A magic world, a fantastic bird, a mythical traditional culture, an Edenic landscape are the miracles which Ecotour propose to discover and to contemplate. In the heart of Dakar, the discovery of a rare bird of an exceptional beauty, the Phaeton, and the culture of conservative people, the lébou, will bring you towards horizons where the botany and the geology will fascinate you with their specificity. You will discover these people through the individual tuuru which binds the person to his/her genius and the different cultural events such as sabar, ndawrabine, goumbé and kassack.

The Phaeton, Aethereus mesonauta is a beautiful bird. Ecotour offers you the dreamed opportunity to discover this rare jewel which is only met on three islands of the world : Islands Asunción, Cape Verde Islands and our dear Islands of Madeleine. This bird with a brilliant and black white plumage in some parts, a red beak, has an exceptional tail made by long feathers confering it the name “straw on tail”. This beautiful tail gives to this bird of about 90 cm long for a wingspan of 100 cm an envied elegance when it is shaken.

The Phaeton lives in open sea and is rarely observable on ground outside its period of reproduction. It is an excellent long-flight bird but is incapable to walk.

By going to meet this bird, you will be surprised to discover the miracles of the environment which shelters it : the Islands of Madeleine. It will be the occasion to notice the specificity of the geology and the botany of the island.

The Islands of Madeleine arise from a former volcanic system dating back to the Tertiary : the volcanism of the Peninsula of Cape Verde. They present spectacular architecture due to their prismatic colonnades. Their abrupt cliffs embody numerous cavities in which comes to nest Phaetons. The charm of these islands also lies in their folded shape, the presence of a natural swimming pool cut in the cliff in the entry of the island, and the numerous natural aquariums where are taken in trap fishes.

The observation of the vegetation will amaze you. You will discover an exceptional flora different from that of the continent because of its crawling shape and its nanism. This is an adaptation in the conditions of the environment.

The erection of Islands in national park and their character considered as sacred for the waterside population protect them from anthropological impacts. This gives rise to a biologic wealth : abundance of fishes, mollusks, shellfishes and microbodies. All this explain why the islands is a site very appreciated by the ornithological fauna represented by migratory and nesting sorts such as : some terns, the cormorant, the madman of bassan, the labbe with long tail, black Milan, the balbuzard fisherman, the egret, the ash heron, etc.

You will doubtless appreciate the visit of the national park of the Islands of Madeleine. Previously we will have to visit another volcanic system of the Peninsula of Cape Verde : the Mamelles of Dakar.

You will be fascinated by the conical shape, the size and the height of the Mamelles which dominate all the city offering so an exceptional panoramic sight. They are the vestiges of a former volcanic system dating back to the Quaternary. The vegetation is particularly characterized by xerophytic species mostly composed of euphorbia.

Near the Mamelles, we will go to the discovery people who is very conservative of its tradition : the Lébou also called the people of the sea. They has the power to contact, to communicate with the geniuses in sacred places such as the sacred altars. It will be an opportunity for us to discover the sacred link between the Lébou with the supernatural spirits that are rabs and tuurs. To that extend, we will attend an individual tuuru and possibly a ndeup.

As regards the individual tuuru, the person will make sacrifices of animals and offerings towards its genius. This rite are in line with some practical standards. The individual renews so his alliance with the genius while formulating him/her wishes. This genius or tuur is considered as supplier of happiness and a defender against the misfortune. However, in case of not - respect of his requirements, it can occur a disaster for the person as well for his family. This is why the villagers are very attached to the tuuru and respect it scrupulously.

With the ndeup, we will attend a therapeutic traditional ceremony. We will see a patient whom only the incantations of his/her rab can cure. Often this person becomes ill to have neglected his/her rab, that is to say to have stayed for a long time without having made for him/her offerings. By way of punishment or of warning, the rab makes him sick. In that case, only the ndeup can cure her/him. For that purpose, an animal will be sacrificed for the patient in a ritual ceremony accompanied with songs and with dances. We then appeal to a priestess in charge of the organization of this ndeup . She is assisted by other priestess who are also experimented.

Except for tuuru and ndeup, it is a habit to organize in Yoff other cultural events. There are foremost sabar, kassack, ndawrabine and goumbé. To this extand, we propose you to known and appreciate them. They are events gathering a big crowd and during which it is sung and danced at the rate of the tomtom. Each of them presents specificities that you will notice in beautiful choreographies.

We will visit a sacred island which has a very important place in the mythical Lébou environment : the island of Teunguène. This island is an example of conservation of the natural environment and is the first Area of the Community Patrimony of the world. It is visited during the big ritual ceremonies of the Lébou where animals are sacrificed. The sacred aspect of the island and its erection in Area of the Community Patrimony explain why the environment is quiet, little frequented, which favored the presence of an important ornithological fauna. Indeed the birds of different species made it a paradisiac site. We will take advantage of it to contemplate them carefully.

You will not go back without contemplating for the city of the Senegalese capital where the téranga (hospitality) finds its true meaning. You will so have the opportunity to discover almost all the town of Dakar. This will enable you to have beautiful anchored recollections.