Travel to:
The Gambia
Iceland
India
Nepal
Norway
Romania
Senegal
Thailand
Uganda

Holidays 2012:

GAMBIA:
Yoga on the Beach
Selected dates

SENEGAL:
Abéné Music Festival
27 Dec-2 Jan 2013

NEPAL:
Yoga Trekking
25 March - 8 April
15 - 29 October
6 - 20 November

Green Triangle
19 - 30 October

Responsible Peak
30 Oct - 11 Nov

INDIA:
Classic Kerala
29 Sep - 14 Oct

Green Triangle
1 - 11 November

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Margaret Mead

Abéné Music Festival, and Celebrating New Year in Casamance Senegal

Location: Senegal, Casamance: Niafourang, Kafonting and Abéné.
Date: 27/12 - 02/01 - 2012. One week, additional days can be arranged.
Group size: Available from two people.
Accommodation: TinTing Gjestehus, Niafourang.
Price: EURO 555,- per person including accommodation (based on two people sharing room), all meals, transfer to and from airport, Activities and transportation as per itinerary. Flight is excluded.

Description: Welcome to participate in Abéné Music Festival, a huge event attracting people from in and around Senegal. You will stay at TinTing, a small Norwegian/Senegalese run guesthouse, located on the coast of Senegals beautiful southern region. Enjoy beautiful surrounding, eat vegetables and eggs from TinTing Garden and other locally produced food. Thanks to the solar panels you can enjoy an ice cold drink whenever you want and read in bed before you go to sleep at night. Explore this beautiful area of Senegal with beautiful beaches, African music and community involvement. During the evenings you will be at the festival or sit by the fire with nice company.

This trip also includes a big New Year Celebration! The Abene Music Festival and TinTing is waiting for you, and so are the long and lovely beaches, almost empty of people.

Do you have questions or want to book "Abéné Music Festival, and Celebrating New Year in Casamance Senegal"?
Contact us here.

Day 1: Arrive Senegal and Tinting.
Pick up from the airport in Gambia for a two hours’ drive to TinTing. We stamp the passports at the border. TinTing welcomes you with a cold drink and a nice African meal. Peaceful evening by the fire.

Day 2: Explore Niafourang - The Abéné Festival
After breakfast a stroll around TinTing, a short visit to the beach and a drink at our local bar. In Tinting Garden you will see Artemisia annua, which is a plant that cures malaria and is in connection with the international network ANAMED – Natural Medicine for the Tropics.

We cross the ricefield to the village and look at the African-Norwegian project to create jobs and activity for children. A partnership between Norwegian architect students and the young people of the village is established, and the coming winter they will build a village house for culture, craft and learning.

Evening: Time for music! The festival (26.12.-02.01) in the nearby village Abéné is an annual highlight for the local community. People come from all Africa, and from Europe, to enjoy this wonderful festival. After midnight you can go for dancing or we take you home when you want!

Day 3: Explore Abéné; the holy tree and local crafts - Abéné Festival.
After lunch or late afternoon we walk or drive to Abéné. Walking by the beach takes one hour and is a lovely experience. In Abéné we visit the probably mightiest tree in West Africa – a holy kapok believed to be 1400 years old. Stop for a drink at Abene Bistro (not included). You will have time to walk through the cosy city and not at least visit the craft market where you can see the artists in action. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Evening: Abéné Festival.

Day 4: Possibilities to learn traditional dance, drumming, local cooking etc
Inspired by the performance the previous evening, you may want a lesson in traditional dance, or a drumming lesson.
Others may prefer a lazy day on the beach, or to help our cook prepare a tasty porridge with peanuts, rice and milk. Warning: heavy work! We can also show you the local pottery.
Enjoy the evening at TinTing with a local music performance.

Day 5: Kafountine and New Years Eve
We spend the morning in Kafountine. Boat building, fishing and smoking of fish still employ many people in this lively tourist village. Kafountine has a painfully bad main street with shops selling good batik and other fabric and clothing. (Good tailor in Niafourang!) African or French lunch before return to TinTing and a good rest.

We welcome the new year with music and big fires on the beach in Abéné
with hundreds of other people.

Day 6: Take it easy!
You do what you want. A lovely day on the beach may be the right thing today.
Evening: Abéné Festival.

Day 7: Morning on the river
For many guests the highlight of their visit: A paddling trip on the Alahin river early in the morning. We see eagles watching from the baobab trees and kingfishers and pelicans resting in the mangroves. After a solid breakfast at the nice Sunset Café at the riverside.
In the evening we say goodbye by the fire. Our local Boubak Group will play djembe and souruba and sing for you.

Day 8: Departure
Relax and do what you like until departure.

Do you have questions or want to book "Abéné Music Festival, and Celebrating New Year in Casamance Senegal"?
Contact us here.