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Peregrine Travel Centre

Adventure in the Bissagos Islands – 9 Day Cruise from Dakar

Adventure in the Bissagos Islands – 9 Day Cruise from Dakar

From AUD $8,070

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Description

In the secret lands of the Atlantic, off the coast of Guinea-Bissau, where the infinite blue of the ocean meets the lush green of the islands, a rare jewel hides: the Bijagos. Designated as both a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this preserved archipelago of 88 islands, mostly inhabited uninhabited and sacred, offers a unique immersion in pristine nature. Between pristine beaches, mangroves, and tropical forests, let yourself be captivated by this living spectacle. On Caravela, Carache or Canhabaque, encounters with the Bijago people reveal a culture where nature is sacred. Every bird call, every reflection on the water becomes an ode to the beauty and harmony of these exceptional lands.

Trip Name
Adventure in the Bissagos Islands - 9 Day Cruise from Dakar
Days
9
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Length: 127 metres Passenger Capacity: 92 cabins Built: 2017/2018 Le Champlain, part of the prestigious PONANT EXPLORERS series, masterfully blends the spirit of adventure with refined comfort. Designed to navigate some of the world’s most remote destinations, she offers guests the intimacy of a private yacht alongside discreet luxury and elegant French styling. Her 92 staterooms and suites, all with private balconies, are bathed in natural light, providing a serene retreat after a day of Zodiac® expeditions or fine dining. Every element, from the stylish interiors to the attentive service, reflects PONANT’s dedication to creating a truly authentic voyage. Built with a strong focus on eco-friendly innovation, Le Champlain incorporates the latest environmental technologies to minimise her impact on the oceans she explores. At 430 feet long with a guest capacity of up to 184, she maintains a sense of exclusivity while offering spacious public areas, exceptional cuisine, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Whether gliding through polar waters or sailing to tropical shores, she delivers an unforgettable combination of exploration, sophistication, and respect for the natural world.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 - Dakar
On the tip of the African continent, the buzzing capital of Senegal stretches along the narrow peninsula of Cape Verde. You may be overwhelmed by its sheer size, but Dakar will win you over with its richly diverse districts, appealing cultural scene and rich natural surroundings. In the historic centre, you'll enjoy the pell-mell of colours and tasty delights in Kermel market. Far from the effervescence of the city, Gorée Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known as a place of remembrance, having once been a slave trade outpost. On the other side of the plateau, the wild Madeleine islands are protected by a national park.
Day 2 - Day 2 - At sea
During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 3 - Day 3 - Carache Island, Bijagos
In the midst of a rich natural environment, you will enjoy a fascinating encounter with the Bijagos, who have been successful at taming their environment and preserving their ancestral way of life. Five villages provide a home for the island’s few thousand inhabitants, who rely on a subsistence economy: they take from nature only what they need, they cultivate rice, breed chickens and pigs, fish on a small scale and use all the parts of the oil palm. Cob huts with thatched roofs are the traditional dwellings. Among other things, you will be able to enjoy a wonderful show of authentic traditional dancing.
Day 4 - Day 3 - Caravela Island, Bijagos
Dotted with authentic and wild landscapes, the Bissagos archipelago is a constellation of islands covered in savannah, forests of palm trees, mangrove trees, silk-cotton trees, baobabs and, in large part, mangrove swamps. From the island of Caravela, you will be able to set out in a Zodiac® dinghy to explore the mangrove and observe the African grey hornbill, the palm-nut vulture, the kingfisher, the weaverbird and some of the many species that fly to this region each year. It is the second most important site for migratory birds in West Africa, after Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania: herons, curlews, red-chested swallows. In full immersion, far from the beaten track, your discovery of the archipelago will take on an air of adventure.
Day 5 - Day 4 - Uno Island, Bijagos
Covered in beautiful savannah, paddy fields and lush forests, the island of Uno, or Ilha de Uno, is one of the most populated in the Bissagos archipelago. In its many villages, life follows the pace of the everyday scenes and traditions of the Bissago people. The lifestyle of these island people remains relatively untouched by colonial domination and external influences, and still honours animist beliefs and rites, such as the fanados, which are coming-of-age initiations for young men and women that involve them spending four months in the forest with the village elders. By sanctifying the natural environment, the islanders are protecting the archipelago’s unique biodiversity.
