Lompoul desert

Lompoul is a desert landscape in western Senegal featuring extensive orange-colored sand dunes set within a region otherwise dominated by coastal vegetation. The area sits in a transition zone between dry inland terrain and the moist environment near the Atlantic Ocean.

The area takes its name from the village of Lompoul and was traditionally a remote region inhabited by nomadic groups. It began developing as a destination in the early 2000s when new tourism infrastructure and investment opened the area to visitors.

Local communities have long inhabited the surrounding areas, maintaining pastoral traditions and knowledge of desert life that remain visible in the region today. Visitors can learn about these practices from people who still live and work in the area.

Access is easiest through organized tours departing from Saint-Louis to the north, with accommodation options available near the desert. Visiting during the drier months provides the most comfortable conditions for exploring the sand dunes.

The desert sits only a few kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean, creating an unusual geographical situation where sand dunes exist near coastal waters. This blend of desert features and ocean proximity makes the location geographically unexpected.