Popenguine Nature Reserve

The reserve at Popenguine protects a few hundred hectares of coastal scrub and low red cliffs on the Petite Côte, and its interest is as much social as ecological: it has been managed since the 1980s by a federation of village women's groups who took on the regeneration of degraded land and turned it into a working reserve. The vegetation has come back, the bird list is long for the size, and trails run along the cliffs and inland through the scrub.

Highlights

• The red cliffs - low ochre cliffs along the shore, unusual on this coast.
• The regenerated scrub - vegetation restored on land that was bare.
• The bird list - a strong count of resident and migrant species for a small site.
• The women's collectives - the village federation that manages the reserve.

When to go

November to April is dry and comfortable. Migrants swell the bird list in the northern winter. Mornings are best for birds and for the light on the cliffs.

What to expect

The reserve is small and two hours covers it. Facilities are minimal. Popenguine village itself is a pilgrimage site in May and is very busy then.

Nearby

Popenguine village is at the gate, and Saly and Toubab Dialaw are along the same coast.