Senegal wildlife vacation

Planet

We know the wildlife of the Saloum Delta, the Casamance and Niokolo-Koba very well and are fully committed to its protection. The Saloum Delta is a busy channel used by a variety of marine traffic, and we will never add to this by approaching any cetaceans too closely. Atlantic humpback dolphins are, by their very nature, extremely reclusive, and we will never pursue dolphins if it is clear that our presence is causing distress, or causing the dolphins to alter their natural behaviour. The African manatees in the Casamance are, like all manatees, very sensitive to disturbance. We will never take to the water to view them and, on the few occasions where the viewing points are occupied or noisy, we will never crowd a sighting. We are extremely familiar with the wildlife of Niokolo-Koba and recognise it as a hugely important last refuge for many species in West Africa. Lion, leopard, wild dogs, savanna buffalo, bush elephant, forest elephant, giant eland and chimpanzee can all be found within the park boundaries, as well as regional endemics including Gambian mongoose, Guinea baboon and green monkey. We treat all wildlife within this ecosystem as highly valuable and will always move away from a sighting if the animal is showing signs of distress or discomfort. Any game viewing activity in the hours of darkness will be undertaken ethically, and we will never spotlight a young, injured or vulnerable animal.

We ask our clients to be cognisant of water usage throughout their stay in Senegal. Many of our destinations in Senegal are adjacent to large bodies of water and it can often feel like there is an abundance of fresh water here. However, there is a paucity of treated fresh drinking water in much of Senegal, and we ask that clients limit their use of water wherever possible. This is particularly the case when it comes to bathing, where we ask clients to exercise common sense in terms of volume of water used.

People

It is absolutely imperative that local communities see real benefits derived from ecotourism. It remains the case today that many people living in wilderness areas in Senegal struggle for access to basic necessities, including healthcare, despite living in areas frequented by international visitors. We insist that all our local suppliers employ local people, and our guides, drivers and cooks in situ are all Senegalese. We strongly suggest clients consider gratuity payments to these invaluable members of the community who make your journey possible.

We also suggest that clients are respectful, patient and polite in all interactions with local people. Ecotourism remains in its infancy in all destinations in Senegal, and there is often a great deal of curiosity shown in visiting tours by local people. Clients should not expect local guides to have the same expert knowledge of wildlife that is commonplace in Eastern and Southern Africa, although your tour leader will be able to help in this regard. We ask clients to dress modestly wherever possible, and to refrain from photography without consent from those you are photographing - this is a courtesy we would expect in our home countries, and we should extend this to all people in Senegal also.