The Réserve Naturelle Communautaire de Palmarin combines varied landscapes with nature and cultural experiences. From the dry area of the protected area to the mangroves, the range of topics related to Palmarin is clear. Traditional wrestling, dance and Khoy are also part of the Réserve’s cultural profile.
Landscapes of the Réserve Naturelle Communautaire
The Réserve includes the Atlantic coast, intercoastal channels, mangroves and areas with low salt concentrations. The dry area differs significantly from the mangrove in its animal and plant life, and includes numerous baobabs and acacias. The coast, channels and vegetation thus represent different parts of the same protected area, while the dry area and mangrove also have distinct animal and plant life.
You can explore the dry area by horse-drawn carriage. Along the way, you can see raised granaries, shell mounds and salt wells. The ride connects the landscape with its distinctive structures and landforms. If you plan this activity, check availability with the provider in advance.
Cultural Activities and Kayaking
Cultural activities in the Réserve Naturelle Communautaire de Palmarin include traditional wrestling, traditional dance and Khoy. Alongside its landscapes, these three themes add a cultural dimension to a visit to the protected area.
Sangomar Kayak offers kayaking excursions in the Réserve de Palmarin protected area. A horse-drawn carriage ride and a kayaking excursion are different ways to experience the area: one takes you into the dry area, while the other takes place by kayak in the protected area. Check the availability of each activity directly with the provider before adding it to your travel plans.
Context within the wider destination of Fatick
Within the wider destination of Fatick, the shell mounds and burial mounds of the Saloum Delta are distinctive and exceptional cultural landscapes.
The Bamboung Marine Protected Area is also part of the regional context of Fatick. Kër Bamboung, an ecotourism camp, is located within it. The protected area’s ecotourism potential also includes an environmental education centre. Dioroom Boumack is a burial mound in the Bamboung Marine Protected Area. The camp, education centre and burial mound are different aspects of this regional protected area.
More than 37 species of waterbirds have been recorded in the Sangomar Marine Protected Area, within the wider destination of Fatick. Key species include the African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis), the Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii) and the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas).
Fatick’s cultural heritage also includes the Xooy, a traditional Serer ceremony inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Khoy, one of the cultural activities of the Réserve de Palmarin, and the Xooy are presented here as separate topics. This helps distinguish Palmarin’s own cultural profile from other cultural references within the wider destination of Fatick.
Discover more destinations: Ouoran, Ziguinchor, Ndiongo, Tambacounda, Dakar, Somone, Niaga, M'bour.
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