Workshop, market, cooking, Village Sine Saloum

**Immerse yourself in the heart of the Sine-Saloum with a full day combining a market visit, hands-on workshop, traditional cooking, and the discovery of an authentic village. This experience offers a deep immersion into one of Senegal’s most cultural and natural regions, where mangroves, bolongs, salt flats, and traditional villages shape a unique way of life. Accessible to all, it is an ideal activity for understanding the spirit of the Saloum and discovering its flavors, skills, and daily life.**

The day begins with a **visit to a Sine-Saloum market**, often lively from early morning. The stalls overflow with local products: fresh fish, shellfish, seasonal vegetables, aromatic herbs, tropical fruits, peanuts, millet, rice, and various artisanal goods. It’s the perfect opportunity to observe exchanges, discover essential ingredients of Saloum cuisine, and understand the central role of the market in community life.

The excursion continues with a **hands-on workshop**, which varies depending on the day: preparing a local ingredient, learning a traditional skill, discovering an artisanal technique, or handling products from the sea or mangrove. In the Saloum, workshops often include typical know-how such as shellfish cleaning, food preparation, or rural techniques related to fishing and bolong life.

After the workshop, participants move on to the **preparation of a traditional dish**, made with the ingredients purchased earlier that morning. Depending on the season and area visited, it may be thiebou dieune, rice with bolong fish, yassa, or dishes based on local seafood. The cooking session teaches key techniques: fish cleaning, seasoning, rice cooking, sauce preparation, and balancing flavors.
The meal is then shared in a friendly atmosphere, often in a shaded area near the village.

The afternoon is dedicated to **exploring the village**, where traditional huts, sandy paths, rural scenes, and natural landscapes blend together. Depending on the route, the visit may include areas near the bolongs, isolated hamlets, farmland, enclosures, or small gathering spaces where social life unfolds under the trees.

This immersive day remains accessible to all: simple workshops, light walking, regular breaks, and a gentle pace.

Activities & Discoveries Around the Sine-Saloum

• Boat trips through the bolongs
  Discover mangroves, small islands, and birds.
• Island villages
  Perfect for understanding the traditional lifestyle of Saloum communities.
• Rural & weekly markets
  Great for observing local products and village atmosphere.
• Walks through the savannah
  To see baobabs, termite mounds, and natural landscapes up close.
• Birdwatching
  The Saloum is home to many local and migratory species.
• Remote Saloum beaches
  Perfect for a relaxing break, depending on the tide.