Dakar: all 23 tours and excursions for your cruise

Discover Lake Retba, also called Lac Rose (Pink Lake), a shallow saltwater lake surrounded dunes, offering one of the most spectacular panoramas of Senegal north of Dakar. The Lake Retba's salinity content compares to that of the Dead Sea, and during the dry season it exceeds it. Its distinct pink color is caused by the Dunaliella salina bacteria, which is attracted by the lake's salt content. At Lac Retba meet the locals and learn of their daily activities, including the harvesting...

This tour is available to in-transit guests continuing on to the following cruise. Discover Lake Retba, also called Lac Rose (Pink Lake), a shallow saltwater lake surrounded dunes, offering one of the most spectacular panoramas of Senegal north of Dakar. The Lake Retba's salinity content compares to that of the Dead Sea, and during the dry season it exceeds it. Its distinct pink color is caused by the Dunaliella salina bacteria, which is attracted by the lake's salt content. At Lac Retba...

Explore Dakar at your leisure during a full-day (8 Hour) sightseeing tour via private van. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights. Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned van and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier. Please note: This tour is non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours prior to arrival in the port. Actual vehicle type varies depending on...

Explore Dakar at your leisure during a half-day (4 Hour) sightseeing tour via private van. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights. Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned van and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier. Please note: This tour is non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours prior to arrival in the port. Actual vehicle type varies depending...

Explore Dakar at your leisure during a full-day (8 Hour) sightseeing tour via private car. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights. Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned car and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier. Please note: This tour is non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours prior to arrival in the port. Actual vehicle type varies depending on...

Explore Dakar at your leisure during a half-day (4 Hour) sightseeing tour via private car. Customise your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights. Depart the pier with your English-speaking guide in an air-conditioned car and discover the city and surrounding areas at your own pace. Your exclusive tour concludes back at the pier. Please note: This tour is non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours prior to arrival in the port. Actual vehicle type varies depending...

Guests with international flights departing after 4 p.m. can discover Goree Island and Dakar during this full-day city and island excursion with lunch and airport transfer. Dakar, Ferry Terminal, Goree Island, House of Slaves, Downtown Dakar, Casino du Port Restaurant Depart the pier for the short drive to the Goree Island Ferry Terminal. Upon arrival, embark your privately-chartered ferry for the scenic, approximately 20-minute ride to Goree Island, an UNESCO World Heritage...

Guests with international flights departing after 4 p.m. can explore African art, culture, and history during this immersive, half-day sightseeing excursion and airport transfer. Dakar, Downtown Dakar, Museum of Black Civilisations Depart the pier for the scenic, approximately 30-minute drive to downtown Dakar. Upon arrival, head for a visit to the Museum of Black Civilisations, a repository for African art, culture, and history. Opened in 2018, it is world's largest museum...

Cooking Class and Lunch This cooking tour is operated in partnership and involves some of the most well-known Culinary schools in all of Dakar. Guests will be guided by experienced Senegalese "Chefs' and will have the opportunity to prepare one of the Senegalese National Dishes. This tour departs the cruise pier mid-morning and heads to the cooking school. On arrival, meet the Head of the Culinary school who will brief you on the Senegalese cooking session. Guests will be advised...

Depart the cruise pier for the short drive past the President's Palace and continue past the National Assembly, Cathedral, Independence Square and Grand Mosque and a photo stop at the University of Dakar. Drive along the scenic coastline line to the Millenium Door, the new 'Monument of the African Renaissance' and tallest statue in Africa. At 49 meters, the bronze structure on the second Mamelles hill inaugurated in 2010. The African Renaissance Monument is taller than the Statue of...

A short bus transfer from the cruise pier to the Goree Island Island Ferry Terminal. A 20 minute ferry ride from Dakar takes us to Goree Island, a small tiny island with a violent past. It also served as a base for slaves between the 15th through the 18th century. Goree Island is a UNESCO World Heritage site and was the last place African Slaves saw before being deported to American destinations never to return. Now it's a sanctuary of calm, with a population of around 1,500 living in pastel-coloured...

Depart the Dakar cruise pier for a scenic, 40-minute drive to Wolof Village. After a brief stop here, continue approximately 20 more miles north of Dakar and across the Niaye Greenbelt en route to Pyou, home of the Pink Lake Retba. This world-renowned lake features remarkable, pinkish-colored water due to a microorganism and its high density of salt. Sometimes it is possible due to the intensity of sun rays to even see purple. Once at Pink Lake Retba known as Lac Rose, is Senegal's...

