The waterfall
A thin thread of water.
Mouha.ibs — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mouha.ibs — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mouha.ibs — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mouha.ibs — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mouha.ibs — CC BY-SA 4.0
Dindefelo Falls is a waterfall of about 100 metres in the town of Dindefelo, in south-east Senegal, just a few miles from the Guinean border. The water drops in a thin thread down a brown layered cliff into a basin ringed with green. The site feels hidden away at the end of the country, and it is among the finest things in the south-east. The falls lie within Bassari Country, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that brings together the cultural landscapes of the Bassari, Fula and Bedik peoples. The Fula area around Dindefelo is one of its three parts. These peoples have long lived in these uplands, keeping their customs and thatched houses. You start from the village along a red dirt road, past thatched houses, trees and green hills, then enter shady forest and climb among the rocks. At the end you reach the great cliff, where water falls into a small clear pool. The rock layers are the finest sight here, forming a striking wall around the falls. It is about 27 km from Kédougou in a straight line, on a slow road. You reach the falls on foot from the village with a local guide, who knows the way and explains the place. The best time is after the rains, from about August to November, as water falls off sharply late in the dry season. Wear shoes suited to rocks.
A thin thread of water.
Brown layers around it.
Thatch and hills.
Dindefelo, Kédougou Region, Senegal
A local guide is common and useful, knowing the way through the rocks and supporting the village.
After the rains, from about August to November, with far less late in the dry season.