West Africa Encompassed

West Africa Encompassed 34 Days

From $10475 USD

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Overview

Highlights

Duration: 34 Days
Comfort: 66.6666666666667%
Language: English
Rating: 0%
Trip ID: 125819
Start Location: Tiaroye Kaw, Senegal
End Location: Accra, Ghana

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Primary Activities: Local Culture & Cuisine, Sightseeing
Other Activities: River & Canal Cruising, Camel Rides, Bird Watching, Deserts, Waterfalls, Architecture, tribal dance, Swimming, Wildlife, Local Markets, walking, indigenous tribes, river boating
Activity Level: Basic

Senegal, The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Benin, Togo, Ghana – wherever you travel in West Africa, an optimism and generosity of spirit is always present. You’ll be moved by this adventure in some of the world’s most unusual places among the continent’s most welcoming people.

Why we love it

Visit Ouidah and learn about the origins of Voodoo – keep an eye out for white flags that identify Voodoo practitioners
Visit the colourful markets of Dakar and the magical island-city of Saint-Louis – the former French colonial capital of Senegal
Stretch your legs on an excursion to Dindefelo Falls which plunges 100 metres into a deep pool perfect for a refreshing swim
A riverboat excursion down the Gambia river to Wassu, site of the mysterious Wassu Stone Circles.
Experience the unique and distinctive flavours of west African cuisine
Bird lovers paradise with trips to Pendjari National Park (Parc National de la Pendjari) boasting 300 species of bird, Jangjang-bureh and Djoudj National Park which is home flamingos, pelicans and nearly 400 species of birds
Take a camel ride in the Lompoul Desert and sleep in a stylish Mauritanian Bedouin-style tent

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival day in Dakar: On arrival at Dakar's Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport in Yoff, you’ll be met and transferred to our centrally located hotel. The rest of the day will be spent at your leisure.

We’ll get together this evening for a group meeting, where you’ll meet your Peregrine tour leader and your fellow travelling companions. This may be followed by an optional group dinner and the chance to sample the local Gazelle beer!
Day 2: Ferry ride to Goree Island and visit the colourful markets of Dakar: On a walking tour today we’ll discover the major attractions of this ever-changing city. The IFAN Museum of African Arts (Musée Théodore Monod d’Art Africain) was established in 1938 and is the oldest art museum in West Africa, boasting fascinating tribal displays including costumes, masks and musical instruments.

We also visit Dakar’s 1920s Roman Catholic Cathedral and the controversial African Renaissance Monument, which was built by the North Koreans.

In the afternoon we take a 30-minute ferry ride to Goree Island (Ile de Gorée), site of the original European settlement in the area. One of the oldest Dutch-era buildings has been turned into the House of Slaves, a moving and somewhat harrowing exhibition on the horrors of the slave trade.

Today we also get the chance to visit the colourful markets of Dakar, where you can purchase all sorts of souvenirs including wooden masks, carvings and colourful African fabrics.
Day 3: Explore the historic streets and colonial buildings of Saint-Louis: Before leaving Dakar we stop at Lac Rose (Pink Lake), a picturesque lagoon surrounded by sand dunes. Our journey then takes us north to the magical island-city of Saint-Louis – enroute visit Turtle Village a project for the protection of endangered turtles -the former French colonial capital of Senegal and, for a period of time, the capital of all of French West Africa.

With the allure of its historic streets and colonial buildings, Saint-Louis has been accorded UNESCO World Heritage status. It’s also home to Africa’s most important jazz music festival, usually held in May or June each year.

Our hotel in Saint Louis is an elegant historic accommodation dating back to the 1850s and once used by the pilots of the colonial airmail service.
Day 4: Day trip to north of Saint-Louis in the Djoudj National Park: Today we enjoy a day trip 60 kilometres north of Saint-Louis in the Djoudj National Park. Covering an area of 120,000 square kilometres, the park contains several wetlands habitats including rivers, water channels, lakes, basins and marshes, as well as woodland savannah.

Nearly 400 species of birds have been recorded here including the iconic flamingos and pelicans, with over 3 million individual migratory birds passing through the reserve each year. We’ll also get the chance to visit one of the local fishing communities before returning to Saint-Louis.
Day 5: Lompoul Desert night camp: We spend the morning exploring the colonial streets of Saint-Louis on a horse-drawn buggy! After lunch we head back south on our vehicles before turning towards the coast for a true desert experience. At our desert camp in the Lompoul Desert, we stay overnight in stylish Mauritanian Bedouin-style tents elegantly assembled on raised wooden platforms.
Day 6: We stop to visit the Great Mosque in Kaolack: After breakfast we embark on a camel ride out into the desert. The stark beauty of the environment belies the harsh reality for those who inhabit it.