Depart the Dakar cruise terminal on a tour of the Senegalese Capital City, Dakar. Journey into the country's history, current life of the Senegalese and the hopes for the future. Visit the oldest Museum in Dakar - the IFAN Museum near the Parliament House. View art pieces in the Museum from various West Africa ethnic groups and Kingdoms and empires, including ancient Egypt, Ghana, Songai and Mandigo Empire. The tour continues to the Ousmane Sow home-museum which houses a giant...

Get a taste of Dakar's cityscapes, architecture, culture, history and of course also local village life on this splendidly varied tour. Begin with a city tour of Dakar, passing by the old colonial and quaint central train station of Dakar. Drive through Independence Square, making a stop at Kermel Market, a picturesque market rich with Senegalese handicrafts. Pass by the President's Palace and admire its red Spahi Guards, and stop at both the Cathedral of Dakar and the Great Mosque of Dakar....

Enjoy a half day exploring the wilds of Senegal, including the incredible Bandia National Game Park for a safari. Drive 90 minutes to Bandia Park through the wonderful landscapes of the Baobab forest of Sindia and typical traditional native villages to arrive at Bandia National Game Park just over 50 miles south of Dakar. Bandia Park has succeeded in reintroducing much of the native flora and of some of Africa's best loved animals, many of which had gradually disappeared, some...

Visit a traditional healing hospital and discover the Pink Lake in Senegal, offering one of the most spectacular panoramas of Senegal north of Dakar. Departing the pier, visit the traditional healing hospital, which provides an immersion into the traditional medicine of Senegal and Africa in general: this medicine is present in all stages of life in Africa. Meet the Medicine Men, visit the hospital," and learn about the cure process, including the plants and roots that are used in this...

See man-made islands where shells have been used as both decoration and construction material. Joal and Fadiouth are linked by a bridge; the latter island is made up almost entirely of clam shells. Witness traditional fishing techniques in this artisanal fishing port, the largest of its kind in West Africa, as Joal was once an important trading post in Senegal and today is Senegal's most important fishing port. Board your air-conditioned coach for a two-hour drive to Joal Fadiouth....

Explore Goree Island, located just off the coast of Dakar. This small island Goree is notable in history as a major center in the slave trade and has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site Goree island was discovered off the coast of the Cape Verde Peninsula in 1444 under the Command of Denis Diaz of the Portuguese caravels. With the exception of few wild goats and the traces of some Neolithic activities, the island was unoccupied. From that period, many navigators and explorers...

Visit a traditional healing hospital and discover the Pink Lake in Senegal, offering one of the most spectacular panoramas of Senegal north of Dakar. Departing the pier, first journey out in search of some bird watching opportunities before visiting the traditional healing hospital, which provides an immersion into the traditional medicine of Senegal and Africa in general: this medicine is present in all stages of life in Africa. Meet the Medicine Men, visit the hospital," and learn about...

Just off Dakar's western shore is the small group Îles de la Madeleine. Not only is this group a National Park, it has also been placed on the Tentative List as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Conditions permitting, from Dakar take a 20-minute motor canoe ride to the islands to cruise around and spot dolphins, sea turtles, and the only colony of Red-Billed Tropicbirds known in Africa. Depending on permission it may be possible to land for some truly unique hiking. The Madeleine...

Enjoy a full day exploring the wilds of Senegal, including the incredible Bandia National Game Park for a safari. Drive 90 minutes to Bandia Park through the wonderful landscapes of the Baobab Forest of Sindia and typical traditional native villages to arrive at Bandia National Game Park just over 50 miles south of Dakar. Bandia Park has succeeded in reintroducing much of the native flora and of some of Africa's best loved animals, many of which had gradually disappeared, some of them centuries...

Goree island is notable in history as a major center in the slave trade and has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage SiteGoree island was discovered off the coast of the Cape Verde Peninsula in 1444 under the Command of Denis Diaz of the Portuguese caravels. With the exception of few wild goats and the traces of some Neolithic activities, the island was unoccupied. From that period, many navigators and explorers from Portugal, Spain, Netherlands and France landed Goree and some even settled...

Get a taste of Dakar's cityscapes, architecture, culture, history, and of course also local village life on this splendidly varied tour. Begin with a scenic city tour of Dakar proceeding to the Museum of the Black Civilizations, considered as the second most important Museum in Africa after a museum in Cairo. Be welcomed by museum curator and enjoy a Visit of the Museum. Leave for the house of the artist Ousmane Sow. To create his sculptures, Ousmane Sow would spend long hours locked up...