Mountain biking in Somone follows the paths that skirt the lagoon and the mangrove, with walkways, sand tracks and stops to watch birds. Bike, helmet and guide are included, with circuits from a family ride to a sporty route.

Reading the lagoon by bike

From the first pedal strokes, the landscape alternates between the white-sand beach, sheltered from the wind, and the peaceful lagoon, a haven of biodiversity. The route mixes ecological paths lined with mangroves, sandy tracks and walkways over the lagoon. You hear grey herons, you see pelicans, a few flamingos and fiddler crabs on the sandbanks. E-bikes (electric-assist bikes) help you get through the sandy stretches and let everyone enjoy the views.

The circuits suit all ages: quiet family rides of 15 to 20 km, or sportier routes of 35 to 50 km, which can reach as far as Guereo or Popenguine. Stops invite you to bring out the binoculars or chat with villagers, and on some circuits a snack is served in the shade of a baobab or at an eco-camp.

Included are the bike, the helmet and the guide. The lagoon is home to more than 170 bird species, as well as crabs and sometimes monitor lizards.

If you live in Senegal, it is a weekend outing you can set to your own level, between an easy ride and a big loop. If you are visiting, it is a way to see the lagoon without tiring it, with the guide’s explanations.

The Somone and its estuary

Somone is a village on the Petite Côte, built at the edge of an estuary where the sea and the river meet. The Somone lagoon page describes its mangrove and birds in detail. The long circuits can push on to Popenguine, further north.

To extend your time around the lagoon

The Thiès Region offers other nature ideas: bird watching, the pirogue ride on the lagoon, or other guided hikes on foot.