Have you ever wanted to go home?
Not just any home — but the home.
The one etched into your DNA. The one you may have never seen, but have always known.
The home where rhythm lives in the soil… where music, dance, history, and spirit move as one.
The home that calls you back — again and again.

Answer the call!

Embark on a transformational 14 Day cultural arts voyage across Ghana and Sénégal— the heart of West Africa. Walk the paths of your ancestors, explore sacred landmarks, and awaken your senses in places rich with legacy, beauty, and resilience.

Each day offers a deep dive into traditional life:
🪘 Folkloric drumming and dance workshops led by legendary artists
🍲 Traditional meals infused with generations of flavor
🎭 Storytelling, language, music, and art that connect you to something greater

Shop vibrant markets Nima, Makola & Artisana, and Senegal's famous Marché Sandaga, Marché Soumbédioune & Marché HLM filled with one-of-a-kind treasures.
Relax in forest parks, bask on golden beaches, or let loose in the pulse of West Africa’s nightlife.
Live immersed in comfortable, shared, traditional housing — with all the amenities and the warmth of local hospitality. (Private rooms available upon request.)

This isn’t just a trip.
It’s a return.
A celebration.
A remembering.

Bra Yɛnkɔ! • Ñëwal Ak Nun! Join Us! 🇬🇭 🇸🇳

Experience Ghana through its music, movement, history, artistry, cuisine, traditions, and people.

This seven-day Cultural Arts Immersion invites travelers to experience Ghana beyond the traditional tourist path. Through meaningful cultural exchange, participants will learn directly from Ghanaian master artists, culture bearers, historians, artisans, and community members.

From historic landmarks and ancestral sites to hands-on arts experiences, traditional cuisine, daily dance and drumming, and community connection, each day offers another opportunity to learn, participate, reflect, and celebrate.

Our journey culminates with An Evening of Living Traditions: A Celebration of Learning, Culture & Community, where travelers share what they have learned alongside their Ghanaian instructors and artists.

🇬🇭Ghana

More Than a Trip. A Cultural Arts Immersion.

Experience Ghana through its people, traditions, history, artistry, music, movement, food, and community. This voyage is intentionally designed to take you beyond sightseeing and invite you to learn, participate, create, connect, and celebrate.

✨ Ghana Voyage Highlights

• 🥁 Daily Cultural Arts Immersion — (5) Three-hour dance, drum workshops (Kpanlogo, Obonu, Gome, Ewe), song, language (Ga & Twi) and cultural studies with Ghanaian master artists

• 🌍 Accra Cultural Exploration — Experience Independence Square, Black Star Gate, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre, markets, arts, and contemporary Ghanaian life

• 🌿 Aburi Botanical Gardens — Explore one of Ghana's beautiful natural and historic treasures

• 🎨 Hands-On Cultural Arts Experiences — Discover Adinkra, Kente, textiles, beadwork, carving, and other Ghanaian artistic traditions

• 🖤 Assin Manso & The Last Bath — A powerful ancestral experience centered on remembrance, reflection, and resilience

• 🚪 Cape Coast Castle — Walk through an important chapter of African and African Diasporic history

• 👑 Traditional Ghanaian Naming & Welcome to the Family Ceremony — Receive a Ghanaian name, learn its significance, and experience a meaningful moment of cultural connection

• 🤝🏾 Community Cultural Exchange — Connect with local artists, elders, culture bearers, artisans, and community members

• 🍲 Taste of Ghana — Enjoy Ghanaian cuisine during lunches, dinners, and community experiences throughout the voyage

• 🛍️ Markets, Artisans & Shopping — Discover fabrics, jewelry, artwork, instruments, handcrafted goods, and locally made treasures

• 🎶 Live Music & Master Artists — Learn with and experience Ghanaian musicians, dancers, drummers, and culture bearers

• 🌙 Optional Ghanaian Nightlife — Experience Highlife, Afrobeat, live music, dancing, rooftop lounges, and Ghana after dark

• 💭 Reflection & Cultural Dialogue — Create space to process, journal, ask questions, and deepen your understanding of each day's experiences

• 🎭 An Evening of Living Traditions — Culminate the voyage by sharing the dance, drumming, songs, and traditions studied throughout the week alongside Ghanaian master artists

• 🎓 Certificate of Completion — Celebrate your participation and artistic growth at the conclusion of the Cultural Arts Immersion

Yɛma wo akwaaba! — Join Us!

Come Ready to Learn. Move. Create. Connect.

Spend seven days in Senegal learning through rhythm, conversation, food, history, and everyday cultural exchange.

This Cultural Arts Immersion invites travelers to engage with Senegal through dance, drumming, language, fashion, cuisine, storytelling, and time shared with local artists, families, and community members. Participants are invited not only to observe, but to listen, ask questions, learn, and take part.

