Cruising the Senegal River aboard the legendary Bou el Mogdad is quite an experience. Departures from October 2021 to May 2022
Sailing aboard this iconic vessel and visiting places far from the tourist trail are two of the attractions of this trip to Senegal. In colonial times, this waterway was important for trade between the continent’s interior and the Atlantic, until access to the sea became blocked to large vessels, leaving the Bou el Mogdad as the only boat.
As we sail, we will see small coastal villages and old colonial buildings.
The legendary Bou el Mogdad
In the 1970s, the Frenchman G. Consol (adventure lovers should read his biography) acquired an old cargo ship and converted it into a luxury cruise vessel. The crisis of the 1990s kept it moored in port until 2005, when it resumed service under a new owner. Since then the Bou el Mogdad travels up the Senegal River for eight months a year.
Sailing aboard the Bou el Mogdad immerses us in daily life along the river. Excursions reveal colonial history, villages of local ethnic groups and magnificent natural areas
On board: simple, cosy comfort
Excellent food, an attentive crew and simple but adequate cabins. Capacity: 50 passengers
Highlights of the trip
The Senegal River
In the north, marking the border with Mauritania, the Senegal River brings life to the region. On its banks, we will discover traditional villages and buildings dating from colonial times.
Bou el Mogdad
Built in the early 1950s, the Bou el Mogdad provided transport links between border settlements in northern Senegal. After several periods away from the river, it returned to Saint-Louis in 2005 to resume journeys along this iconic waterway.
Saint-Louis
The former colonial capital of French Senegal maintains magnificent administrative buildings of the time. The fishermen's neighborhood at the time of the boat's return is quite a spectacle.
Highlights in Saint-Louis
A horse-drawn carriage tour introduces us to Saint-Louis.
Enjoy an atmosphere at once strange and familiar, admire the delicate balconies of beautiful colonial houses, and watch the streets’ ochre-yellow shades change with the sun’s position.
- The island’s northern quarter is separated from its southern quarter by the Governor’s Palace and Faidherbe Square.
- The fishing village is particularly interesting in the morning and late afternoon, when huge boats cross the sandbar.
- The Muslim cemetery in Guet Ndar, where graves are marked by stakes covered in fishing nets. Ndar Toute market, on the Langue de Barbarie.
Pink Lake
One of the main attractions of Senegal is the pink lake of Retba. Its peculiar pink hue coupled with its spectacular location, among dunes, palm trees and baobabs, make the lake one of the most magical places in the country. Its pinkish color is due to the contact of its high salinity with solar rays. In canoe, we can approach the middle of the lake to see how the salt is removed from the bottom of the water to fill the boats. During our trip to Senegal, we will be able to immerse ourselves in the cultures and customs of Senegalese: visiting local markets, collaborating in the preparation of traditional dishes and discovering traditional methods of salt extraction.
Trip reviews
The cruise starts in Saint-Louis or Podor, depending on the sailing week. When boarding in Podor, the itinerary runs in reverse, and the first night may be spent in Dakar or Saint-Louis.
Visits to some towns may be cancelled for administrative reasons in Mauritania, but will be replaced by places of similar interest.
Sailing schedules may change with weather conditions, winds and sea currents.
Our trips to Senegal
✔️ Travel to Senegal
✔️ On board 9 days
✔️ Departures OCT 2021 to MAY 2022
✔️ Price from 1175€
✔️ Travel to Senegal
✔️ Nature 9 days
✔️ Departure 4 DEC
✔️ Price from 1455€
•Discovering Saloum delta customs >> Land of fishermen: we explore the lake and Serer fishing villages by motorised canoe.
