Located on the west coast of Africa, Senegal is one of the continent's most exciting destinations. Host Zoe Palmer starts her journey in the capital Dakar, the vibrant home of  more than 2 million people. After checking out the city's colourful markets and pulsating nightclubs, she visits historic Gorée Island, just offshore, to learn of its infamous past as one of the centres of the slave trade in West Africa.
Zoe catches a gig by the godfather of Senegalese music, Youssou N’Dour, and also learns about the harsh reality of poverty in Senegal, when she meets one of the thousands of Senegalese who over recent years have risked their lives attempting the perilous journey in small fishing boats to Europe in search of a better life.
Leaving Dakar, Zoe travels deep into the interior of Senegal, stopping off at the Muslim holy city of Touba, en route to the Niokola-Koba National Park. Heading onwards into the remote territory of the Bassari people, Zoe visits the village of Oubadji, where she is privileged to see a rarely witnessed traditional tribal ceremony.
Making the long journey back to Dakar, Zoe flies on to the little known Cape Verde islands, 500 kilometres off the Senegalese coast. With a spectacularly beautiful volcanic landscape,  these islands were once at the centre of the trans-atlantic slave trade. Offshore from Santiago Island, she goes wreck-diving and explores a collection of barnacle-encrusted anchors belonging to old sailing ships, many of them slavers, which centuries ago crowded the now tranquil harbour.
Moving on to Mindelo, on the island of Sao Vicente, Zoe joins in Cape Verde's biggest celebration of the year: Carnival, strutting her stuff in costume along with all the other dancers on the streets. Finally she climbs the mighty volcano on the island of Fogo, which last erupted in 1995. She is rewarded at the summit at nearly 3,000 metres with breathtaking views stretching across the Cape Verde islands and the Atlantic beyond. It's been a fantastic journey through Senegal and Cape Verde, two dream destinations for the adventurous traveller. |
