A Saloum Delta boat excursion runs between mangroves and bolongs (tidal channels), from 2 people. There are several ways to go: a half day from Pointe Sarène or Saly, a full day from the Somone with a picnic and a horse-drawn cart ride, or a full day from Dakar, leaving Cicès at 7 am.

What to know before choosing

The delta is discovered as you move over the water: mangroves, bolongs, islands. The half day takes you into this landscape from Pointe Sarène or Saly, at the same price whichever starting point you use. The full-day option from Dakar leaves Cicès at 7 am, with lunch included. From the Somone, the full day is for a small group of 4 to 6 people, with a picnic and a ride in a horse-drawn cart. An option without transport also exists, for those who make their own way to the starting point.

The guide and transport are included, except on the option without transport. Drinks are at your own expense.

What is paid on site

The boat crossing in the delta is a fee payable on site, on top of the price, per boat.

One delta, several ways in

The Saloum Delta, some 150 km south of Dakar, is listed by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. It is a slower Senegal, a maze of waterways, the bolongs, between salt water and mangrove: people come for the birds, the silence and the sunsets rather than for a list of sights. If you live in Dakar or on the Petite Côte, the outing lets you get there in a day, without having to organise a night on site; if you are visiting, it gives you a first look before you leave for a longer stay. The Saloum Delta page describes the islands, mangroves and Serer traditions.

Departures are from Pointe Sarène, Saly, the Somone or Dakar, which makes the outing reachable from most stays on the coast.

To extend your trip

As you like, you can continue with the Fathala Reserve for a safari, the island of Mar Lodj or the village of Simal. Pirogue rides let you explore the delta in a different way.