Senegal Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know Plus Itineraries

Dreaming of going to Senegal but don’t know where to start? Below you’ll find all the useful tips for travelling around the country. This is information we gathered on the ground during the period we passed through, namely March 2023.

The country

Unlike many other African countries, known for breathtaking scenery or unique routes through the savannah, Senegal offers clusters of thatched-roof huts and brightly coloured clothes fluttering here and there, carrying you back to a forgotten time. Some areas can seem left to themselves, but the kindness of the people will never fail to surprise you. For this reason it’s perhaps a country more to “live”, in our opinion, than to “visit”. As for cities, the capital is Dakar and the second most visited is Saint Louis.

Documents and visa

To travel in Senegal you need a passport valid for at least six months. For stays of up to 90 days you don’t need a visa, and the stamp issued on your passport at the border on arrival in the country is enough. For the documents you need to bring your own vehicle into the country, we point you to the dedicated article on the trip we made in our van.

Climate and when to go

Senegal’s climate is always hot and is characterised by two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season.

The dry season runs from November to May and during this period it practically never rains. In particular between December and February, in the area of northern Senegal, the harmattan can blow, a cool wind laden with sand.

The rainy season runs from June to October. During this period there can be very strong storms that make travelling difficult. It’s the best period both for vegetation, in particular for the baobabs which fill up with green leaves, and for fruit, such as mangoes which are found during this season.

We stayed in the country from 22 February to 18 March. The temperature reached peaks of 43 degrees on the Casamance coast and 45 degrees in the Tambacounda area.

How to pay

The local currency is the “West African CFA franc” (CFA or F). A good exchange rate is “650 CFA for 1 Euro” and it’s easily obtained everywhere. Credit cards are not accepted throughout the country, but it’s possible to withdraw from ATMs, although these aren’t very common either. For this reason we recommend arriving with cash and exchanging it locally. If you plan to use cards to withdraw cash in Senegal, remember to check, before leaving, that your card is enabled for international withdrawals and above all find out about the commission costs charged by your bank.

Quando ci troviamo in un paese straniero, soprattutto dove non accettano l'euro, ci affidiamo a questa carta gratuita, che ti permette di pagare senza alcun tasso o addebito.

Internet

There are mainly three operators in the country:

• Orange
• Expresso
• Free

Orange is the most expensive operator but also the one with the best signal. It offers excellent 4G coverage practically across the whole territory. As we write this the most interesting promotions are:

• Weekly pass: 1.5 GB for 1500 F (about 2.30 euros)
• Monthly pass (ranging from about 3 to 23 euros): 2.5 GB for 2000 F 7 GB for 5000 F 15 GB for 10000 F 25 GB for 15000 F

If you buy the monthly pass, every day you get 1 extra GB from midnight to 8am. Easy to top up practically everywhere, and it lets you use the hotspot! If you want to see more up-to-date offers go here  .

Expresso the connection is more limited (though we still managed to download fairly large files without any issues) and it works best in the northern part of Senegal, while in the south only in Ziguinchor and Cap Skirring. It does, however, offer some very good deals.

• Weekly pass:
  • 1 GB for 500 F
  • 2 GB for 700 F
• Monthly pass:
  • 5 GB for 2000 F
  • 10 GB for 3000 F
  • 20 GB for 5000 F
  • 50 GB for 7000 F
  • 70 GB for 10000 F
  • Unlimited for 15000F

Be careful because this operator doesn’t allow hotspot use! You can get around the problem by buying a portable router ( here's the one we've used for a year!  ) and using it as a modem for everyone.

For more promotions go here  .

Free, which back home we call Iliad! We don’t know this operator’s coverage since we didn’t try it (if you have information, let us know in the comments). If you want to see the promotions you’ll find them here  .

We don’t know the cost of buying a single SIM, since at the Mauritania border some Italians heading back from Senegal gave us their Orange and Expresso SIMs. That’s how we managed to try both. In Senegal, being a francophone country, you’ll find the wording Go (giga octet) instead of GB.

The Wi-Fi at the two campsites we visited didn’t have a stable connection. We only managed to use WhatsApp, open a few web pages and little else.

You can top up your internet plan at shops displaying the operator’s logo. This isn’t always reliable, though - for example in Cap Skirring we went into several shops displaying the Expresso logo without them knowing what it even was (!).

Vaccines and health insurance

No vaccination is compulsory for travel to Senegal, except for yellow fever vaccination for travellers over one year of age coming from countries where the disease is at risk of transmission (Kenya, Ethiopia, etc.), even in the case of only an airport transit, if this is longer than 12 hours and in any case if you leave the transit airport. For information on further recommended but not compulsory vaccinations, we suggest consulting your doctor. It’s best to bring medicine for diarrhoea and a broad-spectrum antibiotic, but above all a good mosquito repellent.