From the sound of Sabar drums in Dakar to the history held on Gorée Island, Senegalese textiles, local markets, and meals shared around the table, this journey creates space to experience Senegal’s deep cultural knowledge, creativity, resilience, and connection to the African diaspora.

Our journey culminates with An Evening of Living Traditions: A Celebration of Learning, Culture & Community, where travelers gather with Senegalese instructors and artists to share the music, movement, and cultural experiences explored throughout the week.

🇸🇳 Sénégal

More Than a Trip. A Cultural Arts Immersion.

✨ Sénégal Voyage Highlights

• 🥁 Daily Cultural Arts Immersion — (5) 3-Hour Dance (Sabar, Djembe), drum (Sabar, Djembe, Dunun), songs, language, rhythms, and cultural studies with Senegalese master artists and musicians

• 🌍 Discover Dakar — Explore Senegal's dynamic capital and experience the intersection of traditional and contemporary West African culture

• 🖤 Gorée Island — Journey to this historically significant island for remembrance, reflection, and a deeper understanding of the African diaspora

• 🚪 Door of No Return — Visit one of Senegal's most recognized sites connected to the history and memory of the transatlantic slave trade

• 🗿 African Renaissance Monument — Experience one of Dakar's most recognizable landmarks and panoramic views of the city

• 🧵 Senegalese Fashion & Textile Experience — Discover beautiful fabrics, traditional clothing, tailoring, embroidery, and contemporary Senegalese design

• 🛍️ Dakar Market Experience — Explore local markets including HLM and other neighborhood markets for textiles, fashion, spices, artwork, jewelry, and everyday Senegalese life

• 🎨 Artists & Artisans of Senegal — Meet local artists and experience painting, textiles, jewelry, basketry, sculpture, and other creative traditions

• 🤝🏾 Community Cultural Exchange — Spend meaningful time connecting with Senegalese artists, families, elders, and community members

• 🍲 A Taste of Senegal — Experience dishes such as thieboudienne, yassa, mafé, fresh seafood, bissap, and other Senegalese favorites

• ☕ The Spirit of Teranga — Experience Senegal's renowned tradition of hospitality, generosity, and community

• 🎶 Live Music & Master Artists — Experience Senegal's rich musical culture, from traditional percussion and dance to mbalax and contemporary sounds

• 🌊 Atlantic Coast Experience — Enjoy Senegal's beautiful coastline, fishing communities, beaches, and ocean views

• 🌙 Optional Dakar Nightlife — Experience live music, mbalax, dancing, restaurants, lounges, and Dakar after dark

• 💭 Reflection & Cultural Dialogue — Make space to journal, discuss, ask questions, and connect each day's experiences to the wider African diaspora

• ❤️💛💚 Cultural Connection — Discover the similarities and beautiful distinctions between the traditions experienced in Ghana and Senegal

Ñëwal Ak Nun! — Join Us!

Come Ready to Learn. Move. Create. Connect

Monday - December 28th

• Arrival at Kotoka International Airport

• Transfer to hotel-Check -In

• Time to refresh

• Lunch (Included)

• Orientation meeting

• Currency exchange

• Evening Welcome Dinner featuring Ghanaian Cuisine

• Live music & dance performance

Highlights

• Introduction to Ghanaian customs

• Learn a few Ga & Twi greetings

• Meet your local guides & Fellow Travelers

• Experience your first taste of Ghanaian Hospitality.

Understanding Ghana's Story

Tuesday December 29th

• Independence Square

• Black Star Gate

• Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local Ghanaian restaurant

• W.E.B. Du Bois Centre

• Arts Centre for National Culture

Late Afternoon (3:00–6:00 PM)

Cultural Arts Immersion

• Introduction to Ghanaian dance : Kpanlogo & Fume' Fume'

• Traditional drumming : Kpanlogo & Gome

• Folkloric & Contemporary Music integration

• Songs and cultural context

• Meet the local master artists

Evening

• Family Style Dinner

• Reflection Circle

🌙 Optional Evening Experience
Free time, rest or Experience Accra's vibrant nightlife through live music, Afro-fusion performances, rooftop lounges, or local cafés.

Highlights of the Day

• Explore the birthplace of modern Ghana

• Discover Pan-African history and legacy

• Begin your dance and drumming journey with local master artists

Wednesday December 30th

• Aburi & The Akuapem Hills

Afternoon

• Lunch at a traditional Ghanaian restaurant in Aburi

• Hands-on workshops:

  • Adinkra symbol printing

  • Kente weaving

  • Bead making

  • Batik

  • Wood carving

Late Afternoon (3:00–6:00 PM)

Cultural Arts Immersion

• Obonu dance traditions

• Drum ensemble techniques : Obonu & Fromtomfrom

• Folkloric & Contemporary Music integration

• Traditional songs

Evening

• Family Style Dinner

• Reflection Circle

🌙 Optional Evening Experience
Free time, rest or Experience Accra's vibrant nightlife through live music, Afro-fusion performances, rooftop lounges, or local cafés.

