PONANT BISSAGOS ISLANDS CRUISE

Make the most of our Ponant Bissagos Islands Cruise deals. In the little-known reaches of the Atlantic, off the coast of Guinea-Bissau, where the infinite blue of the ocean meets the lush green of the islands, lies a rare jewel: the Bissagos Islands. Now a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this is one of the best preserved archipelagos in the world. It comprises 88 islands, most of which are uninhabited. In many parts, this environment is still completely untouched by man, so these islands offer the chance of a unique and authentic experience to the few visitors who explore them.

Discover the mysterious Bissagos Islands, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of 88 largely uninhabited islands off the coast of Guinea-Bissau. On this rare 9-day PONANT voyage aboard Le Bellot, you’ll explore one of the planet’s most untouched archipelagos—home to ancient cultures and remarkable wildlife.

Sailing into these remote Atlantic lands feels like stepping outside time. You’ll encounter pristine beaches, vast mangroves, savannah, and groves of palms and baobabs. Sea turtles nest on isolated shores, colourful lizards dart through the vegetation, and migratory birds such as pelicans and pink flamingos fill the sky. In the tropical forest, vervet monkeys leap through the canopy as you explore.

Amid this incredible nature lie the villages of the Bissago people, shaped by tides, tradition, and deep harmony with the environment. Palm-woven homes and carved wooden canoes blend seamlessly with the landscape. Throughout your journey—especially on the islands of Caravela, Carache and Orango—you’ll enjoy meaningful encounters with this ancestral culture.

A truly unique and humbling expedition into a world few travellers ever experience.

Duration:    8 nights

From:     Dakar (Senegal) 

To:  Dakar (Senegal)

Ships:  Le Laperouse or Le Champlain

_________________

VOLCANIC ISLANDS & HISTORIC CITIES OF NORTH ATLANTIC

Cruise Description:

Cruise Itinerary

2026 & 2027 CRUISE DATES & DEALS

11 November to 19 November, 2026 - (Dakar to Dakar) - Le Laperouse - 25% off + NO SOLO FEES

19 November to 27 November, 2026 - (Dakar to Dakar) - Le Laperouse - 25% off + NO SOLO FEES

13 Dceember to 21 December, 2026 - (Dakar to Dakar) - Le Laperouse - 25% off + NO SOLO FEES

29 Dceember 2026 to 06 January 2027 - (Dakar to Dakar) - Le Laperouse - 20% off + NO SOLO FEES

Call to learn more about other cruise dates: 1300 799 758

CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS

The private island of Kere is an unspoiled Eden, a one-hectare (two-acre) stretch of tropical forest in the heart of theBissagos Islands. One original feature of this island is that a small, sustainable and fair-trade ecotourism business was developed upon it. On the island’s magnificent beach, a Frenchman has set up a business to show people around thi exceptional natural environment or to take them out for some game fishing, particularly in search of tarpon, a fish weighing over a hundred kilos (220 pounds). The bungalows made from earth and straw blend into the idyllic setting and reflect the mindset of the islet’s owner: authentic and respectful of nature and people.

ORANGO ISLAND, BIJAGOS

Some 20 kilometres off the coast of west Africa, the Bissau-Guinean archipelago of Bissagos is famous for its abundant biodiversity. The richness of its marine animal and plant life afforded it the status of Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO: dolphins, green tortoises, monkeys, striped antelopes and hundreds of thousands of migrating birds find refuge here. Composed of five islands and several islets, Orango is the largest and most mysterious island in the archipelago. Its national park and marine protected area lie in the heart of the Biosphere Reserve. During your zodiac outings, you will set off to discover this preserved environment, home to the Bijogo people, the true custodians of this sanctuary.

UNO ISLAND, BIJAGOS

Covered in beautiful savannah, paddy fields and lush forests, the island of Uno, or Ilha de Uno, is one of the most populated in the Bissagos archipelago. In its many villages, life follows the pace of the everyday scenes and traditions of the Bissago people. The lifestyle of these island people remains relatively untouched by colonial domination and external influences, and still honours animist beliefs and rites, such as the fanados, which are coming-of-age initiations for young men and women that involve them spending four months in the forest with the village elders. By sanctifying the natural environment, the islanders are protecting the archipelago’s unique biodiversity.