When we travel we insure ourselves with Genki, which offers great benefits and a monthly subscription that can be cancelled at any time.

For more information we point you to the Viaggiare Sicuri  website.

Safety in the country

Hospitality seems to be sacred throughout the country, but don’t forget that petty thieves can be found anywhere. Beyond the corruption issues that run rampant across the country, you’ll often be asked to lend your phone to take a photo. Don’t make the mistake of handing it over. We had another small mishap: we were parked near a beach and while we were having lunch someone broke the van’s window and stole Paolo’s phone, which he’d left inside the vehicle. In the outskirts of the capital Dakar, more petty crime can occur, especially thefts or pickpocketing. To avoid unpleasant incidents (it happened to us  ) avoid wearing jewellery and carry only the bare essentials with you.

Public transport

Transport in Senegal is very cheap, but it’s complicated to rely on schedules and on the reliability of the vehicles.

The rail network is practically non-existent, while the following are common:

• 7-places or taxi-brousse: shared taxis that are the most widely used means of transport. They only leave once 7 passengers are on board, are used to move around within a city or between different cities, and don’t make intermediate stops.
• minicars: buses with about fifteen seats (though they often carry as many as 20 people).
• buses: buses belonging to private companies offering up to 60 seats. They’re used on routes between Senegal’s main cities.
• tam-tams: carts pulled by horses or donkeys, mostly common in small villages. They’ll give anyone a ride.
• taxis: decidedly old cars, typically yellow in the north of the country and grey in the south.

Where and what to eat

All over the country you’ll find countless little shops selling a bit of everything, plus daily market stalls set up along every street, where you can buy fruit, vegetables and peanuts.

There are two Senegalese national dishes: Thieboudienne and Yassa. Thieboudienne is made of rice (white or red) with fish accompanied by vegetables (a few small pieces of carrot, cabbage and cassava). Sometimes it can be found with meat. A very fair price is 1500 F per portion.

Yassa poulet and Yassa poisson are, respectively, chicken or fish dishes marinated and seasoned with onion, pepper, salt, chilli and then grilled. They’re served with rice. We also happened to find the fish in the form of little patties.

Another very characteristic dish is maffè: a beef or chicken stew seasoned with peanut paste and served with rice.

As for drinks, you’ll frequently find local beers, Malta (a non-alcoholic beer rich in vitamin B), Kinkeliba tea and Touba coffee (a coffee infused with cloves and djar, a pepper native to neighbouring Guinea - we loved it, and it costs only 50 F a cup, unlike Nespresso which costs 1000).

You’ll often find yourself waiting up to an hour to eat, especially in the less touristy places, so arm yourself with patience.

As for water, we recommend drinking only bottled water.

Fruit and vegetables are available everywhere. Watermelons, bananas and papayas are common, while mangoes are found everywhere during the rainy season. Prices are modest. Vegetables get marked up for Westerners (a local’s own words when we told them we’d been charged 2 euros a kilo for carrots and tomatoes). You’ll find carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, aubergines and peppers. Be careful to wash them well and eat them quickly, since they’re often left out in the sun all day and are already quite ripe.

A little curiosity: in Casamance, remember to try tapalapa, a bread made from a mix of flours, baked in mud ovens.

Where to sleep

Based on the experience of other travellers, in the main cities you’ll find hostels and small hotels, which it’s best to contact by phone after booking online. Along the coast you can also find more luxurious resorts. As for campsites, since the pandemic the number of open ones has decreased. Many have been abandoned. Wild camping is possible, with due caution. We used the park4night and iOverlander apps (guide in Italian).

Travelling with your pet

To travel outside Europe with your pet you need to have:

• passport
• microchip
• valid rabies vaccination
• rabies antibody titration

This last document is obtained through a blood sample analysed at specialized centres and is mandatory to re-enter Europe. Check whether your pet's breed is allowed in the country you're visiting. We recommend always being careful in crowded places, as people might be scared of your pet, and of the many wild animals, which is why we always keep our pets on a leash. In many cases a muzzle is required, so we recommend keeping one handy.

We recommend bringing a bowl (we use one that clips conveniently onto a backpack) and a water bottle if the day is particularly hot.

Cases of Leishmaniasis are common, so consider whether to vaccinate your pet with your vet’s advice. Pay particular attention to places where pigs roam free, since they carry a worm that can be dangerous and infectious. It happened to us that one afternoon, while we were sitting on the beach in the shade of the palm trees, we found a small tick on Paolo’s legs, so we recommend checking yourselves and your pets’ fur daily.

Itinerary

In this section, based on our month-long experience in the country, we suggest a couple of itineraries you can follow using public transport. If instead you want to reach the country by campervan or relive our adventure, at this link we’ve recreated a little day-by-day diary, flagging in a final chapter the places we think are most worth it and those you can skip.

