The dunes
Smooth and wind-shaped.
Kateryna Serdiuk — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mich-nguyen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Georges Hermann Njiale Njiale — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mich-nguyen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · AdjoEsse — CC BY-SA 4.0
Lompoul Desert is a small patch of orange dunes in north-west Senegal, a short way from the Atlantic coast. It is no great desert, but it gives a feeling of wide sands without a long trip. That is why visitors pick it, between Dakar and Saint-Louis, for a night in a camp. The dunes form from sand driven inland by wind, with scattered plants around the edges. There are no old buildings with a written past here, so the place matters for its scenery. It is only a limited strip of land, but the dunes rise high enough to hide their surroundings in many directions. You see smooth wind-shaped dunes, green shrubs in the hollows and camel prints in the sand. Camps offer Mauritanian-style tents, camel rides and trips in an old truck. Sunset is a large part of the visit, when the colour turns deep orange, and the night is quiet under the stars. It is about 66 km from Faidherbe Bridge in Saint-Louis in a straight line and about 118 km from Dakar. Visitors usually arrive by four-wheel drive from the village road, so arrange it with your camp. Bring a jacket for the evening, as nights are cold in winter. Agree the price of camels in advance.
Smooth and wind-shaped.
Over orange sand.
Stars and quiet.
Near Lompoul, Louga Region, Senegal
It is a small dune patch near the coast, not a great desert, but ideal for a short trip.
It is not required, but sunset and stars are the best part, so many choose one night.