Pink Lake & Fishing Village Tour: Salt Harvest & Boats
Thousands of hand-painted fishing boats and mounds of harvested salt in a single day
A full-day tour from Dakar combines two stops: the fishing village of Kayar, where you watch fishermen return with their daily catch and see hundreds of decorated boats lined up on shore, and the Pink Lake, where you observe salt diggers harvesting salt and women stacking it into piles. The tour includes an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle, a three-course lunch, and a sand dune drive along the ocean. Pickup from your hotel is included, and children from age 8 are welcome.
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Step-by-step itinerary
Visit fishing village and pink lake
- Pick up from meeting point
- Drive 1 hour to Kayar fishing village
- Watch fishermen return with daily catch
- Take photos of decorated fishing boats
- Proceed to Pink Lake
- Observe salt diggers harvesting salt
- See women piling up salt
- Enjoy adventure ride through sand dunes and ocean
- Have included 3-course lunch
- Drive back to hotel
The experience
Kayar sits an hour's drive from Dakar, and the morning arrival is timed to catch the fishermen coming back in. You'll see the boats (hundreds of them, each one painted in bright colors) lined up along the shore as the day's catch comes in. The guide stays with you throughout, answering questions and pointing out details of village life that a solo walk would miss. This is not a photo stop and move on. The timing lets you watch the actual work of unloading and sorting, and talk to people doing it.
After Kayar, the route heads to the Pink Lake. The color depends on the sun's angle and the wind, so midday visits tend to show it most vividly. At the lake, salt diggers are actively harvesting (raking salt from the water and piling it on shore), and women carry it away in baskets. You get to see the full cycle, from the water to the mounds of white salt stacked on the sand. An adventure ride through the sand dunes and along the ocean comes next, still in the same vehicle.
Lunch is a three-course meal included in the price, served during the day. After eating, you have a one-hour drive back to your hotel. The whole tour runs eight hours from pickup to drop-off, and the air-conditioned vehicle means you're not exposed to the heat while traveling between sites.
What’s included
- Pickup from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle.
- English-speaking guide throughout the day.
- three-course lunch.
- sand dune and ocean drive.
- all transportation and commentary.
Before you book
Prices and times updated 6 days ago
Operated by SENEGAL ODYSSEY TOURS
Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to see working fishermen at Kayar and salt harvesters at the Pink Lake in one day with a private vehicle and included lunch, rather than piecing together separate visits.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (8 to 12 years). Under 8: they can't be included in the booking.
What time of day is best to see the Pink Lake's color?
The Pink Lake's color is most vivid when the sun is at its highest point, around midday. The saturation depends on the sun's angle and wind conditions, so noon visits tend to show the brightest hue.
Can I see the fishermen actually working when I arrive at Kayar?
Yes. The tour is timed so you arrive as fishermen are returning with their daily catches and unloading at the shore, so you see the boats coming in and the work of sorting the catch.
Is lunch included, and what does it consist of?
Lunch is included and consists of a three-course meal served during the day as part of the tour.
How long is the drive to Kayar fishing village?
The drive from your pickup point to Kayar takes one hour. After the Pink Lake, the return to your hotel is another hour.
Pink Lake & Fishing Village Tour: Salt Harvest & Boats
8h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 250 per person
4.899 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider