Ziguinchor

Ziguinchor sits on the south bank of the Casamance river, settled by Portuguese traders from the late sixteenth century, made an official Portuguese post in 1645 and transferred to France in 1888, and it keeps a low colonial centre of arcaded buildings, a market and a working port. The Casamance is greener and wetter than the rest of Senegal, culturally distinct, and predominantly Diola. The overnight ferry from Dakar is the classic way to arrive, coming up the river at dawn.

History

The town stands at the narrowest point of the lower Casamance and was part of the Bainuk kingdom of Bichangor before Portuguese traders settled there in the late 16th century; they had a resident priest by 1609 and a church by 1621, and the official post was founded in 1645 as a dependency of Cacheu. Ziguinchor passed to France on 22 April 1888 and grew as a port of the groundnut trade (Wikipedia, Ziguinchor).

What you'll find

• The waterfront - the river frontage and the port where the Dakar ferry ties up.
• The colonial centre - arcaded buildings and the old administrative quarter.
• The Saint-Maur market - a large working market at the centre of the town.
• The river - the Casamance running west towards the sea, worked by pirogues.

When to go

November to May is the dry season. The rains from June to October are heavy in the Casamance and the region is at its greenest. The ferry from Dakar runs several times a week and books up.

What to expect

Getting there means a ferry, a flight, or a road route through the Gambia with two border crossings. The city itself is modest and most visitors move straight on to the coast or the villages. Accommodation is limited but adequate.

Nearby

Oussouye is west, Cap Skirring is on the coast, and Carabane is downriver.

Key facts