Regional extension · After Vodundays
Senegal
Gorée as the Gateway
Dakar receives direct flights from Europe and the United States. Gorée carries the memorial shock. A flight and 1h30 by road then separate the island from the spiritual reconnection in Ouidah.
Dakar: the diaspora's natural hub
For the African diaspora coming from France, the United States or the United Kingdom, Dakar is often the natural first stop. Blaise Diagne Airport receives direct flights from Paris, New York, Washington, London, Montreal.
Starting your journey in Senegal means giving yourself a gradual landing in West Africa, a cosmopolitan, French-speaking city, with solid tourism infrastructure.
Then, after 3 to 4 days, a Dakar-Cotonou flight opens the door to Ouidah and the After Vodundays program.
The logistics in brief
- •Paris to Dakar: 5h30 · Air France, Air Sénégal
- •New York to Dakar: 8h · Delta, Air Sénégal
- •Dakar to Cotonou: 2h30 · Air Côte d'Ivoire, connections via Abidjan
- •Recommended duration Senegal: 3 to 5 days
Step 1 · Senegal
Gorée Island, 48 Hours of Truth
Gorée is an island 20 minutes by ferry from Dakar. Within 0.18 km², it concentrates the essence of the memory of the Atlantic slave trade in French-speaking West Africa.
The House of Slaves, built in the 18th century, holds the Door of the Journey with No Return, the same wording as in Ouidah, the same reality. A guided visit here prepares you directly to understand what Ouidah's Slave Route tells.
The island itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its colorful lanes, its bougainvillea, its timeless calm, a pause before the continent.
Gorée, Points of Interest
House of Slaves
Memorial museum · Door of the Journey with No Return · guided visit essential
Fort d'Estrées
Historical museum · Gorée's history from prehistory to independence
Saint-Charles Church
1828 · colonial architecture · life of the local community
Gorée Beach
Swimming · sunset over Dakar · gentle transition before continuing
Dakar and Saint-Louis, The Depth of Senegal
Step 2
Dakar, The Living City
Dakar is one of Africa's most dynamic capitals. The Museum of Black Civilizations (opened in 2018), the Village des Arts, the Médina, the fresh fish restaurants along the Atlantic, the city offers a high-quality urban African experience.
The Mouride community and its relationship to African Islam, the griots and the music, the Sandaga market, a city best explored on foot, neighborhood by neighborhood.
Step 3 · Optional
Saint-Louis, UNESCO Heritage
3h from Dakar, Saint-Louis was the first capital of French West Africa. Its island, a UNESCO site, blends French colonial architecture with authentic Senegalese life.
The delta of the Senegal River, Djoudj National Bird Park, traditional Lébou fishing, a nature-heritage extension for travelers with 4 to 5 days in Senegal.
Then: Cotonou and Ouidah
After Senegal, a Dakar-Cotonou flight. In Cotonou, a 45-minute transfer leads to Ouidah. The After Vodundays program begins: Slave Route, Sacred Forest, Vodun ceremonies, host families, meetings with the Vodunsi.
The Memorial Continuity
Gorée and Ouidah speak of the same departure. Seen from Senegal, seen from Benin, two points on the same line.
The Spiritual Dimension
In Senegal, memory is architectural. In Ouidah, it is alive, the Vodun practiced today is the ancestors' answer.
A Complete Journey
Senegal plus Benin = 10 to 14 days. The journey that answers all the questions the diaspora has carried for generations.
Plan the Senegal-Benin circuit
Gorée · Dakar · Dakar-Cotonou flight · Ouidah. ONG Wa Afriki coordinates the Beninese leg, lodging, transfers, access to ceremonies. For the Senegalese leg, we connect you with our local partners in Dakar.