Africa Safari - Chez Madame

Set out from camp before sunrise, hunters at Africa Safari - Chez Madame walk the savannah in line for francolin, guinea fowl, hare, and green pigeon, guided by a licensed tracker assigned to each gun. The camp sits on the Gambia River in the Kédougou region, at the edge of Niokolo Koba Park. Hippos and crocodiles move along the same stretch of water. It is a working hunting camp, not a resort. Eleven cases hold the guests, simple and comfortable, each with its own bathroom, hot water, and ventilation or air conditioning. A second outing runs in late afternoon, aimed at dove, pigeon, and the trickier sandgrouse, while warthog can be stalked on approach for those willing to rise two hours earlier. Groups are kept small; each party of six hunters holds exclusive weekly use of the hunting ground. Back at camp, the rhythm is fixed: a swim, a shower, drinks, lunch, then a rest in the shade of the case before the second walk. Non-hunting guests can spend the day at the pool or arrange trips to Dindefelo Falls, the Bedik and Bassari villages, or Kedougou market. The camp traces its start to the early 1980s under the name Africa Safari, and was later run for years by Françoise Mostais, known locally as Madame. It reopened under new management in 2022 after a full refit, including solar power across the site.