The quad and buggy excursion in Saly is for people who want to leave the beach behind and head inland: sandy tracks, villages, bush and the edges of the coast. The quad, helmet and instructor are provided, from age 16, with no licence needed, and options run from 1 hour to half a day.

Choosing your vehicle and your length of time

About a dozen packages exist, and you can read them by three criteria. First the vehicle: a quad, a buggy, or a 4-seater buggy to share the adventure with family or friends. Then the route: the beaches and dunes of Saly in 1, 2 or 3 hours, or longer outings to the Somone lagoon or Popenguine, lasting half a day. And finally the length, which runs from 1 hour to half a day. Prices are per unit, so per vehicle rather than per person, and are shown for each package.

After a safety briefing and an introduction to the controls, the instructor takes you through the bush. The route alternates gentle tracks, passages through villages and natural areas where you sometimes meet animals roaming free, with several photo stops. The buggies are automatic, which makes driving easier for beginners, while thrill-seekers can speed up on the open stretches.

Equipment and conditions

The quad, helmet and instructor are included. The activity is open from age 16, with no licence needed, and the outing is supervised by a local guide. Bring a scarf, sunglasses, closed shoes and sun cream, preferably with covering clothes against the dust.

Saly, the starting point of the Petite Côte

Saly, about 80 km south of Dakar, is a resort that grew up in the 1980s around an old Serer fishing village and the port of Portudal. It is the gateway to the Petite Côte: if you live in Dakar, a quad ride is a half-day change of scene during a weekend by the sea; if you are staying here, it is a way to see what surrounds your hotel. The Saly page details the resort, and the packages towards the Somone or Popenguine give a taste of the surroundings.

After the quad

On the return, the beach and the seafront restaurants extend the outing. For a change of pace, a horse or dromedary ride or a pirogue trip offer a different relationship with the landscape; other quad and buggy outings exist along the coast.