After our ride we are met by our vehicles and driven to Touba, a holy city of Mouridism and the burial place of its founder, Cheikh Amadou Bamba. We stop to visit the Great Mosque, which is the largest in the country, before continuing to Kaolack, a city in west-central Senegal, our stop for the night and the home to Africa's largest covered market.
Day 7-8: Joureny to the remote Bedik Country: Our journey now takes us to the remote south-eastern corner of the country, not far from the border of Guinea. This mountainous region known as Bedik country, after the Bedik people who still live in their traditional villages, is the poorest part of Senegal despite the region’s rich mineral wealth, especially gold and iron.

We stay a couple of nights in the town of Kédougou, a unique ‘big village’ populated with traditional huts and an interesting market that sells indigo fabrics and other curios. On our full day here we take an excursion to Dindefelo Falls. It’s a two-hour drive from Kédougou to Dindefelo village. We then trek for two kilometres to reach these lovely waterfalls, which plunge 100 metres into an inviting deep pool - ideal for a refreshing swim!
Day 9: Make our way to a tranquil country town Jangjang-bureh: Today we cross into Gambia and make our way to Jangjang-bureh, a tranquil country town known as Georgetown in colonial times. Bird lovers will be in heaven with the abundance of birds that inhabit the jungle that adjoins the river.
Day 10: Riverboat excursion through the Gambia River: In the spirit of Joseph Conrad, we embark on a riverboat excursion and overnight down the Gambia River to Wassu. Look out for herds of hippos wallowing in the water!

We visit the Wassu Stone Circles – a mysterious collection of laterite rock columns laid out in circular formations that date back to the years between 500 AD and 1000 AD. From here we continue to Ferefeni where we finish our boat journey. We continue on road to the Makusutu Eco-Forest for lunch and have the chance to go on a canoe trip in the bolongs passing an oyster island.
Day 11: Journey through Banjul to Bakau: This morning we head to the Atlantic Coast, the fishing town of Bakau, where we’ll be spending a night at a beachside resort hotel 30 kilometres from Bakau is Banjul – the capital of The Gambia. Known as Bathurst in colonial times, Banjul is actually quite a small city of only 35,000 people and a metropolitan population of about 360,000. We drive under Arch 22 which commemorates the bloodless military coup that overthrew the government on 22 July 1994.

Albert Market is the lively centre of activity here while The National Museum tells the fascinating story of the history of The Gambia with artefact and photographic exhibits. In the afternoon we head out to Lamin Fish Farm, a sustainable breeding program started by a Gambian family in 1998. Today it has expanded its produce to fresh fruit and vegetables, tropical plants and flowers which supply local hotels, supermarkets and restaurants.
Day 12: Soak up the natural bounty of Toubacouta: We return to Senegal and travel the short distance to Toubacouta, in the Siné-Saloum Delta. Only 20 kilometers from the border with The Gambia, this delta area is rich with mangroves and teeming with abundant bird life, including flamingos, egrets, herons, fish eagles and other aquatic species. An evening boat ride lets us soak up the natural bounty of the area at its most active time and gives us a chance to view another beautiful African sunset, this time from the water.
Day 13: Stop at the unique twin village of Joal-Fadiout: On our journey back towards Dakar, we stop at the unique twin village of Joal-Fadiout. Joal is the village on the mainland and is linked by a bridge to Fadiout, an island made up entirely of clam shells. It also boasts an interesting community of Muslims and Christians living harmoniously side by side.
Day 14: Flight to Ouagadougou: This morning early we’ll be transferred to the airport for our flight to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. On arrival we transfer to the hotel where we will enjoy an afternoon introductory city tour.

Burkina Faso is a landlocked savannah country crossed by the three principal rivers of the Black, Red and White Volta. Ouagadougou the capital of Burkina Faso or shortened to Ouaga as most local people will call it. - one of the cultural centers of West Africa. Ouagadougou has a population of approximately 1.5 million and is the surprisingly a modern capital of Burkina Faso.

This evening we’ll get together for a group briefing on the next part of our adventure and meet our new travelling companions.
Day 15 - 16: Continue to Bobo-Dioulasso where we’ll spend two nights: This morning we continue to Bobo-Dioulasso where we’ll spend two nights. In Bobo (as it’s known locally) we’ll visit the Grand Marché, which is renowned for being the crossroads of numerous tribes and offers a great selection of tribal arts from all over west Africa. We can also opt to take a walk through the Kibidwe District and partake in some fascinating people-watching, giving us an insight into the daily lives of the Kibidwe people.

