We are delighted to invite you on a voyage along the Atlantic shores of West Africa, from Dakar to Casablanca, April 29 – May 8, 2026. This program, designed to attend to both natural and cultural history, offers an opportunity to explore a fascinating part of the world that has been shaped both by the natural forces of geology and climate and by human forces. We begin in the cosmopolitan city of Dakar, where museums and markets teem with African arts and crafts, and where the somber legacy of the transatlantic slave trade is memorialized at the UNESCO Heritage Site of Gorée Island. Sailing northward, we call in two cities on the seldom-visited coast of Mauritania, where Arab, Berber, and Sub-Saharan cultures mingle in fascinating ways, and then we set sail for Lanzarote in the Canaries, where the geography created by ancient volcanoes continues to dominate life on the island. Returning to the mainland, we devote two days to the cities of central Morocco. We begin with a day in the 16th-century walled town of Taroudant, nestled between the High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas Mountains, followed by a day exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Essaouira. The voyage comes to an end in fabled Casablanca. Joining us will be Colorado College Associate Professor of History Danielle Sanchez, who specializes in the history of French and Portuguese – speaking Africa. She looks forward to sharing her experience and expertise in a series of lectures on the broad sweep of West African history from the earliest inhabitants through colonialism and independence. Our vessel for this extraordinary journey, the Swan Hellenic Diana, is a state-of-the-art, new-generation expedition cruise ship, launched in early 2023. Accommodating only 192 guests in beautifully appointed staterooms and balcony suites, Diana features several lounges, a restaurant, outdoor café, spa, library and beauty salon, and is equipped with the latest safety and environmentally-friendly technology.