Highlights of the Day

• Learn directly from Ghanaian artisans

• Create your own cultural keepsakes

• Discover the meanings behind Adinkra symbols

• Deepen your understanding of Ghanaian music and movement

Thursday December 31st

Today we welcome the final day of 2026 with intention. We’ll begin in rhythm with our Ghanaian artists, slow down for an afternoon of rest and restoration, and come back together to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Ghana!

Morning | Cultural Arts Immersion

Begin the day with our Ghanaian master artists and musicians for a special New Year’s Eve Cultural Arts Immersion featuring:

• Traditional Ghanaian dance

• Drumming & percussion

• Traditional songs

• Live musical accompaniment

• Cultural context and conversation

• Continued preparation for our final presentation

🍽️ Afternoon | Curated Group Lunch

Following class, we’ll dine together at a carefully selected Ghanaian restaurant.

🌿 Afternoon | Rest • Restore • Reset

The rest of the afternoon is intentionally left open.

Return to our accommodations and take time to:

• Rest & recharge

• Nap or relax

• Journal and reflect

• Enjoy the hotel amenities

• Connect with your travel family

• Prepare and dress for the evening

🎆 Evening | New Year’s Eve in Ghana!

Welcome 2027 in Accra

Tonight, our Community Table becomes a celebration!

Gather for a special New Year’s Eve dinner, followed by an unforgettable night experiencing the music, energy, and celebration of Accra.

The evening may include:

• Live music & entertainment

• Highlife & Afrobeats

• Dancing

• Celebration & fellowship

• New Year’s Eve countdown

• Welcoming 2027 together in Ghana

✨ Highlights of the Day

• Immerse yourself in Ghanaian dance, drumming & song

• Continue preparing for our culminating presentation

• Enjoy a curated group lunch

• Rest and restore before the evening

• Share a special New Year’s Eve Community Table

• Experience New Year’s Eve in Ghana

• Dance your way into 2027

🥂 A New Year. A New Rhythm. A New Beginning—in Ghana.

Friday January 1, 2027 | New Year’s Day

We begin the first day of 2027 with a powerful journey into remembrance, nature, and renewal. Today takes us from Assin Manso and The Last Bath into the rainforest at Kakum National Park, before continuing to Ghana’s Central Region for our overnight stay.

Assin Manso & The Last Bath

After breakfast, we’ll check out of our Accra accommodations, load our luggage, and travel by private transportation toward Assin Manso.

At the historic Ancestral Slave River Site, we’ll learn about the journey of captive Africans who passed through this area before being taken to Ghana’s coastal forts.

Our experience will include:

• Guided historical interpretation

• The ancestral slave route

• The significance of The Last Bath

• Ancestral remembrance

• Libation & reflection

• Stories of resilience and survival

• Connections to the African diaspora

🍽️ Afternoon | Taste of Ghana

Following our time at Assin Manso, we’ll gather at a carefully selected restaurant for lunch before continuing our journey.

🌳 Afternoon | Kakum National Park

Our journey continues into the lush tropical rainforest of Kakum National Park.

Explore Ghana’s natural environment and learn about the ecological and cultural importance of the rainforest.

🌉 Kakum Canopy Walk

For those ready for an adventure, experience Kakum’s famous suspended canopy walkway high above the rainforest floor.

Travelers who prefer not to participate in the canopy walk may remain on the ground and enjoy the surrounding park and nature experience.

🌊 Late Afternoon | Journey to the Coast

After Kakum, continue toward the Cape Coast/Elmina region, where we’ll spend the night along Ghana’s beautiful Atlantic coast.

🏨 Evening | Coastal Arrival

Check into our accommodations and take time to:

• Rest & refresh

• Enjoy the coastal surroundings

• Journal & reflect

• Relax by the ocean or pool

• Connect with your travel family

Because today includes New Year’s Day, significant travel, Assin Manso, and Kakum, there will be no formal 3:00–6:00 PM Cultural Arts Immersion. The experiences of the day become our cultural classroom.

🍲 Evening | The Community Table

Gather for our included family-style dinner and Reflection Circle.

Tonight, we slow down, share our experiences, and reflect on a day that moved us from ancestral remembrance to the heights of the rainforest and finally to the Atlantic coast.

