The Casamance River and its network of tidal creeks and bolongs (channels through the mangroves) are the defining geography of the region. The best way to explore them is by pirogue — a narrow motorised wooden canoe — hired through guides in Ziguinchor or the smaller fishing villages.
A half-day pirogue trip from Ziguinchor winds through channels lined with mangrove roots, past fishing villages where women dry oysters on wooden frames, and into open water where pelicans and flamingos feed in the shallows. Longer trips can go all the way to the coast at Diembéring or into the lagoons near the Guinea-Bissau border. Sunrise and late afternoon are the best times for wildlife.