Tour Overview
| Duration | 3 Days / 2 Nights |
| Destinations | Pink Lake (Lac Rose), Bandia Wildlife Reserve, Dakar |
| Tour Type | Private / Wildlife & Nature |
| Operator | Continent Tours (4.6/5 Rating) |
| Age Range | Ages 6+ |
| Group Size | 2-10 travelers |
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Dakar
Arrive at Blaise Diagne International Airport. Transfer to your hotel (Hotel Royam in Saly or similar beachfront resort). Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the pool or beach. Evening welcome briefing with your guide over dinner, introducing Senegal’s wildlife and natural heritage.
Accommodation: Hotel Royam (4-star) or similar, Saly
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Bandia Wildlife Reserve Safari & Pink Lake
Early morning departure for Bandia Wildlife Reserve (Saly-Mbour area), arriving as animals are most active. Board open-top 4×4 vehicles for a 3-hour safari through 3,500 hectares of acacia woodlands, baobab groves, and savannah grasslands. Bandia is home to reintroduced African megafauna including giraffes, white rhinos, zebras, Cape buffalo, eland, greater kudu, ostriches, patas monkeys, green vervet monkeys, and Nile crocodiles in the crocodile pool. Professional ranger guide explains the reserve’s conservation success story.
Lunch at a restaurant overlooking the reserve. Afternoon drive to Pink Lake (Lac Rose/Lake Retba), approximately 30km northeast of Dakar. Named for its striking pink color caused by Dunaliella salina algae in the hypersaline water (salt content up to 40% in some areas, higher than the Dead Sea). Interact with the salt harvesting women and men who work the lake daily, learn about traditional salt extraction methods, and optionally float on the lake’s buoyant waters. Shea butter massage available (optional).
Afternoon visit to the nearby Fulani village to experience traditional village life. Return to Saly for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Hotel Royam (4-star) or similar, Saly
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Saly Beach & Departure
Morning at leisure for beach activities, swimming, or an optional Accrobaobab adventure (tree-climbing among giant baobabs). Afternoon transfer to Blaise Diagne International Airport for departure.
Meals: Breakfast
What’s Included
- 2 nights beachfront hotel accommodation (Saly)
- Daily breakfast, 1 lunch, 2 dinners
- All transfers in private air-conditioned vehicle
- 3-hour 4×4 safari at Bandia Wildlife Reserve with ranger guide
- Entrance fees to Bandia Wildlife Reserve and Pink Lake
- Professional English-speaking guide
- Fulani village visit
- Airport transfers
What’s Not Included
- International flights
- Travel insurance (required)
- Senegal visa
- Optional floating/swimming at Pink Lake (bring your own swimwear)
- Optional Accrobaobab tree-climbing adventure
- Shea butter massage at Pink Lake
- Personal expenses, tips, drinks