✨ Highlights of the Day

• Begin 2027 with intention

• Journey to historic Assin Manso

• Experience The Last Bath

• Honor the memory and resilience of our ancestors

• Explore Kakum National Park

• Walk above the rainforest on the Kakum Canopy Walk

• Journey to Ghana’s Central Region

• Check into our coastal accommodations

• Rest beside the Atlantic

• Gather around the Community Table

Remember where we’ve been. Rise above the rainforest. Restore beside the sea. 

Saturday January 2, 2027

Today brings together two powerful parts of our journey—remembering the history of those who came before us and celebrating identity, connection, and belonging through a Ghanaian Naming Ceremony. We conclude our time in the Central Region before returning to Accra for the final chapter of our voyage.

🏰 Morning | Elmina Castle

After breakfast, we'll check out of our accommodations and begin our day with a guided experience at historic Elmina Castle, one of the most significant sites connected to the transatlantic slave trade.

Our experience will include:

• Guided historical interpretation

• The dungeons

• The Door of No Return

• Stories of resistance, survival & resilience

• Ghana's connection to the African diaspora

• Time for personal reflection

👑 Late Morning | Ghanaian Naming Ceremony

Following our historical experience, we'll participate in a meaningful Ghanaian Naming Ceremony guided by local community members, elders, and culture bearers.

The experience will explore:

• Ghanaian naming traditions

• Names & identity

• Family and community

• Ancestry & belonging

• Cultural symbolism

• Connection to place and heritage

Travelers will receive their Ghanaian names as we commemorate our journey and the relationships we've built.

🍽️ Afternoon | Taste of Ghana

We'll gather for a curated group lunch before beginning our journey back to Accra.

🧳 Afternoon | Depart for Accra

Following lunch, we'll load our private transportation and say farewell to Ghana's Central Region as we journey back to Accra.

Use the ride to:

• Rest & recharge

• Journal

• Reflect on the past two days

• Connect with your travel family

• Enjoy Ghana's changing landscape

🏨 Late Afternoon | Arrive in Accra

Arrive at our Accra accommodations, check in, and take time to settle in and refresh.

Final Arts Immersion & Performance Rehearsal

Once back in Accra, we'll gather with our Ghanaian master artists and musicians for our final rehearsal before tomorrow's Evening of Living Traditions.

We'll focus on:

• Reviewing dances learned throughout the week

• Rehearsing drum rhythms

• Reviewing traditional songs

• Performance transitions

• Integrating live music, movement & song

• Final performance notes

• Preparing for tomorrow's presentation

Rehearsal time may be adjusted based on our return from the Central Region.

🍲 Evening | The Community Table

Gather for our included family-style dinner and Reflection Circle.

Tonight, we reflect on a day that moved us through history, identity, belonging, and return—while preparing for our final celebration together.

✨ Highlights of the Day

• Explore historic Elmina Castle

• Stand at the Door of No Return

• Learn stories of resistance & resilience

• Participate in a Ghanaian Naming Ceremony

• Receive your Ghanaian name

• Depart the Central Region

• Journey back to Accra

• Complete our final performance rehearsal

• Gather around the Community Table

Remember the past. Receive your name. Carry the connection forward.

Sunday January 3rd

Today, we don't just say goodbye—we celebrate what we've learned, the relationships we've built, and the traditions we'll carry forward.

Our final day in Ghana is intentionally lighter, giving us time to enjoy our last moments in Accra, pick up those final treasures, rest, and prepare for our culminating celebration. Tonight, we come together with our Ghanaian artists and community to share what we've learned and celebrate the journey we've experienced together.

Morning | Last-Minute Shopping & Accra

After breakfast, enjoy a relaxed morning in Accra for last-minute shopping and exploration.

This is your opportunity to pick up:

• Ghanaian fabrics & clothing

• Jewelry & accessories

• Art & handcrafted goods

• Gifts & souvenirs

• Skincare & natural products

• Final keepsakes from your journey

🍽️ Afternoon | Farewell Lunch

Gather for our final group lunch in Ghana and take some time to reflect on an incredible week together.

🌿 Afternoon | Rest • Refresh • Prepare

Return to our accommodations for downtime before tonight's celebration.

Take time to:

• Rest & recharge

• Pack and organize luggage

• Refresh and get dressed

• Prepare performance attire

• Review choreography, rhythms & songs

• Reflect on your journey

🎭 Late Afternoon | Final Performance Preparation

It's almost showtime!

Travelers, Ghanaian master artists, musicians, and teaching artists come together at the performance location for our final preparations.

• Costuming

• Drum & instrument setup

• Performance spacing

• Final dance & song review

• Final notes

• Group warm-up

AN EVENING OF LIVING TRADITIONS

A Celebration of Learning, Culture & Community

Tonight is the culmination of our Sacred Threads: Ghana Cultural Arts Immersion.

After a week of learning, creating, moving, listening, and connecting, travelers have the opportunity to share what they've experienced alongside the Ghanaian artists and musicians who have guided our journey.