No highlight in Bobo-Dioulasso however, is greater than its music. The town is known as the Music Capital of Burkina Faso and on weekends it really comes alive!
Day 17: Banfora, a sleepy town set amidst a lush green landscape: An hour's drive takes us to Banfora - a sleepy town set amidst a lush green landscape, surrounded by waterfalls and small lakes. We’ll spend the afternoon visiting the wonderful attractions in the surrounding area including some incredible rock formations.

An ideal short hike takes us to a narrow three-kilometre chain of sandstone hills that are occasionally crowned by more erosion-resistant pieces of rocks. Lake Tengréla is home to more than a hundred hippos and a wide variety of bird life – we’ll also get to meet the local fishermen.

We’ll make our way though a magnificent avenue of mango trees and negotiate a chaotic jumble of rocks to reach the magnificent Karfiguela Waterfalls, another sight that’s worth the journey no matter what the season.
We’ll then head back to Banfora for our overnight stay.
Day 18: Explore the culture and unique architecture of Gaoua: Today we travel to Gaoua (210 kilometres south-east of Bobo), located in the heart of Lobi country, a fascinating and culturally distinctive area known for its unique architecture and age-old traditions. Lobi homes are made with high brick mud walls and have small slits for windows, not unlike a miniature fortress. Living in these remote rural areas, the Lobi are not used to foreigners, and may feel nervous when we visit. Please refrain from taking any photos here without permission.

In the afternoon we’ll visit the ancient stone ruins of Loropéni which are the best-preserved of the larger Lobi ruins.
Day 19 - 20: Full day excursion to the unique village of Tiebele: We’ll then depart on a five-hour drive to Ouagadougou (pronounced waga-doo-goo) We arrive around lunchtime, after checking into our hotel and freshening up, we’ll have the chance to visit the local cultural centre where you can purchase excellent quality carvings, brass work and other handmade pieces.

On the 2nd day we take a full day excursion to the unique village of Tiebele – located just a few kilometres from the Ghanaian border and known for its unusual architecture. Tiebele dwellings are either square or round and are all elaborately decorated with black diamond patterns, illustrations of snakes, crocodiles and other sacred animals. We’ll spend several hours exploring Tiebele compound and its surrounds before returning to Ouagadougou for the night.
Day 21: Exploratory trek in Pendjari National Park: Heading east we travel to the third country on our expedition - Benin. This relatively small, club-shaped country was once home to one of the most powerful empires in West Africa - the Dahomey Kingdom. It’s also considered the traditional home of the voodoo religion.

Located in the north-west corner of Benin, Pendjari National Park (Parc National de la Pendjari) is renowned for its abundant wildlife including elephant, baboon, lion, hippopotamus, buffalo and various antelopes such as kob, waterbuck, hartebeest and duiker. It’s most famous, however for its amazing and diverse bird life with over 300 species making the park their home, including many waterbirds such as cranes and storks. We visit the reserve in time to do an afternoon-evening safari - the best time of day for viewing wildlife.

Please note however that the wildlife in west Africa is somewhat less in volume than in east and southern Africa.
Day 22: Stop at Tanougou Falls enroute to Natitingou: A short drive takes us to Natitingou today. Enroute we stop at Tanougou Falls, where we’ll have the chance to enjoy a refreshing swim. Natitingou is located at 440 metres above sea level and enjoys the pleasant climate found amidst the Atakora Mountains of northern Benin. Here we visit the remote Betamaribé people, who still hunt with bows and arrows and live in the middle of their cultivated fields rather than in a village environment. Their small, fortress-like houses consist of three levels - ground floor for the animals, first floor for the kitchen and the top floor for living and sleeping.
Day 23 - 24: Visit the the ancient capital of the Dahomey Kingdom Abomey: This morning we continue south for 520 kilometres to Abomey, the ancient capital of the Dahomey Kingdom - previously one of the greatest empires in west Africa. Here we visit the must-see restored Royal Palace and learn about the incredible history of the Fon kings.

The following evening we’ll experience an unforgettable performance of the unique Geleden Masked Dance (Dance Geleden des Fons) by the local Yoroba and Fon people who practise both the Voodoo religion and Christianity. They also worship Idols, which are represented on some of the masks used for the dance.
Day 25 - 26: Explore Ouidah to learn about the origins of the misunderstood Voodoo religion: A short, two-hour drive takes us to the lake village of Ganvié, where we’ll take a trip on a 'pirogue' (dugout canoe), the traditional boat used by west African fishermen. We’ll spend the afternoon driving the coastal highway and passing through small villages dotted with white flags that identify Voodoo practitioners. Our destination is Ouidah, a charming, tranquil town set on a beautiful beach. We’ll spend two nights here, so there’s plenty of time to relax in the shade of the coconut groves after our recent long days of travel.

