Natural Crafts Senegal

This private reserve covers 6,000 ha, in the heart of a preserved forest ecosystem on the Gambian border, near the banks of the delta. At the initiative of the South African owners, several species have been reintroduced, such as giraffes, buffaloes, Derby elands and zebras. It offers several activities open to non-residents of the lodge, the most popular of which are game drives to observe all sorts of wild animals in the forest and lion walks, for thrill seekers!

Located south of Kédougou, about 30 kilometers by track, the Bassan waterfall and mount, as well as the Dimboli waterfall, are nice walks in the area. In December, the waterfall no longer flows, but it is still a very beautiful point of interest. We are here in the heart of the Dialonke country. It is possible to make stops in the villages of Karori, Lingan and Malem, either at the foot of the mountains or perched on the hills.

This is the most spectacular waterfall in the region! Bathing suit essential. As you go deeper into the dense forest along the path leading to it, the air is refreshed by lush vegetation. After a good half hour's walk, you arrive at a real pool of pure, fresh water, a haven of peace in an exceptional setting. Be aware that if you go in the dry season, the waterfall will be less abundant in water and therefore less impressive. But, rest assured, you can always take a dip in the natural pool!

In Ibel, all the buildings are made of marble. Impressive visit of the marble mine, obligatory accompanied by a guide. There are tons and tons of off-white, grey, pink, green... stones which unfortunately are not exploited, despite the opening of the mine in the 1960s. At the origin artisanal, the exploitation became industrial, but requires many means. Today, it is necessary to make a way between the clay tracks, the grass, the stones to arrive at the quarry.

Nice story of tenacity that these young people from Segou. Three of them discovered, by chance, two waterfalls after a long peregrination in the forest in 1998: Abdoulaye, Boubacar and Samalé. They told the village elders, who didn't believe them for a second. They brought a photographer to the site, who encouraged the elders to go and see for themselves. Since then, they have formed an economic interest group to help tourists discover "these wonders". And they are committed to preserving the site and the forest from poaching.

To get to the gold panners from Mako, turn right after the bridge over the Gambia coming from Tambacounda. Continue on the track for about 7 km until you reach a village a little higher up where the track ends. A contact with a person from the village, and you can be accompanied to the placers. You can also inquire at the Keur Annick camp for someone to accompany you there (except Monday and Friday, gold diggers' days off). There, children descend into the bowels of the earth in very narrow holes, which are extended by horizontal galleries more than five or six meters long. The earth is then carried in gourds by the women of the village to the river. There, it is filtered and sometimes reveals traces of gold around the perimeter. In general, nothing exceptional, but you never know, one nugget is sometimes enough to make you rich for years. Tourists sometimes have to pay a visit fee in the village: it's a matter of customer's head and contact. The same goes for photos. This touristic aspect is not on the side of Hérémakono, where the landscape and the context are certainly wilder, but travelling through the Falémée region is an adventure (everything will depend on your contact on the spot) and requires to accept to spend a lot of time on the road. On the other hand, the landscapes are beautiful, and there are often surprises!