A Bandia and Pink Lake 4×4 excursion is a day that combines a safari at Bandia Reserve with a 4×4 ride around the lake with pink reflections. Return transport, guide and meal are included, with departure from the Petite Côte (Saly, Somone, Ngaparou, Nianing) or from Dakar.

One day, two worlds: savannah then dunes

The first part is devoted to the safari in Bandia Reserve, the most visited and most accessible wildlife reserve in the country, about fifteen kilometres from Saly. There you see African wildlife roaming semi-freely over several thousand hectares of wooded savannah. Next comes Lake Retba (the Pink Lake), whose waters take on pink, orange and violet reflections depending on the time of day and the season, about thirty kilometres from Dakar. The lake and its dunes are explored by 4×4.

Three options exist, all per group: departing from Saly and the Petite Côte, with guide, meal and 4×4 ride; departing from Nianing; and departing from Dakar, with hotel pick-up, a safari vehicle, a reserve guide and lunch, but without the 4×4 ride. Home pick-up is included when departing from Saly, Somone and Ngaparou.

Included: return transport, the 4×4 ride, the meal and the guide. Not included: drinks, and entry to the reserve. Entry to Bandia, the compulsory reserve guide and the vehicle are official fees: they are payable on site, on top of the price, at the rates displayed in the dedicated section of this page. Cancellation is free up to 72 hours before; after that, the amount paid for the booking is not refunded.

If you live in the area, it is a day outing that saves two separate trips. If you are visiting Saly, it is a way to combine safari and dunes without organising the transport yourself.

Bandia and the Pink Lake

Bandia is in the Thiès region, about 65 km from Dakar, on the Petite Côte: the reserve has been open to the public since 1990. Lake Retba, the Pink Lake, is 30 km north-east of the capital: a lake of barely three square kilometres, known worldwide for having been the finish line of the Paris-Dakar rally. The page on the Pink Lake describes its history and uses in detail.

Extending your time

Other safaris and other 4×4 excursions are available around the country. Reserves and wildlife parks complete the visit, and the Dakar region gives the wider setting for the day.