of the rainy season (hivernage), when the mangroves are at their greenest.

Just passing through? Bear in mind that you are entering a village, not a tourist site. There is no ticket office, no trail and nobody whose job is to welcome you. Come with someone who knows the place, greet people first, and let the village decide what it shows you.

At the end of the chain

Ourong belongs to the handful of small inhabited islands in the commune of Diembéring, set in the mouth of the Casamance River: Carabane, Sifoca, Wendaye, Ehidj and Ourong, plus the peninsulas of Cachouane and Gnikine. The islands’ associations describe a chain running from Hitou in the north to Ourong in the south: Ourong is its last link.

It is an island in the sense people here give the word: a strip of land cut off from the mainland by a forest of mangrove trees and a small watercourse. No bridge, no track: you arrive by pirogue, and the time of the crossing depends on the tide far more than on your plans. The village has a few hundred inhabitants, Diola like those of all the neighbouring islands.

What you see in Ourong is first and foremost fishing. Fresh fish and mangrove produce leave by pirogue for markets on the mainland. As everywhere in Lower Casamance, Diola women also gather the oysters clinging to the mangrove roots, which are then dried or smoked. Rice, the foundation of Diola farming, is still grown in the paddies near the village, but it is in decline.

For Ourong lives on the front line. Salt water is pushing inland, the lowland rice fields are turning saline, fresh water for market gardening is in short supply, and the sea is attacking the banks. On the island, residents protect the shore with planks and makeshift materials. Look at the bank: that is where the village’s future is being decided.

Key facts & figures

Getting there & official fees

Getting to Lower Casamance. From Dakar, there are three options, as for the whole region: a short flight to Cap Skirring or Ziguinchor; the overnight boat to Ziguinchor; or a long day’s drive across the Gambia via the Senegambia Bridge. Our Casamance page will help you choose.

Getting to the pirogue. Two gateways lead to Ourong:

• Katakalousse: the mainland landing stage from which pirogues leave for the islands in the south of the commune, and the most direct gateway to Ourong. See our Katakalousse page.
• Elinkine: the fishing port where the road from Oussouye ends. Some island trips leave from here and stop at Ourong before going on to other villages. See Elinkine.

The crossing is short, but how long it takes varies with the departure point, the engine and the tide: at low tide, some channels close and you land with your feet in the mud. Let the boatman choose the time.

Official fees. No additional official fees: there is no entry charge for the island. You pay for the trip you have booked, and nothing else.

What to see

• The arrival: the landing place is nothing like a quay, just a sandbank merging into the mud and the mangroves. It is the best geography lesson of the day.
• The waterfront: pirogues pulled up on the bank, nets, fish drying. And the makeshift defences against the sea, which say everything about the village’s struggle.
• The mangroves: at low tide, the mangrove roots and their oysters appear.
• The village: a life that is not organised around the visitor. Greet people, and let your guide lead the way.

Nearby

Ourong combines well with its neighbours at the river mouth. Wendaye Island, a few kilometres to the north-west, can be crossed on foot between rice fields and mangroves. Carabane Island, the former colonial capital of Casamance, deserves a night of its own. Cachouane, in fact a peninsula, completes the loop. On the mainland, the village of Mlomp and its two-storey houses, then Oussouye, the heart of the Diola kingdom. On the ocean side, Cap Skirring and Pointe Saint-Georges. For the gateway city, Ziguinchor.

The right time

Set off early, and save the pirogue trip back for the late afternoon, when the sun goes down over the bolongs.

Practical tips

• Shoes: sandals that stay on your feet and can handle water and mud.
• Sun and water: hat, sun cream and your own water; fresh water is scarce on the island, so do not count on the village’s.
• Mosquitoes: repellent and long sleeves at dusk, especially in the rainy season.
• On the water: insist on a life jacket, especially for children.
• Cash: bring small notes for your purchases.
• Respect: modest clothing, greetings first, and ask before photographing any person or house. Some places and groves are sacred: do not enter them unless you are invited.
• Safety: the main tourist bases in Lower Casamance can be visited normally; check your country’s official travel advice before you leave, and travel in daylight.

Book an activity here with QFS

Ourong has no activity of its own on QFS: you reach it from the neighbouring bases, with independent local professionals. Look for pirogue trips through the bolongs or island excursions, and ask for the stop. To paddle yourself, see paddle, kayak & canoe; to cast a line, sport fishing. See also traditional sites & villages and birdwatching. To get there, the airport / Cap Skirring – Ziguinchor transfers.

The price shown is the price of the activity. You pay 20% to secure your booking (the booking fee), and the balance is paid on site, on the day, to the provider. There are no additional official fees for Ourong. 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