Day 6 - Day 5 - Bolama
Bolama, the capital of Portuguese Guinea from the late 19th century to the end of the 1930s, is shrouded in the surreal and poetic atmosphere of a ghost town forgotten by time. Along the streets covered in ochre earth, the vestiges of neoclassical colonial buildings hint at what was once the sumptuous government palace or the governor’s residence. Now neglected, this hard-to-reach natural harbour surrounded by mangrove swamps once served as an outpost for keeping a close eye on the Guinean population that had come to seek refuge on these remote islands of the Bissagos archipelago to escape their colonisers.
Day 7 - Day 5 - Canhabaque, Bijagos
Canhabaque Island, also known by the name Roxa, is covered in lush vegetation and boasts pretty beaches alternating with rocky formations. The first island in the archipelago to be inhabited, it is today home to a community of around 2,500 inhabitants, spread across various tabancas (rural villages). Long closed to tourism, it is considered the most traditional island in the whole archipelago in terms of customs and lifestyle. It competes with Caravela for the reputation of the most beautiful island. It has an animist and matrilineal society; women are highly predominant in the management and maintenance of balance in the tabancas.
Day 8 - Day 6 - Caravela Island, Bijagos
Dotted with authentic and wild landscapes, the Bissagos archipelago is a constellation of islands covered in savannah, forests of palm trees, mangrove trees, silk-cotton trees, baobabs and, in large part, mangrove swamps. From the island of Caravela, you will be able to set out in a Zodiac® dinghy to explore the mangrove and observe the African grey hornbill, the palm-nut vulture, the kingfisher, the weaverbird and some of the many species that fly to this region each year. It is the second most important site for migratory birds in West Africa, after Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania: herons, curlews, red-chested swallows. In full immersion, far from the beaten track, your discovery of the archipelago will take on an air of adventure.
Day 9 - Day 6 - At sea
During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 10 - Day 7 - Carache Island, Bijagos
In the midst of a rich natural environment, you will enjoy a fascinating encounter with the Bijagos, who have been successful at taming their environment and preserving their ancestral way of life. Five villages provide a home for the island’s few thousand inhabitants, who rely on a subsistence economy: they take from nature only what they need, they cultivate rice, breed chickens and pigs, fish on a small scale and use all the parts of the oil palm. Cob huts with thatched roofs are the traditional dwellings. Among other things, you will be able to enjoy a wonderful show of authentic traditional dancing.
Day 11 - Day 7 - Kere, Bijagos
The private island of Kere is an unspoiled Eden, a one-hectare (two-acre) stretch of tropical forest in the heart of the Bissagos Islands. One original feature of this island is that a small, sustainable and fair-trade ecotourism business was developed upon it. On the island’s magnificent beach, a Frenchman has set up a business to show people around this exceptional natural environment or to take them out for some game fishing, particularly in search of tarpon, a fish weighing over a hundred kilos (220 pounds). The bungalows made from earth and straw blend into the idyllic setting and reflect the mindset of the islet’s owner: authentic and respectful of nature and people.
Day 12 - Day 8 - Dakar
On the tip of the African continent, the buzzing capital of Senegal stretches along the narrow peninsula of Cape Verde. You may be overwhelmed by its sheer size, but Dakar will win you over with its richly diverse districts, appealing cultural scene and rich natural surroundings. In the historic centre, you'll enjoy the pell-mell of colours and tasty delights in Kermel market. Far from the effervescence of the city, Gorée Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known as a place of remembrance, having once been a slave trade outpost. On the other side of the plateau, the wild Madeleine islands are protected by a national park.
Day 13 - Day 8 - At sea
During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 14 - Day 9 - Dakar
On the tip of the African continent, the buzzing capital of Senegal stretches along the narrow peninsula of Cape Verde. You may be overwhelmed by its sheer size, but Dakar will win you over with its richly diverse districts, appealing cultural scene and rich natural surroundings. In the historic centre, you'll enjoy the pell-mell of colours and tasty delights in Kermel market. Far from the effervescence of the city, Gorée Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known as a place of remembrance, having once been a slave trade outpost. On the other side of the plateau, the wild Madeleine islands are protected by a national park.
Day 15 - Please Note:
Itineraries are subject to change. 