ORANGO ISLAND, BIJAGOS

Some 20 kilometres off the coast of west Africa, the Bissau-Guinean archipelago of Bissagos is famous for its abundant biodiversity. The richness of its marine animal and plant life afforded it the status of Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO: dolphins, green tortoises, monkeys, striped antelopes and hundreds of thousands of migrating birds find refuge here. Composed of five islands and several islets, Orango is the largest and most mysterious island in the archipelago. Its national park and marine protected area lie in the heart of the Biosphere Reserve. During your zodiac outings, you will set off to discover this preserved environment, home to the Bijogo people, the true custodians of this sanctuary.

JOAO VIEIRA ISLAND, BIJAGOS

In the far south-east of the Bissagos Islands, João Vieira is a small unspoiled island in the João Vieira and Poilão Marine National Park. This park, where a number of sacred sites can be found, is home to a wonderful biodiversity. On the practically uninhabited island of João Vieira, the Bijagos have set up temporary camps for fishing or for collecting the fruit of oil palms. Like everywhere else in the archipelago, the local population displays ingenuity to adapt to this incredible environment.

CAVALOS ISLAND, BIJAGOS

A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the island of Cavalos is the second-largest nesting site in West Africa. Here you will be able to observe many bird species, including terns, in particular near the freshwater lake. Take a stroll on the beach full of shells, stretching all the way around the island’s 6-km (3.8-mile) circumference. Some rocks have mango trees growing on them, which just rise above the surface during high tide. The interior of the island, blanketed in palm trees and high grasses, is inhabited by a colony of wild pigs.

BOLAMA

Bolama, the capital of Portuguese Guinea from the late 19th century to the end of the 1930s, is shrouded in the surreal and poetic atmosphere of a ghost town forgotten by time. Along the streets covered in ochre earth, the vestiges of neoclassical colonial buildings hint at what was once the sumptuous government palace or the governor’s residence. Now neglected, this hard-to-reach natural harbour surrounded by mangrove swamps once served as an outpost for keeping a close eye on the Guinean population that had come to seek refuge on these remote islands of the Bissagos archipelago to escape their colonisers.

CANHABAQUE, BIJAGOS

Canhabaque Island, also known by the name Roxa, is covered in lush vegetation and boasts pretty beaches alternating with rocky formations. The first island in the archipelago to be inhabited, it is today home to a community of around 2,500 inhabitants, spread across various tabancas (rural villages). Long closed to tourism, it is considered the most traditional island in the whole archipelago in terms of customs and lifestyle. It competes with Caravela for the reputation of the most beautiful island. It has an animist and matrilineal society; women are highly predominant in the management and maintenance of balance in the tabancas.

CARAVELA ISLAND, BIJAGOS

Dotted with authentic and wild landscapes, the Bissagos archipelago is a constellation of islands covered in savannah, forests of palm trees, mangrove trees, silk-cotton trees, baobabs and, in large part, mangrove swamps. From the island of Caravela, you will be able to set out in a Zodiac® dinghy to explore the mangrove and observe the African grey hornbill, the palm-nut vulture, the kingfisher, the weaverbird and some of the many species that fly to this region each year. It is the second most important site for migratory birds in West Africa, after Banc d’Arguin in Mauritania: herons, curlews, red-chested swallows. In full immersion, far from the beaten track, your discovery of the archipelago will take on an air of adventure.

DAKAR

On the tip of the African continent, the buzzing capital of Senegal stretches along the narrow peninsula of Cape Verde. You may be overwhelmed by its sheer size, but Dakar will win you over with its richly diverse districts, appealing cultural scene and rich natural surroundings. In the historic centre, you'll enjoy the pell-mell of colours and tasty delights in Kermel market. Far from the effervescence of the city, Gorée Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known as a place of remembrance, having once been a slave trade outpost. On the other side of the plateau, the wild Madeleine islands are protected by a national park.

Note:

Prices are subject to change withouth notice, as cabins are being booked all the time.

For more information on the Ponant Bissagos Islands Cruise deals and the latest prices, please do call our amazing reservation team on 1300 799 758 or email us your enquiry.

We are available 7 days a week.