Discover Mbour: Mangroves, Wildlife and Fishing Port

The Mbour Department offers several clearly distinct travel themes: lagoon ecology, wildlife viewing, fishing culture and historic sites. If you are looking for a hotel in Mbour, it may help to first decide which focus matters for your trip. Local features range from a mangrove with diverse birdlife to prehistoric and religiously significant sites.

Lagoon and Wildlife

The RNIC Somone is located in the Mbour Department and extends across the Commune de Somone and the Communauté rurale de Sindia. Its species-rich mangrove is dominated by Rhizophora; the area also includes heron colonies and a nesting site for sea turtles. More than 52 bird species are also found there. The protected area was created to preserve the integrity of the lagoon ecosystem.

The Réserve de Bandia offers a different natural focus. There, visitors can see white rhinos, zebras, giraffes and buffalo, among other animals, as well as more than 120 bird species. Wildlife sightings vary.

Bird numbers can also be compared: the RNIC Somone has more than 52 species, while the Réserve de Bandia has more than 120. For travelers comparing nature-focused attractions, the lagoon ecosystem is the main draw in Somone, while Bandia offers the possibility of seeing a variety of animals.

Fishing Port and Fishing Culture

Mbour’s fishing port is Senegal’s second-largest fishing port. Each time the colorful pirogues return, they create an impressive spectacle. At the port, you can also observe women scaling fish and the artisanal processing of fishery products.

Historic Sites and Religious Heritage

In the Joal-Fadiouth Marine Protected Area, granaries on stilts and shell mounds are part of the historical and cultural heritage. Historic sites in Joal-Fadiouth include Mbind Diogoye, a mixed Muslim-Christian cemetery and the sacred baobab of Fadial. The Christian pilgrimage to Popenguine dates back to 1888. Ngazobil is considered a historically significant site with symbolic importance for the Catholic Church in Senegal. Thiémassas is a prehistoric site in the Mbour Department. In the same department, the Fort du Comptoir de Saly Portudal and the Maison familiale de Léopold Sédar Senghor are among the historic sites and monuments. These places illustrate the breadth of the department’s history, from prehistory in Thiémassas to religious traditions in Popenguine and Ngazobil.

In 1987, the Réserve écologique expérimentale de Mbour was placed entirely under protection.

Regional Focus within the Wider Thiès Destination

The wider Thiès destination has a northern and a southern coastal front, separated by the coast of the Région de Dakar. In the Mbour Department, the tourist offer of the Région de Thiès is predominantly focused on beach tourism.

Somone offers pirogue trips through the mangroves to discover the lagoon’s natural environment. In the wider Thiès destination, pirogue trips are offered in Joal-Fadiouth through mangroves and along granaries. For comparing routes, the additional stretch along the granaries is a specific difference. In the wider Thiès destination, the alleyways of Fadiouth are also paved with shells and oyster shells.

Discover more destinations: Nianing, Mbodiene, Popenguine, Joal-Fadiouth, Kebemer, Thiès.

Back to the wider travel overview: Thiès.