The evening may feature:

• Traditional Ghanaian dance

• Drumming & percussion

• Traditional songs

• Live musical accompaniment

• Traveler presentations

• Ghanaian master artists & special guests

• Collaborative performances

• Community participation

• Closing acknowledgments

• Certificate of Completion presentation

This isn't about perfection. It's about participation, cultural exchange, and honoring what we've learned together.

🎉 Farewell Celebration | Final Community Table

Following our presentation, the celebration continues!

Our final Community Table becomes our farewell party with:

• Family-style dinner

• Music

• Dancing

• Fellowship

• Photos

• Final reflections

• Lots of joy!

For those continuing with us to Senegal, we prepare for the next chapter of Sacred Threads.

For those returning home, we say Medaase—thank you for taking this journey with us.

✨ Highlights of the Day

• Enjoy a relaxed final morning in Accra

• Shop for final Ghanaian treasures & keepsakes

• Gather for our Farewell Lunch

• Rest & prepare for the evening

• Take the stage with Ghanaian artists & musicians

• Share what we've learned through dance, drumming & song

• Celebrate the completion of our Cultural Arts Immersion

• Receive your Certificate of Completion

• Gather for our final Community Table

• Celebrate an unforgettable week in Ghana

We came to experience Ghana. We leave carrying its rhythms, relationships, lessons, and memories with us.

Monday January 4

Our Senegal journey begins in Dakar, where travelers are welcomed into the spirit of Teranga—the Senegalese tradition of hospitality, generosity, and community.

✈️ Arrival | Welcome to Dakar

For travelers continuing from Ghana, we'll arrive together and transfer to our accommodations. Travelers joining us for Senegal will be welcomed upon arrival.

• Airport Arrival

• Hotel check-in

• Rest & refresh

• Meet our Senegalese team

• Voyage orientation

• Introduction to Senegalese customs & etiquette

• Practice Wolof greetings

🍲 Evening | The Community Table

Teranga Welcome Dinner

Our first evening together begins around the table.

Enjoy an included family-style Senegalese dinner as we meet our hosts, introduce our travel family, and prepare for the week ahead.

✨ Highlights of the Day

• Arrive in Senegal

• Experience your first Dalal ak jamm

• Discover the meaning of Teranga

• Meet our Senegalese hosts

• Learn introductory Wolof

• Share our first Senegal Community Table

Tuesday January 5th

Morning | Cultural Arts Immersion

After Breakfast
Begin the day with a hands-on artistic immersion led by Sénégalese master artists.

• Sabar dance

• Sabar drumming

• Traditional songs

• Rhythm and movement vocabulary

• Wolof language through music

• Cultural context and storytelling

Late Morning | Discover Dakar - Two Cultural Pathways

First-Time Visitors:
African Renaissance Monument
• Guided monument experience
• Pan-African history & conversation
• Senegalese identity
• Panoramic views & photography

Returning Visitors:
Ouakam: Faith, Community & the Atlantic
• Visit the Mosque of the Divinity
• Explore the historic Ouakam/Lébou community
• Learn about Lébou culture and Dakar’s fishing traditions
• Atlantic coastline & photography
• Short cultural conversation with a local guide

Then both groups reunite and travel together to Ngor for the pirogue crossing, island exploration, and lunch. 🍽️ Afternoon | Taste of Sénégal: Lunch on Ngor Island

Enjoy lunch beside the water during our first Taste of Sénégal experience.

🌊 Late Afternoon | Experience Ngor

Spend time enjoying island life before returning to mainland Dakar by pirogue.

• Local artists and community

• Beaches and Atlantic views

• Photography, walking, and exploration

• Relaxation by the water

🍲 Evening | The Community Table

Return to Dakar for an included family-style dinner and Reflection Circle.

🌙 Optional Evening Experience

Rest or experience Dakar after dark through live music, Mbalax, cultural performances, cafés, lounges, and dancing.

✨ Highlights of the Day

• Begin Sénégalese drum, dance, song, and Wolof studies

• Visit Dakar’s African Renaissance Monument

• Explore Pan-African history, identity, and possibility

• Ride a traditional pirogue to Ngor Island

• Enjoy lunch beside the Atlantic Ocean

• Explore island life, local artists, beaches, and coastal views

• Gather for a family-style dinner and Reflection Circle

• Optional evening of Dakar music, Mbalax, cafés, and dancing

Wednesday January 6, 2026

10:00 AM–1:00 PM | Cultural Arts Immersion

Begin the day immersed in Senegalese music, movement, language, and culture with local artists and culture bearers.

