St-Louis: Getting there & around

The gare routière (bus terminal) is on the mainland 100m (330ft) south of Pont Faidherbe. You can catch an alham (30-seater minibus), a minibus or a Peugeot taxi to Dakar - with the alham being the cheapest option and the taxi the costliest. Peugeot taxis also go to Thiès, Richard Toll and Gandiol.

The train station is just north of the gare routière, but despite being World Heritage listed, it's closed and in serious need of repair. Train services between St-Louis and Dakar only run during holiday times and Muslim festivals (when people go to visit their families), though there is talk of services resuming more regularly.

Cars can be hired from the Avis agency at CFAO (tel: 961 19 86), Quai Roume, north of the Hôtel de la Poste. The agency is closed on Sunday.

To get around St-Louis and the surrounding area, several hotels and auberges hire out steel roadsters and mountain bikes ('VTTs' in French) by the day.

The leading tour operator is Sahel Découverte, which offers excursions to Parc National de la Langue de Barbarie and Parc National des Oiseaux du Djoudj. Lunch costs extra.

Other tours include a half-day broussarde , a full day to Lac de Guiers and a fascinating day trip into Mauritania. Longer tours into Mauritania, including a desert bivouac, are available. All prices are based on a minimum of four people, but kids under 10 are half price and individuals can usually join others on the same trip. Remember that guides generally only speak French.

Many hotels in St-Louis offer excursions, but most simply refer you on to Sahel Découverte. La Louisiane offers tours to Lac de Guiers. The syndicat d'initiative also arranges tours at similar rates, and it has two English-speaking guides. You can organise a tour to Djoudj or Langue de Barbarie with a local guide. Some are members of a professional organisation, others are independent, but they all charge about the same daily rate. On top of this you must pay for transport (usually a good taxi), which the guide will arrange, a park entry fee and the cost of the boat ride.

The bird-guide setup that exists in Gambia has yet to hatch in Senegal. Local youths in St-Louis will probably approach you with offers of cheap trips to Djoudj and Langue de Barbarie, charging less than the official guides. This can be a good way to save money, but your chances of disaster are higher. Before agreeing to anything, clarify who pays for park entrance fees. To get to Djoudj or Langue de Barbarie under your own steam you could just hire a taxi and not take a guide at all. It's very important to hire a taxi in good mechanical condition, with a driver who knows the way (especially for Djoudj). Also, make it clear beforehand what time you plan to return, never pay the whole fare in advance and be sure the driver has enough fuel to get you there and back - taxis are notorious for running on empty.