Teranga has no clean translation.

The closest English gets is hospitality, and that is not it. Teranga means you are received before

you are questioned. It means the stranger eats first. It means you belong here before you have

done anything to earn it.

Eight days in Senegal will teach you the word. But you already know the feeling, or you are

looking for it.

Here is what I actually promise you.

You will not spend this trip managing yourself.

You will not scan the room to see how you are landing. You will not soften your voice, edit your

story, or wonder whether the person next to you is fine with who you are. You will not be the only

one.

That is the part I have gotten good at. I build small rooms where people arrive as strangers and

leave as a group text. On my last trip a seventy-year-old man and a man half his age spent an

evening comparing notes on their partners, and by the end of it they were laughing at each

other. Nobody had to explain themselves. Nobody had to be brave about it. That is not luck.

That is the room I build, on purpose, every time.

And then there is Senegal itself.

You will stand in the House of Slaves on Gorée Island. I am not going to write something clever

about that. You will stand there, and you will feel what you feel, and you will not be standing

there alone. There will be people beside you who understand without needing it explained, and

there will be a long quiet ride afterward where nobody fills the silence.

Then Saint-Louis by horse carriage, pastel walls and jazz in the air. The Lompoul dunes at

sunset, where the Sahara starts. A jeep through Bandia at dawn. A basket market where you

will overpack. And the Petite Côte at the end, where the Atlantic finally lets you rest.

Small group. Vetted ground. No performing.

That is the trip.

This trip is for you if:

- You have wanted West Africa for years, and you wanted to go with people, not alone

and not with a busload of strangers.

- You are tired of being the only one in the group, and of the small daily arithmetic that

comes with it.

- You want somewhere that has been checked out ahead of you, the hotels, the guides,

the drivers, the rooms you will walk into.

- You are traveling solo, as a pair, or with one friend, and you want to land somewhere

that already feels like it has a seat with your name on it.

- You believe a good trip should change something, not just fill a photo album.

This trip is probably not for you if you want a resort you never leave, a packed party

schedule, or a group so large you can disappear in it. This one is small on purpose.

I am Sharon.

I came to this country with twenty dollars and three borrowed flannel shirts, in an Atlanta winter,

which tells you everything about how much I knew. I am Jamaican. I have lived in Harlem for

twenty-six years. I spend my days in private banking, which is where I learned that the numbers

do not lie and neither should you.

Through My Lens started by accident in 2019, when two friends asked me to show them

Jamaica the way I know it, not the way the brochure knows it. We had the best week of that

year. People kept asking me to do it again.

Seven years later I still plan every trip myself. I walk the hotels. I meet the guides. I know which

rooms are the good ones. And I still travel with every single group, because the whole point is

the room, and you cannot build the room from home.

This is my first time taking a group to Senegal. I want you to know that going in. What I can

show you is what happens when I take a group anywhere.

$500 holds your spot.

Balance due in three payments:

• 1st Payment: August 14th

• 2nd Payment: September 13th

• 3rd Payment: October 13th

8 travelers maximum on this departure. 5 spots remain.

I keep these groups small because small is the whole product. When the seats are gone, they

are gone, and Senegal will not be back on my calendar until 2028.

Book Your Seat

Not ready to book but want to talk it through? Reply to this page or text me directly at 646-245-9734. I would rather have a real conversation than sell you something you are not sure

about.

Four properties, four different sides of Senegal. I chose each one for the same reason: I want

you to exhale when you walk into the room. Where you sleep is part of the story.

Dakar- Onomo Hotel*

An African lifestyle brand, celebrating the continent in its diversity, art, and cultures. Offering travelers comfort and design, all with the best of African hospitality – a smile.

Rooted in a rapidly changing Africa, our brand develops hotels that celebrate African culture and art in the heart of the continent. Our ambition: to offer lifestyle hotels that showcase the local identity and culture of our destinations.

