Casamance: Kafountine and the Karones Islands

• Marion

Stage 4 – Casamance: Kafountine and the Karones Islands

Day 7 – Discovery of the Karones and Kafountine Islands

How to get to Kafountine? (The simplest is the taxi 7 place detail below)

Ziguinchor in Kafountine (2500 FCFA – 4€) – 2h30

In Kafountine, we stay in a very family camp and warm CASE MARIE ODILE (8 000-10 000 FCFA – 12-15 €, the double room + 1 bed with bathroom) – not far from the ocean (10 min walk), caring guests, delicious cuisines (special mention for home fries), garden and common area very pleasant.

Be careful, Kafountine is a real labyrinth between the main road and the camp, we got lost 3 times, the sandy roads are all similar and the GPS can not locate you. If you arrive with your backpacks, it is better to take Jakarta…

Second tip : the inhabitants of Kafountine are very sensitive to greetings, as soon as you meet someone saying "KASOUMAILLLL… " with a big smile and you will be very well received.

In Kafountine, there is a large community of Baye Fall, dreadlocks, reggae music, peace and love atmosphere, Jamaican style bars at the rendezvous!

One of the main activities in Kafountine is to enjoy the beach, large and wild, it is very pleasant to watch the sunsets and walk all along. Wreck of a Korean ship stranded on the beach visible at low tide.It is rather clean.

Kafountine is also a very good base to visit the upper part of the lower Casamance (above the river). There are many islands and mangrove walks to do.

We decided to go to the Karones Islands for the day, we leave by bike (which we rented at the camp) from Kafountine, direction Kassel.

Count a good hour by bike to reach Kassel even if the distance is not long (we did not have competition bikes + sandy road, damaged by wintering).

From Kassel, we boarded a canoe with our bikes (500 FCFA for the place + 500 FCFFA for the bike one way). The piroguier passes according to affluence, we waited about 40 minutes on the outward and return journeys.

Arrived on the island we had the ambition to visit the three villages: Hillol, Kouba, Mantat ..

But, the path is very sandy, the blazing sun and the scorching heat makes us stop exhausted at the first village 3 hours later. On site, no restaurant, just a shop.

We had lunch with the village chief and his family, rice and fish (leaving of course a financial contribution). We thank the inhabitants very much for welcoming us to their village and sharing with us this unique moment!

The Karones Islands are known for the Indian chamber (cannabis), there is an annual festival to celebrate the room season in February. At this time of year, the villagers welcome visitors into their homes!

Tips:

-Use Maps Me rather than Google Maps, the routes are more detailed. And download the map before leaving because little network in this region.

-For the bike, no professional rental was open because we were not in tourist period, but it is better to rent well maintained mountain bikes to make this kind of trip or in jakarta (maximum 1000 FCFA – 1.5 € per person)

Back in Kafountine, we pass by the port, the main economic activity of the city.

We witness the impressive return of the huge fishing canoes (around 6pm)!Magnificent show not to be missed if you pass by this city!

Other things to see from Kafountine:

  • Bird Peninsula
  • Village of Abéné

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