Cooking workshop and market at the Somone, one day - Que Faire au Sénégal

Cooking workshop and market day at the Somone

Cancellation Policy

Private / tailor-made activities — 72 h minimum cancellation

If you book the activity privately, free cancellation is possible up to at least 72 h before. A longer deadline set by the provider is shown to you before payment. After that, the amount paid for your booking is non-refundable. Deadlines in Senegal local time.

Applies to: private boat, private excursion, event, group.

For any further details on our cancellation terms, please refer to our dedicated page: Cancellation policy

Information

Somone

Repas inclus

All levels

Group, private

Description of this activity

Beside the lagoon, the cooking workshop and market at the Somone fits into one day: a small market in the morning, a hands-on workshop, a meal prepared with the day’s produce, then a village walk. Guide, workshops and lunch are included, for all levels.

A small market, a lagoon kitchen

The Somone market is modest but very lively in the morning: fish of the day, tropical fruit, vegetables, herbs, grains, craft products and spices. Smaller than those of Saly or Mbour, it is visited in a more intimate way, and it helps you understand how residents get their supplies and what is in season.

At the Somone, some workshops are inspired by the lagoon: seafood, simple techniques linked to fishing, local cooking. The cooking workshop is participatory, open to everyone; you learn chopping, mixing spices, slow cooking and sauces. The dishes vary with what is available: yassa (onion-marinated chicken or fish), thiéboudienne (fish and rice), mafe (peanut stew), rice with fish, seasonal vegetables.

The meal and the walk

The meal is prepared and eaten in a calm space, sometimes close to a natural area. In the afternoon, the walk passes through lanes, small shops, family huts and quiet beaches; depending on the route, you may approach the lagoon or some nearby rural areas, often with a light breeze in the middle of the day. Some paths are sandy: comfortable shoes are recommended. The pace is gentle, with several shaded areas.

The Somone, between village and lagoon

The Somone is about ten kilometres south of Saly: a peaceful village, little touched by mass tourism, between ecotourism and a gentle seaside feel. The Somone lagoon is its natural setting, with mangrove and birds. If you live in Senegal, it is a day a stone’s throw from the lagoon you may know from a pirogue ride; if you are visiting, a means of understanding the Petite Côte through its table, and not only through its beaches.