This is the Gulf of Guinea which is part of the Atlantic Ocean, so swimming is limited due to the strong currents. This won’t detract from the sleepy charm of this beautiful beach township though. During our stay, we’ll explore Ouidah town to learn about the origins of the often misunderstood Voodoo religion and meet some of the local practitioners. Ouidah is the historic centre of Voodooism, with thousands of believers often flocking there to rejoice in their faith. We’ll visit the mystical Sacred Temple of Pythons as well as Avenue D'Esclaves and witness an energetic voodoo performance during our stay.
Day 27: Continue to Togo's capital, Lomé: Today we’ll cross the border into Togo. We drive approximately 45 minutes to Lake Togo before continuing by boat to visit Togoville - a historic town renowned for its royal palace and colonial church. It was to here that Voodoo practitioners were taken before they were transported to Haiti as slaves. There’s still a strong Voodoo influence in the town today, with plenty of fetish stalls dotted throughout the streets.

We then continue to Togo's capital, Lomé. Our city tour includes the National Museum, which houses historical artefacts, potteries, costumes, traditional musical instruments, wood carvings and traditional medicinal remedies. There's also the opportunity (optional) to visit the various markets of Lomé such as the central market, arts market and the fetish market at Akedessewa, four kilometres from the town centre. Here you’ll find remarkable supplies of traditional medicines used by sorcerers including skulls of monkeys, snake skins, warthog teeth, lion skin, leopard skin and dried birds. Not for the feint-hearted!
Day 28: Enjoy exploring the museums and parks of Accra: Today we enter our final country, crossing the border into the English-speaking Ghana. It will certainly be a welcome adjustment after travelling through so many French-speaking countries! Accra the capital of Ghana you will enjoy exploring the city which includes the National Museum and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, dedicated to the founder of modern Ghana. Our accommodation this evening will be in a comfortable hotel.
Day 29 - 30: Explore the hill city of Kumasi: Today we head to Kumasi (approx. 4 hours), the one-time capital of the powerful Ashanti kingdom. Today, this hilly city is home to over one million people and enjoys quite a cosmopolitan ambience. We’ll take in a tour of Kumasi that includes the Manhyia Palace Museum, built in 1925 by the British and home to the Ashanti kings until 1974.

We’ll also visit the Armed Forces Museum which tells the story of the many conflicts that have taken place particularly in the 20th century. We end our day with a visit to a nearby village known for its talented artisans who weave Ghana's beautiful kente cloth.
Day 31 - 32: Travel south to Axim and enroute visit a Cocoa plantation: We travel south to Axim and enroute visit a Cocoa plantation tonight we stay a night at Ghana’s most isolated and luxurious beach resorts. Two kilometres from the hotel is historic Axim town. With a population of about 20,000, fishing is the main occupation here. The town also has several historic places of interest nearby the hotel including Fort St Anthony, built by the Portuguese in 1515 when they were settling the town as a trading port. Perched on top of a hill in nearby Princess Town is Fort Princess Town, originally known as Gross Friedrichsburg and built by the Prussians in 1683.

With two days to spend in this relaxing coastal haven, you’ll also have the opportunity to go forest trekking or whale watching (seasonal).
Day 33: Drive to Elmina, where we visit St George's Castle: Today we drive to Elmina, where we visit St George's Castle. Formerly known as one of the 'slave castles', it’s one of more then 20 such castles built along the shoreline of the Gold Coast - the former name of modern-day Ghana.

We’ll also visit a fishing village and the Pursubans animist shrines, then take a short 10-kilometre drive to Cape Coast, the centre of the British administration and capital of the Gold Coast between 1700 until 1877, and home to its own notorious 'slave castle'. At end of the day we’ll return to Elmina for the final night of our adventure.
Day 34: Departure day: Today we head towards the city of Accra, the rest of the day is spent at your leisure. For those of us who are flying out this evening, day rooms have been booked for our use at our Accra hotel where we can freshen up prior to our flight home. An evening transfer is included to Accra's Kotoka International Airport, where our African expedition comes to an end.

Nuts & Bolts

Trip Includes

Experienced English-speaking local leader and specialist local guides
Arrival and departure transfers
Most meals
Accommodation
Domestic flights where necessary
Game activities and entrance fees

Trip Excludes

Airport departure taxes
Visas
Meals unless specified in the itinerary Insurance
Laundry - but there will be opportunity to do some hand-washing in the camps where we stay for two or more nights.
Optional tours or activities during free time
Tips - this is something to consider, and it might be worthwhile speaking to your group about making a group contribution at the end of the trip
Personal items

Trip ID#: 125819

CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable

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