Tour:   * A: Weds November 30th – Weds December 7th 2005     B: Tues February 8th– Weds February 15th 2006 * C: Weds November 29th – Weds December 6th2006     * Can be combined with Mauritania. Leaders: Ass Ndiaye and Richard Cruse Group Size: 10 with 2 leaders Birds: 270 – 320 species Senegal is one of Africa’s most stable countries with a heavy French influence dating back to colonial days. The north of the country is within the Sahel and offers a chance to see many species not easily found elsewhere. The coastline has an important wetland of international importance which is protected in the form of a national park, Djoudj, where Palearctic migrants winter in their hundreds of thousands. This tour has been designed to take in the best of Senegal’s Sahelian birds, which other destinations cannot offer. Birdwatching Breaks have been taking tours to Senegal since 1997 and are acknowledged as market leaders in birding tours to the country. Richard Cruse and Ass Ndiaye have between them run over 25 tours to Northern Senegal.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Morning flight to Paris and transfer to Paris Orly. We fly to St Louis, the bustling ancient capital of Senegal, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. On arrival we make the short transfer to Ranch de Bango, our base for the week, from which we explore Sahelian Senegal.

Days 2-6: The grounds of the ranch offer excellent birding with regular sightings of Red-necked Falcon, Beautiful and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds and Sudan Golden Sparrow. Vieillots and Bearded Barbets and Grey-headed and Striped Kingfishers also occur in the adjacent acacia scrub. Wintering Palearctic migrants are numerous. Our base, adjacent to the Senegal River, is a haven for birds including African Fish Eagle, Malachite Kingfisher, African Jacana and Abyssinian Roller. Drier ground holds Senegal Thick-knee and Little Bee-eater. Close to St Louis, Pink-backed Pelicans regularly occur along with migrant herons and shorebirds from Europe.

During your stay in Northern Senegal we embark on several excursions including those listed below.

Marigot One: This is in effect a privately run nature reserve. Our main interest here is in locating the internationally scarce Savile's Bustard. Other Sahelian species present include Cream-coloured and Temminck's Coursers, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse and Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark. A lake attracts shorebirds and, depending on the water levels, many species of heron including Black Egret. A stop at dusk may give us Verreaux’s Eagle Owl.

Marigot Two and Three: We spend a day in this area and typical species include Northern Anteater-chat, Chestnut-bellied Starling, Green Woodhoopoe and Blue-naped Mousebird. Other birds may include White-backed Vulture, African Pygmy Goose, Little Grey Woodpecker, Cricket Warbler, African Quail Finch, Sennar Penduline Tit, Sacred Ibis and Collared Pratincole. We have further opportunities for bustards in this area including the impressive and declining Arabian Bustard.

Ndiaël: A faunal reserve with seasonal lakes. We may encounter Pallid Harrier, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Black Scrub Robin, Kittlitz’s Plover, Black-crowned Sparrow Lark, African Pygmy Goose and African Quailfinch. This is a good area for Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse and Temminck’s Courser and is also a known area for Arabian and, in some years, Denham’s Bustard. The area can hold up to 20,000 wintering water birds which includes Black and White Storks and many waders.

Djoudj National Park: This is the third most important wetland in the world and is located only a short distance from our base. The Djoudj hotel grounds attract Northern Crombec and wintering Eurasian Wryneck. A boat safari into one of nature’s natural wonders takes us along a branch of the Senegal River, which is alive with birds, to a colony of White Pelicans that can number around 18,000. Seasonal lakes in Djoudj attract Black Crake, Yellow-billed Stork, African Spoonbill and, in some years on the approaches to the park, Desert Wheatear. Other highlights include White-faced and Fulvous Whistling-ducks, Caspian Tern and the range-restricted River Prinia. Lac de Kahr and Grand Lac hold flocks of Greater Flamingos and up to 150,000 Garganey. Generally, water associated species here are counted in their thousands. Isolated trees in the surrounding desert landscape can provide hunting perches for Lanner Falcons.

Langue de Barbarie National Park: The Langue de Barbarie is a peninsula of land jutting into the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Senegal River. We take a boat trip around a protected island holding a breeding colony of Slender-billed Gulls. We should also see Grey-headed and, possibly, Kelp Gull and Caspian and Royal Terns.

Day 7: We spend the day exploring the desert areas near to the ranch returning in time for an early dinner. Transfer to the airport for our flight back to Paris. Arrival in the UK is on the following morning.

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Tour Price: £1395 Single room occupancy: £150 Deposit: £150 Tour Price (combination): £2495 Deposit: £250 Not included: insurance, drinks and items of a personal nature. This holiday is fully inclusive of flights, accommodation, meals, transport, boat trips, park entrance fees, guidance, tips and taxes. Good standard of accommodation at Ranch de Bango. All rooms have en-suite facilities. There is a swimming pool located in the extensive grounds of the ranch. Meals are French style or Senegali cuisine. Picnic lunches are provided on most days. Ground transport is by all-terrain 4x4s. Stout footwear for short walks is recommended due to the acacia thorns. Book this Tour >>