This tour is specially designed for travelers who want to discover Africa in its most unique and fascinating aspects, and meet the most authentic cultures and traditions of its people. In Senegal, traditional medicine or healer's medicine is the shortest path to understanding a culture where man, nature, rites, and myths merge into an indivisible whole.
Itinerary
Day 1: Dakar Arrival in Dakar, meet and assistance at the airport. Transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 2: Dakar Breakfast at the hotel and departure to a district of Dakar where you will meet a healer known for his talent and mastery of plants. He will introduce you to traditional medicine and give you the keys to understanding what you will see during your journey. On the way, your city tour of Dakar will take you to the herbalists and healers of the Tilène market, and visit traditional neighborhoods. Lunch in a typical Dakar restaurant. In the afternoon, depart for a visit to the island of Gorée, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the House of Slaves, the Fort with its memorial to the martyrs, and the Historical Museum. Return to Dakar at the end of the day, dinner in a city restaurant, and overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 3: Dakar/Rufisque/Djilor After breakfast, depart for Saloum. On the way, visit Lac Rose, where you will meet the "salt collectors." In a 4x4, ride over the sand dunes and the wild beach made famous by the Paris-Dakar rally. Visit a Peul village and have lunch at a restaurant by the lake. In the afternoon, your visit to the city of Rufisque will give you the opportunity to meet a master of "Ndëp," a therapy for mental illness. The patient, after a mystical preparation, dances to rhythms that put him into a trance and free him from his "negative energies." You will have the opportunity to attend an Ndëp session. After this unforgettable visit, depart for Djilor, where you will arrive in the late afternoon. Welcome drink, dinner, and overnight stay.
Day 4: Djilor After breakfast at the hotel, depart for a meeting with the healers of a traditional village known throughout the area for the miracles performed in Osteopathy. You will attend healing sessions and have time to discuss their art with the healers, and then lunch. In the afternoon, take a pirogue ride on the Saloum River to discover its numerous ornithological sites and fishing villages. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Djilor/Toubacouta After breakfast, depart for Toubacouta in the Saloum Delta towards the Senegal-Gambia border. On the way, about 80 km from Djilor, you will arrive at Fatick. Here, the "Saltigué" reign, healers, and diviners respected for their knowledge. Belonging to the Serere ethnic group, the saltigués have created the Malango center in Fatick, a center for traditional medicine. Meet and discuss with the saltigués to learn about "Xoy," a practice of divination and healing that reveals itself through initiation. After the meeting, continue to Kaolack, where you will arrive around 1:00 pm. Lunch and a brief visit to this commercial city before continuing to Toubacouta, visiting traditional villages en route. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6: Toubacouta/Ziguinchor Breakfast and depart for the southern region of Senegal, passing through Gambia. After a picturesque river crossing, visit the city of Banjul, the capital of Gambia, and the districts of Bakau and Serekunda. Lunch in town and continuation to Ziguinchor in the early afternoon through the impressive landscapes of Upper Casamance with its traditional villages. Meet the healers of Baila and arrive in Ziguinchor at the end of the day. Dinner and overnight stay.
Day 7: Ziguinchor/Kenia/Bignona/Ziguinchor Breakfast at the hotel and depart for the village of Kenia, specializing in the treatment of mental illness with group therapy. Then continue to Bignona to meet the healers of the area and interact with the locals. You will also discover the natural beauty of this part of Casamance, bathed by the river of the same name. Dinner and overnight stay in Ziguinchor.
Day 8: Ziguinchor/Niamone/Cap Skiring/Ziguinchor After breakfast, depart for the village of Niamone in Lower Casamance. Here, a meeting is planned with one of the most famous healers in Casamance. She will welcome you to talk about the important social role played by healers and will give you a tour of the village. Continue to Cap Skirring after this meeting. Lunch at the Cap and then return to Ziguinchor. Visit the villages of Seleti and Mlomp, showcasing traditional Casamance Joola architecture, both ecological and ancient. Meet the traditional king of Oussouye, surrounded by the healers of the area. Arrive in Ziguinchor at the end of the day, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 9: Ziguinchor/Saly Breakfast and depart for Saly Portudal on the Petite-Côte. Crossing Upper Casamance towards Farafenni, visit the Fulani villages. Lunch in Kaolack after crossing the river. Arrival in Saly in the late afternoon. Check-in, dinner, and overnight stay.
Day 10: Saly/Dakar (Departure) After breakfast, a day of beach relaxation. Lunch. After dinner in a renowned restaurant, transfer to the airport for your departure assistance.
End of Itinerary