Lompoul-Okai Oasis Desert*

An oasis in the middle of Senegal's most beautiful dune desert. OKAÏ invites you on a magical journey. The OKAÏ hotel represents a vision of high-end tourism, combining serenity, authenticity and the preservation of nature.

Saint Louis- Hotel de la Residence*

Hotel La Résidence welcomes you to the city of Saint-Louis. Located on the Senegal River, the former capital of French West Africa, Saint-Louis, the beautiful sleeping city, is sure to captivate any traveler. Discover the richness of its architectural heritage, the warmth of its people with their traditional customs and festivals, as well as its diverse flora and fauna, exceptional landscapes, and varied crafts.

Saly- Hotel Royam*

Hotel Royam, located in Saly on the Petite Côte in Senegal, offers you an unforgettable experience in an idyllic setting. Nestled in the heart of a lush tropical garden and just steps from a coconut palm-fringed beach, this hotel combines tranquility and a complete change of scenery.

Touch down in Dakar and take your first breath of the Senegalese air. You will be greeted by your TML host and our local guide, who will take you to Onomo Hotel, Dakar

Lunch and dinner only are included on this day.

Overnight: Onomo Hotel, Dakar

This morning you will board a ferry to Goree Island, a UNESCO World Heritage

Site known for its colonial history and its role in the transatlantic slave trade.

Next, you will visit the Museum of Black Civilization, a realization of Senegal's first president, and the African Renaissance Momument.

Breakfast and lunch only are included on this day

Overnight: Onomo Hotel, Dakar

This morning you will make a few stops in Dakar. You will have to chance to visit the Grand Mosque of Dakar, one of the most important religious buildings in Senegal. Next, you will make a brief stop at the Medina Market for a look into the lives of the locals. Later, you will head to Lompoul, situated roughly halfway between Dakar and Saint Louis.

All meals are included on this day

Overnight: Okai Oasis Desert

*ATVs and sandboarding are optional and not included

This morning you will depart Lompoul and travel north to Saint Louis. This historic city is situated on an island at the mouth of the Senegal River, and was the prized capital of the French colony. Renowned for its colorful colonial architecture, Saint Louis is also known for its large colorful fishing villages and nearby beaches.

All meals are included on this day

Overnight: Hotel de la Residence

Today you will drive outside of Saint Louis to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Djoudj National Birds Sanctuary, passing many traditional villages along the border with Mauritania as you make your way northeast to the sanctuary. Later this

evening, you will experience a traditional cultural performance. This performance will involve a wide range of Senegalese and West African traditional dance, and will take you deep into the culture of the local people.

Breakfast and lunch only are included on this day.

Overnight: Hotel de la Residence

Today you will head south to Saly. On your way, you will make a stop at the basket market and have the chance to shop for beautifully handcrafted baskets, woven with vibrant colors and intriguing designs. It is a perfect opportunity to pick up unique souvenirs while interacting with the local artisans who create them. Upon arrival in Saly, you will relax and enjoy the beaches and watch the

waves crash into the sand by your hotel as you recover from the days of touring. Welcome to the Petit Cote, a strip of Senegal’s coastline that is known for its palm-lined beachside resorts and is the ideal place to relax and enjoy the Atlantic Ocean.

Breakfast only is included on this day

Overnight: Hotel Royam

This morning you will make your way to Bandia. Bandia Reserve is a small conservation area known for its indigenous and imported wildlife. Your guided jeep safari will allow you to see a range of species, including zebra, buffalo, giraffe, rhinoceros, roan antelope, pata monkeys, vervet monkeys, crocodiles, and more.

Breakfast and lunch only are included on this day.

Overnight: Hotel Royam

This morning you will head to Mbour market. Mbour is the most important town on the Petit Cote with around 600,000 inhabitants, and is home to a fish market which has evolved into one of the most important fish handling centres in West Africa. Finally you will head to the airport, where you will say goodbye to our local guide and fly off with new memories to last a lifetime.

Breakfast and lunch only are included on this day.

Overnight: Flight