Our studies may include:

• Sabar Dance

• Sabar Drumming

• Senegalese songs & rhythms

• Wolof language

• Cultural studies & conversation

• Artist-to-artist exchange

Taste of Sénégal — Lunch

Following our morning immersion, enjoy lunch together before beginning our afternoon exploration of Dakar.

Afternoon | First-Time Travelers — Markets & Textiles of Dakar

Experience the color, movement, creativity, and commerce of Dakar through its vibrant market culture.

• Traditional Dakar market experience

• Senegalese fabrics & textiles

• Wax print, bazin & traditional fashion

• Local artisans and vendors

• Jewelry, art, clothing & handmade goods

• Senegalese market culture & bargaining

• Shopping for souvenirs and keepsakes

Afternoon | Returning Travelers — Dakar's Creative Side

Returning travelers venture beyond the traditional visitor experience for a deeper look at Dakar's contemporary creative community.

• Contemporary Senegalese art

• Local galleries & creative spaces

• Artist studios

• Meet Senegalese artists and creatives

• Neighborhood art & design

• Photography & cultural conversation

Late Afternoon | Reunite in Dakar

First-time and returning travelers reconnect after their separate experiences, sharing what they discovered before returning to the hotel.

🍽️ Evening | Family-Style Dinner

Gather for our included family-style dinner and an opportunity to relax, reflect, and connect.

🌙 Optional | Dakar After Dark

Those interested may explore Dakar's evening culture through live music, dance, or nightlife.

✨ DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS

Cultural Arts Immersion • Sabar • Drum & Dance • Wolof • Dakar Markets • Senegalese Textiles • Local Artisans • Contemporary Art • Artist Studios • Creative Dakar • Shopping • Cultural Exchange

Thursday January 7th

Today explores Sénégal's important place within African and global Black history. Through movement, music, art, history, and intellectual thought, we examine how Senegalese culture has influenced conversations about African identity, Black consciousness, creativity, and the Diaspora.

10:00 AM–1:00 PM | Cultural Arts Immersion

Begin the day together with our Senegalese artists and culture bearers.

Our studies continue through:

• Sabar Dance

• Traditional Senegalese Dance

• Sabar, Djembe & Dunun Drumming

• Senegalese songs & rhythms

• Wolof language

• Cultural context behind the rhythms and dances

• Artist-to-artist exchange

🍽️ 1:00 PM | Taste of Sénégal — Lunch

Following our morning immersion, enjoy lunch before separating into our two afternoon cultural pathways.

First-Time Travelers | Museum of Black Civilisations

Explore Dakar's Museum of Black Civilisations, an institution dedicated to the histories, achievements, creativity, and contributions of Black civilizations across Africa and throughout the Diaspora.

The experience includes:

• African civilizations & history

• Black identity across the Diaspora

• African art, artifacts & material culture

• Spiritual and cultural traditions

• Colonialism, resistance & liberation

• Contemporary African creativity

• Guided reflection & conversation

The visit provides an opportunity to place what we're experiencing in Sénégal within the much larger story of Africa and its global Diaspora.

Returning Travelers | Léopold Sédar Senghor Museum

Returning travelers take a more intimate journey into Senegalese intellectual, artistic, and political history through the former residence of Léopold Sédar Senghor—poet, philosopher, cultural thinker, and Sénégal's first president.

Our experience explores:

• The life & legacy of Léopold Sédar Senghor

• The Négritude Movement

• Poetry, literature & African identity

• Art & cultural philosophy

• Sénégal's post-independence history

• Senghor's vision for African culture

• His influence throughout the African Diaspora

Late Afternoon | Reunite

First-time and returning travelers reconnect after their separate museum experiences and return to the hotel to refresh.

🍽️ Evening | Family-Style Dinner

Gather for our included family-style dinner, conversation, and fellowship.

🗣️ Evening | Culture Talk — Who Defines Blackness?

End the day with a guided Culture Talk connecting the experiences of both groups.

Tonight's conversation may explore:

• What does Black identity mean across cultures?

• Négritude & Pan-African thought

• Sénégal's role in Black intellectual history

• Art as cultural preservation

• Colonialism & cultural identity

• Language, identity & belonging

• Africa and the Diaspora

• What we learned from each group's museum experience

• Traveler questions & reflections

✨ DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS

Cultural Arts Immersion • Sabar • Drum & Dance • Wolof • Museum of Black Civilisations • Léopold Sédar Senghor • Négritude • Black Identity • African Art • Pan-African Thought • Family-Style Dinner • Culture Talk

Friday January 8th

Rhythm in Practice — Music as a Living Tradition

Today, the rhythms we've been studying move beyond the classroom and into community. Through the landscape and traditions of Lac Rose and the contemporary pulse of Mbalax, we experience how music, livelihood, and culture continue to shape everyday life in Sénégal.

