If you're visiting the nearby city of St. Louis, add an extra night to include this park. Its main attraction is the bird life—180 species, including crested cranes, pink flamingos and pelicans—but about 20 different animals, including the Arabic outarde and the redheaded gazelle, live there, too. If you arrive before dusk, you can witness the return of a million or more birds from their feeding grounds. The whir of these birds as they pass low over your head is unforgettable (you can repeat the experience the next morning when the birds take off). It is forbidden to enter the park without hiring a guide. The best time to visit the park is November-March, when the greatest number of birds are in residence. You can tour the park by canoe, camel, car and/or horseback. 125 mi/200 km northeast of Dakar.
