Gastronomy and Culinary Arts of Senegal - 8 days tour

A journey through Senegal’s flavors, traditions, and culinary heritage, blending hands-on cooking experiences with cultural encounters.

Day 1: Arrival in Dakar
Arrival at Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD), assistance with entry formalities, and transfer to the hotel in central Dakar. Overnight stay.

Day 2: Dakar
After breakfast, orientation tour of Dakar, visiting its main squares and landmarks. Meet a chef from the Dakar Culinary School, who will guide you through the local food market to select fresh ingredients for the day’s meal. Back at the culinary school, take part in a hands-on cooking class, preparing Cebu Jen, Senegal’s national dish made of marinated fish, vegetables, and spiced tomato sauce served with rice. Lunch will be the meal you prepared, enjoyed in an authentic setting. The afternoon continues with a visit to the African Renaissance Monument, the Presidential District, Dakar University, the Sand Art Gallery, and the Soumbedioune artisan market. Dinner at a seaside restaurant specializing in grilled seafood with tropical spices. Overnight stay.

Day 3: Dakar – Gorée Island – Pink Lake
After breakfast, departure for Gorée Island via a 20-minute ferry ride. Visit the House of Slaves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and experience the historical significance of this island in the transatlantic slave trade. At Saint Germain Restaurant, take part in a cooking demonstration, preparing a traditional Gorean salad, skewers of smoked fish, and steamed rice. Enjoy a meal featuring these local delicacies. In the afternoon, return to Dakar before heading to Pink Lake (Lac Rose), famous for its pinkish hue caused by high salinity. Take a 4×4 excursion through the sand dunes, visiting a Fulani village and meeting salt harvesters at the lake. Evening aperitif at a lakeside lodge, followed by dinner featuring Dibi, a popular grilled meat dish. Overnight stay.

Day 4: Pink Lake – Saint Louis
After breakfast, sample a traditional Senegalese cereal dish, then depart for Saint Louis, the former capital of French West Africa. Along the way, stop at Thies, home to Senegal’s renowned woven textiles. Lunch at a local home, where you’ll participate in the preparation of a typical Senegalese dish. The meal concludes with the traditional tea ceremony (attaya). In the afternoon, explore Saint Louis’ historic center, admiring its colonial architecture with wooden balconies and wrought-iron terraces. Visit the bustling fishermen’s district of Guet N’Dar, before stopping at a smoked fish market to learn about traditional fish preservation techniques. Dinner at a local restaurant specializing in stuffed mullet, a Saint Louis specialty, where you will assist the chef in the preparation of the dish. Overnight stay.

Day 5: Saint Louis
After breakfast, sample a traditional millet porridge before a guided visit to Saint Louis’ main markets. Learn about the fish, spice, and grain trade, essential to Senegalese cuisine. Visit a local home, where a host family will guide you through the entire process of a traditional Senegalese meal, from ingredient selection to cooking techniques. Lunch at home, followed by free time to explore the city. In the evening, take part in a fish smoking demonstration at a local seafood processing center. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 6: Saint Louis – Touba – Djilor
After breakfast, depart for Touba, Senegal’s most important spiritual city and home to the Mouride Brotherhood. Visit the Grand Mosque, a stunning structure adorned in gold, crystal, and silver. Lunch in Touba, where a Mouride guide will introduce you to Mouride cuisine, known for its rich flavors and unique combinations. In the afternoon, continue to Djilor, in the Saloum Delta. Visit Fadiouth Island (Shell Island), and meet traditional healers, who use plants and herbs for natural remedies. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 7: Djilor – Saly
After breakfast, meet the lodge’s chef for a visit to the local market, where you’ll select ingredients for today’s cooking experience. The dish of the day is Yassa, a marinated chicken or fish dish cooked with onions and served with steamed rice. After preparing and enjoying your Yassa meal, take a boat trip along the Saloum Delta, exploring mangroves and fishing villages. Return to the lodge before an afternoon departure for Saly, Senegal’s main beach resort along the Petite Côte. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 8: Saly – Departure
After breakfast, free time to relax on the beach before lunch. Transfer to Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD) for departure.  [/read]