9:00AM–12:00 PM | Cultural Arts Immersion

Begin the morning together with our Senegalese artists and culture bearers.

Today's immersion intentionally prepares us for the afternoon experience.

• Sabar Dance

• Sabar, Djembe & Dunun Drumming

• Introduction to Mbalax rhythms

• Senegalese songs

• Wolof language

• Musical communication & ensemble playing

• Cultural context of Senegalese popular music

• Preparation for our afternoon exchange

🍽️ 1:00 PM | Taste of Sénégal — Lunch

Enjoy lunch together before departing Dakar for Lac Rose (Lake Retba).

Afternoon | Journey to Lac Rose

Travel beyond Dakar to experience the landscape, communities, and cultural traditions surrounding Lac Rose.

Upon arrival, travelers have two different experiences.

🩷 First-Time Travelers | Discover Lac Rose

Experience the landscape and traditions surrounding one of Sénégal's best-known destinations.

• Explore Lac Rose

• Learn about traditional salt harvesting

• Meet members of the local community

• Discover how salt is collected & processed

• Local livelihoods & entrepreneurship

• Shop with local artisans and vendors

• Photography & exploration

🪘 Returning Travelers | Mbalax Music Exchange

Returning travelers bring their instruments and put their musical knowledge into practice alongside Senegalese musicians.

• Play alongside local musicians

• Explore Mbalax rhythms & musical structures

• Sabar within the Mbalax ensemble

• Call-and-response

• Improvisation & musical conversation

• Traditional rhythms within contemporary Senegalese music

• Artist-to-artist exchange

• Informal jam session

Late Afternoon | Come Together Through Rhythm

First-time travelers reunite with the returning group for the closing portion of the Mbalax experience.

Listen, dance, sing, or join the rhythm as the entire group comes together through music and community.

🌅 Evening | Sunset at Lac Rose

Slow down and enjoy the changing landscape and atmosphere of Lac Rose as the day transitions into evening.

Time to relax, connect, take photographs, and simply enjoy being together in Sénégal.

🍽️ Evening | Dinner at Lac Rose

Gather together for our included family-style dinner at Lac Rose, surrounded by the atmosphere of the lake and community.

This evening is an opportunity to eat, fellowship, and reflect on a full day of music and cultural exchange.

🗣️ Evening | Culture Talk — From Sabar to Mbalax

Following dinner, close the day together at Lac Rose with our nightly Culture Talk.

Tonight's conversation may explore:

• What is Mbalax?

• Sabar's role in Senegalese music

• Traditional rhythms & contemporary music

• Music as communication

• Oral transmission & learning by doing

• Music, dance & community

• Tradition vs. innovation

• Senegalese popular culture

• Connections throughout the African Diaspora

• Traveler reflections & questions

Night | Return to Dakar

Following our Culture Talk, travel together back to Dakar for a well-earned rest.

✨ DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS

Cultural Arts Immersion • Sabar • Mbalax • Djembe & Dunun • Wolof • Lac Rose • Salt Harvesting • Local Community • Live Music Exchange • Sunset at Lac Rose • Dinner at Lac Rose • Culture Talk

Saturday January 9th

Today, travelers follow two distinct pathways through Sénégal. First-time travelers journey to Gorée Island to engage with ancestral memory and the history of the African Diaspora, while returning travelers travel along the Petite Côte for music, nature, community, and a deeper exploration of Sénégal beyond Dakar.

9:00AM–12:00PM | Cultural Arts Immersion

Begin the day together with our Senegalese artists and culture bearers.

• Sabar Dance

• Senegalese Dance

• Sabar, Djembe & Dunun Drumming

• Senegalese songs & rhythms

• Wolof language

• Cultural context & oral traditions

• Final repertoire preparation

• Artist-to-artist exchange

🍽️ 1:00 PM | Taste of Sénégal — Lunch

Enjoy lunch before separating for our two afternoon journeys.

First-Time Travelers | Gorée Island — Memory & Remembrance

Journey by ferry to Gorée Island for one of the most significant historical experiences of our Sénégal voyage.

Our experience includes:

• Ferry crossing to Gorée Island

• House of Slaves

• Door of No Return

• History of the transatlantic slave trade

• African Diaspora & ancestral memory

• Historic streets & architecture

• Local artists & artisans

• Time for personal reflection

• Photography & exploration

Returning Travelers | Saly & the Petite Côte

Travel south from Dakar for a full afternoon and evening exploring the music, natural beauty, and coastal culture of the Petite Côte.

🪕 Afternoon | Kora Cultural Experience

Meet a Senegalese Kora musician for an intimate, hands-on introduction to one of West Africa's most recognizable instruments.

