Senegal and Gambia are two intrinsically linked nations in West Africa that have historically represented the western frontiers of the Empires of Mali and Songhai. Islam arrived in the 10th and 11th centuries through the efforts of traders and spiritual teachers.
Starting in Gambia’s capital Banjul we explore the Islamic history and wider cultural heritage of this slender riverine nation whose geography and economy is shaped by the River Gambia. Our journey encompasses the Atlantic coastal towns of Bakau in the north and Gunjur in the southwest. We also visit the sprawling markets of Serrekunda before making a poignant yet powerful trip to Kunta Kinteh Island, an important site of the Transatlantic slave trade.
After crossing the border to neighbouring Senegal we spend time amongst the mangroves of the Saloum Delta before experiencing the spiritually uplifting cities of Kaolack and Touba. Here we have an opportunity to meet scholars and community leaders, and learn more about the lives of great revivers of Islam such as Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse and Shaykh Ahmadou Bamba, a key figure in the resistance against French colonisation of West Africa. We are also able to enjoy the varied landscape of Senegal which features the Lompoul Desert and the unique Pink Lake. Our tour is concluded in the capital Dakar, home to a number of iconic mosques including La Mosquée de la Divinité, the Grand Mosque, and Masjid Massalikoul Djinane. We visit the westernmost point on the African continent as well as Gorée Island – another infamous trading post for slaves which serves as a painful reminder of this intensely brutal period of our history.
Tour Package
All local transport with airport transfers, accommodation, breakfast, other selected meals, tour guides and entrance fees to sites. Transportation will primarily be in an air-conditioned bus with occasional boat and ferry trips. International flights are not included but we will advise you on the best routes from your country of residence.
Highlights
- Kachikally Crocodile Pool
- Sand Dunes Mosque in Gunjur
- Kunta Kinteh Island
- Mosque of Medina Baye
- Grand Mosque of Touba
- Lompoul Desert
- Goree Island
- Pointe des Almadies
Optional Extras
- Quad biking in Lompoul Desert
- Traditional boat trip on the Pink Lake
Airports
International flights should be booked in accordance with the dates advertised and you are strongly recommended to confirm these details prior to making payment.
Destination: Banjul International Airport (BJL)
Arrival Date: Saturday 25 October 2024
Time: Any time before 10.00 pm
Departure Location: Dakar International Airport (DSS)
Departure Date: Saturday 2 November 2024
Time: Any time after 6.00 pm
Accommodation
A mixture of high quality 3 and 4 star hotels in Gambia and Senegal with emphasis on safety. Participants will stay in a residential apartment in Touba and tents in the Lompoul Desert. Standard accommodation features twin rooms with separate beds but single supplement options are also available.
Sand Dunes Mosque, Gunjur, Gambia
Ruins of Kunta Kinteh Island, Gambia
Lompoul Desert, Senegal
La Maison des Esclaves, Gorée Island, Senegal
“The Gambia and Senegal tour was excellent. Thank you for all that you have done to make this trip a success despite some expected challenges in this part of the world.” (M, Chicago, January 2024)
