Colourful fishing boats, desert-edge lagoons and legendary hospitality.
Senegal sits on Africa's westernmost point. Dakar is a creative, energetic capital, and a short ferry away Gorée Island's pastel houses carry the memory of the slave trade. Colonial Saint-Louis lies on an island in the Senegal River near the Djoudj bird sanctuary, while the mangroves of the Sine-Saloum Delta and the green Casamance region feel worlds away.
Senegalese people take pride in teranga, their tradition of hospitality. Meals centre on thieboudienne, the national fish-and-rice dish, and chicken yassa with onions and lemon, and live mbalax music fills Dakar's clubs. November to May is dry and comfortable, with Djoudj at its best for birds in winter; July to October brings humid heat and rain.
Best time to visit Senegal
January, February, March, November, December.
Places to visit in Senegal
Dakar: Senegal's seaside capital, known for mbalax music, art galleries, surf beaches and the ferry to Gorée Island.
Gorée Island: A small car-free island off Dakar, once a centre of the Atlantic slave trade, now a UNESCO site of colonial houses.
Saint-Louis: Senegal's former capital, a UNESCO-listed town of balconied colonial houses on an island in the Senegal River.
Sine-Saloum Delta: A UNESCO-listed maze of mangroves, lagoons and islands built from shells, explored by pirogue.
Essentials
Currency: West African CFA Franc (XOF)
Language: French; Wolof is widely spoken
Plugs: Type C / D / E / K, 230 V
Driving: Right side
Time zone: UTC+0
Tipping: Small tips are welcome; 5–10% in restaurants
Getting around: Shared sept-place taxis between towns; agree taxi fares in Dakar before setting off
Entry: Check the official rules for your passport before booking