Senegal 2010

SM-10 - SENEGAL & MAURITANIA Date of travel: Feb 5 - Feb 21, 2010 ITINERARY: On Feb 5 before noon I drive a rented car from Vista to Los Angeles airport. In the afternoon I board an Air France plane for Paris, France. The plane lands in Paris at 11 AM. Later in the afternoon another flight from Paris to Dakar, SENEGAL, where late in the evening. Before midnight our traveling group is in our hotel. The following day we have a sightseeing of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, and take a ship to Goree Island which in the past was one of the main shipping ports for sending slaves to Americas. Feb 8 we leave Dakar driving north. First stop is at Lac Rose. This lake has high concentration of salt and its pink color is due to a bacteria. In the afternoon our bus reaches St. Louis from where the French used to ruled West Africa. The city is on the island in Senegal River. Later that day there is a sightseeing tour of the city from several horse-drawn carriages fitting the character of St. Louis. Next day is a visit to Djoudj Nat. Park. We take a boat ride on Senegal River there. The day after we take another boat on a different part of Senegal River. On Feb 11 we leave St. Louis in Senegal and cross the border to MAURITANIA. While in Senegal we traveled in a van, in Mauritania there are three 4WD’s pick-up trucks prepared for us. First stop is in the Diawling Nat. Park. Night in town Tiguent. Following day across the sand dunes of the desert near Atlantic Ocean to the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott. Almost all cars in Mauritania are German Mercedes-Bens. Mostly there are second hand and question is how they were acquired. In the next 8 days we visit places deep in the heart of Mauritanian desert like Atar, Chinguitty (7th holy city of Islam), a meteorite crater Guelb Richat (called Africas Eye), Ouadane, Azoughi (the ancient capital of the Almoravids – warrior Muslim monks) and Terjit the most beautiful oasis in Mauritania. On Feb 20 already back in the capital Nouakchott there is a visit to a National Museum with nicely exhibited expositions. We leave on a plane for Paris at midnight, where early in the morning on Feb 21. Next plane takes me from Paris to Los Angeles. Landing in LAX early in the afternoon. I pick-up a car at AVIS and I drive home to Vista. Travel office: Spiekermann Travel Service Who took part: 7 American tourists, a tour director Mohamed, local guides and drivers