Fathala Wildlife Reserve

Fathala occupies a block of dry forest on the southern edge of the Saloum Delta and works on the same model as Bandia: fenced, stocked with rhino, giraffe, zebra, eland and antelope, and driven with a guide. It also runs a lion encounter in which visitors walk with habituated animals, which is the part that divides opinion sharply and is worth deciding about before you arrive rather than at the gate. There is a lodge on site and the delta is immediately north.

What you actually see

• The dry forest - a block of Sahelian woodland on the delta's southern edge.
• The introduced game - rhino, giraffe, zebra and antelope on the driven circuit.
• The birdlife - a strong forest and edge list, with the delta nearby.
• The lodge - accommodation inside the reserve for those staying over.

When to go

November to May is the dry season and the best for game viewing. Early and late are the active hours. The rains from July make tracks difficult and disperse the animals.

Honest expectations

The walking-with-lions activity uses habituated captive animals and is criticised by conservation organisations; it is not a wild encounter and it is reasonable to decline it. As at Bandia, several headline species are introduced rather than native. Prices stack up activity by activity.

Nearby

Toubacouta and the Saloum Delta are north, and the Gambian border is a few kilometres south.