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $8,990Deluxe Stateroom
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $9,930Prestige Deck 4
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $21,260Prestige Deck 6 Suite
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $22,280Privilege Suite Deck 6
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $22,280Privilege Suite Deck 5
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $24,450Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $29,990Owner's Suite
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $10,400Prestige Deck 5
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $10,950Prestige Deck 6
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $15,070Deluxe Suite Deck 6
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $15,070Deluxe Suite Deck 4
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $15,070Deluxe Suite Deck 5
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $15,070Deluxe Suite Deck 3
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $20,230Prestige Deck 5 Suite
11-11-202619-11-2026AUD $21,180Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $8,530Deluxe Stateroom
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $9,410Prestige Deck 4
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $9,850Prestige Deck 5
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $10,370Prestige Deck 6
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $14,250Deluxe Suite Deck 3
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $14,250Deluxe Suite Deck 5
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $14,250Deluxe Suite Deck 6
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $14,250Deluxe Suite Deck 4
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $19,110Prestige Deck 5 Suite
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $20,070Prestige Deck 6 Suite
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $21,030Privilege Suite Deck 5
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $21,030Privilege Suite Deck 6
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $21,180Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $23,070Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
19-11-202627-11-2026AUD $29,990Owner's Suite
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $8,070Deluxe Stateroom
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $8,890Prestige Deck 4
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $9,300Prestige Deck 5
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $9,790Prestige Deck 6
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $13,430Deluxe Suite Deck 4
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $13,430Deluxe Suite Deck 3
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $13,430Deluxe Suite Deck 5
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $13,430Deluxe Suite Deck 6
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $17,980Prestige Deck 5 Suite
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $18,890Prestige Deck 6 Suite
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $19,790Privilege Suite Deck 6
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $19,790Privilege Suite Deck 5
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $21,180Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $21,700Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
13-12-202621-12-2026AUD $29,990Owner's Suite
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $8,070Deluxe Stateroom
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $8,890Prestige Deck 4
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $9,300Prestige Deck 5
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $9,790Prestige Deck 6
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $13,430Deluxe Suite Deck 5
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $13,430Deluxe Suite Deck 4
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $13,430Deluxe Suite Deck 6
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $13,430Deluxe Suite Deck 3
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $17,980Prestige Deck 5 Suite
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $18,890Prestige Deck 6 Suite
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $19,790Privilege Suite Deck 5
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $19,790Privilege Suite Deck 6
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $21,180Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $21,700Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
21-12-202629-12-2026AUD $29,990Owner's Suite
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $10,850Deluxe Stateroom
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $12,000Prestige Deck 4
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $12,580Prestige Deck 5
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $13,260Prestige Deck 6
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $18,360Deluxe Suite Deck 5
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $18,360Deluxe Suite Deck 4
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $18,360Deluxe Suite Deck 3
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $18,360Deluxe Suite Deck 6
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $22,550Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 5
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $24,730Prestige Deck 5 Suite
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $26,000Prestige Deck 6 Suite
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $27,260Privilege Suite Deck 5
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $27,260Privilege Suite Deck 6
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $29,940Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
29-12-202606-01-2027AUD $31,430Owner's Suite

Inclusions

    • Explore the Bissagos, a magical archipelago and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, through 9 islands: Carache, Kere, Caravela, Orango, Uno, Bolama, Cavalos, Joao Vieira and Canhabaque.
    • Discover the landscapes (heavenly beaches, mangroves, savannahs, mangrove forests, baobabs, lagoons, ancient kapok trees) and the wildlife (you may see sea turtles, dolphins, manatees, vervet monkeys and more).
    • Activities: opportunities for dinghy outings and shore visits with your naturalist guides, visits to traditional villages, encounters with the Bissagos community, etc.

Map

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