• History & cultural significance of the Kora

• Connection to griot traditions

• Basic Kora playing techniques

• Traditional melodies

• Call-and-response

• Hands-on Kora lesson

• Conversation with a local musician

• Artist-to-artist musical exchange

🛶 Afternoon | Somone Lagoon & Pirogue Experience

Continue to the beautiful Somone Lagoon for a traditional pirogue experience through the lagoon's natural environment.

• Traditional pirogue ride

• Explore the lagoon

• Mangrove ecosystem

• Birdlife & natural landscape

• Local fishing traditions

• Community & environmental connections

• Photography & peaceful time on the water

🏖️ Late Afternoon | Saly Beach & Free Time

Return to Saly and slow the pace as the sun begins to set.

Enjoy:

• Saly Beach

• Free time along the coast

• Local artisans & vendors

• Shopping & exploration

• Relaxation

• Atlantic views

• Sunset on the Petite Côte

🌅 Evening | Sunset & Dinner in Saly

Gather for an included family-style dinner in Saly before returning to Dakar.

Enjoy the coastal atmosphere, good food, conversation, and fellowship as we reflect on another full day in Sénégal.

🚌 Night | Return to Dakar

Following dinner, travel together back to Dakar for rest and preparation for our final day.

🗣️ Culture Talk | Memory, Music & What We Carry

• Gorée & ancestral memory

• Kora, griots & oral history

• Music as cultural preservation

• Sénégal beyond Dakar

• Land, water & community

• What are we carrying home?

• Traveler reflections & questions

✨ DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS

Cultural Arts Immersion • Gorée Island • House of Slaves • Door of No Return • Kora Lesson • Saly • Somone Lagoon • Pirogue Experience • Mangroves • Petite Côte • Saly Beach • Local Artisans • Sunset • Dinner in Saly • Culture Talk

Sunday January 10

10:00AM–1:00 PM | Final Rehearsal & Cultural Arts Immersion

Our final morning session shifts from learning new material to rehearsing, refining, and preparing to share what we've learned.

• Final Sabar dance rehearsal

• Drum & percussion rehearsal

• Senegalese songs & rhythms

• Review of repertoire from the week

• Ensemble practice

• Music & dance transitions

• Final notes from our Senegalese artists

• Preparation for the evening Tanebere

This is our opportunity to bring together a week's worth of learning before sharing the experience with our Senegalese community.

🍽️ 1:00 PM | Taste of Sénégal — Lunch

Enjoy lunch and take a little time to recharge before the afternoon.

Afternoon | Last-Minute Shopping

Head out for one final opportunity to bring a little piece of Sénégal home.

Travelers can shop for:

• Fabrics & textiles

• Clothing

• Jewelry & accessories

• Art & handmade crafts

• Musical instruments

• Gifts & souvenirs

• Items from local artisans

🧳 Late Afternoon | Pack, Rest & Prepare

Return to the hotel for intentional downtime before our final evening.

Use this time to:

• Pack luggage

• Organize purchases

• Prepare for departure

• Rest & recharge

• Shower and dress

• Prepare instruments & performance attire

• Get ready for our final celebration

Evening | Final Tanebere — A Celebration of Community

Tonight, we bring the voyage full circle with a traditional Tanebere—an evening rooted in rhythm, dance, community, and celebration.

This is more than a performance. It is an opportunity to participate, exchange, celebrate, and share alongside the Senegalese artists and community members who have poured into us throughout the week.

The evening may include:

• Live Sabar drumming

• Sabar dance

• Senegalese artists & musicians

• Djapo traveler participation

• Sharing repertoire learned during the week

• Community dancing

• Call-and-response

• Music, song & celebration

• Cultural exchange

• Final acknowledgments & gratitude

🍽️ Evening | Farewell Dinner & Celebration

Enjoy our final included family-style dinner as part of the evening's celebration.

We gather one last time around food, music, friendship, and community to honor the relationships created throughout our journey.

🗣️ Final Culture Talk | Reflections & What We Carry Home

Close our Sénégal immersion with a final circle of reflection.

• What did Sénégal teach us?

• What challenged or surprised us?

• How has our understanding of the Diaspora changed?

• What relationships do we want to continue?

• How do we honor what we've learned?

• What will we carry home?

• How do we keep the Sacred Thread connected?

🌙 Closing | Jërëjëf Sénégal

Jërëjëf — Thank You.

We close our journey in gratitude to our teachers, artists, guides, hosts, families, and communities who welcomed us and shared their traditions with us.

We arrived as travelers.

We leave carrying rhythm, relationships, stories, memories, and a deeper connection to the Diaspora.

✨ DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS

Final Rehearsal • Sabar • Drum & Dance • Last-Minute Shopping • Packing & Rest • Final Tanebere • Community Celebration • Farewell Dinner • Cultural Exchange • Final Reflection • Jërëjëf Sénégal 🇸🇳