7 Days

Here’s a possible 7-day itinerary in Senegal, departing from and returning to Dakar airport.

This itinerary will let you discover the natural and cultural beauty of Senegal even in just seven days. Keep in mind that you might need to organise transfers between destinations, so we recommend booking a travel agency or private driver in advance to make getting around easier. As for public transport, timetables aren’t always reliable or kept to.

Day 1: Arrival in Dakar Once you reach Dakar, spend some time exploring it, in particular the Sandaga market, the Museum of African Arts, Dakar Cathedral and the Independence Monument.

Day 2: Gorée Island Thanks to the ferry that leaves every day from the capital’s port, you can reach and visit Gorée Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which was one of the main African ports for the slave trade. Here you can also find the Maison des Esclaves, the old house of the slave traders, and the island’s history museum, as well as numerous craft shops and small eateries.

Day 3: Pink Lake and the Lompoul desert Depart for the Pink Lake, a salt lagoon located north of Dakar. Warning: when we visited the Pink Lake, it was no longer pink. The surrounding area is still interesting to visit though, and you can do some activities on board 4x4 vehicles. The nearby Lompoul desert can also be visited, and local guides offer various excursions.

Day 4: Bandia safari Visit Bandia National Park for a jeep safari. Here you’ll have the chance to spot lions, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, hippos and many other wild species.

Day 5-6: La Somone Depart for La Somone where you can relax at one of the resorts and enjoy the beautiful sandy beaches. Set aside some time for a pirogue trip along the Somone river to admire the mangrove ecosystem and the sandy islands.

Day 7: Dakar Last day in Dakar to go shopping at the Soumbédioune market or to relax on the beach at Plage de N’Gor.

14 Days

This 14-day itinerary in Senegal will let you discover the country’s main tourist attractions, including nature parks, islands, beaches and cities. We point you to the Casamance chapter to consider an alternative within this itinerary - we’d recommend it over the whole Petite Côte area.

Day 1-2: Dakar and Gorée Island Spend the first day exploring the city of Dakar, including the Sandaga market, the Museum of African Arts, Dakar Cathedral and the Independence Monument. On the second day visit Gorée Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which was one of the main African ports for the slave trade. Visit the Maison des Esclaves, the old house of the slave traders, and the island’s history museum.

Day 3: Pink Lake and the Lompoul desert Depart for the Pink Lake, a salt lagoon located north of Dakar. Warning: when we visited the Pink Lake, it was no longer pink. The surrounding area is still interesting to visit though, and you can do some activities on board 4x4 vehicles. The nearby Lompoul desert can also be visited, and local guides offer various excursions.

Day 4-5-6: Saint-Louis and Djoudj Park Depart for Saint-Louis, a colonial city on the north coast of Senegal. Visit the Guet Ndar fishing district, the Great Mosque, Saint-Louis Cathedral and the Photography Museum. The following day visit Djoudj Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1971, which offers a natural habitat and good refuge during migration for over 400 different bird species, being a particularly rich area in vegetation and waterways. Return to Saint Louis and move on the next day towards the Bandia Reserve.

Day 7: Bandia safari Visit Bandia National Park for a jeep safari. Here you’ll have the chance to spot lions, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, hippos and many other wild species.

Day 8-9 La Somone and the Petite Côte Depart for La Somone where you can relax at one of the resorts and enjoy the beautiful sandy beaches. Set aside some time for a pirogue trip along the Somone river to admire the mangrove ecosystem and the sandy islands.

Day 10 M’Bour Visit M’Bour and the typical fish market, where you can watch numerous pirogues being brought ashore.

Day 11 Joal-Fadiouth and the shell island The shell island is distinctive precisely because it offers a carpet of shells to walk on, as well as hosting a mixed Muslim-Catholic cemetery. Not too far away, in the small village of Fadial, stands a gigantic baobab, better known as the Sacred Baobab. Watch out for bats if you plan to stick your head inside it!

Day 12 Palmarin Visit the typical fishing village and relax on the beautiful, Caribbean-looking beach. In this area too you can take a lovely excursion through the mangroves, aboard a colourful pirogue.

Day 13 Petite Côte Reach the Petite Côte to break up the journey and enjoy one more day at the beach.

Day 14 Dakar Return to Dakar for one last visit to the city.

Casamance

We decided to dedicate a separate section of this country to this area, both because it’s the place we loved the most (how much? find out here  ), and because there are many ways to reach it and we wanted to gather all the information we found about it in one place. The Casamance region, south of Gambia, boasts beautiful beaches, less ruined by piles of rubbish than those in the north of the country. We visited the villages of Cap Skirring, Kabrousse (the last village before the border with Guinea-Bissau), Diembering (famous for its typical Fromager trees), Elikine (from where you can take a pirogue and reach Carabane Island) and Oussoye (famous for its sacred woods linked to animism, a religion deeply felt in this part of the country). In this area we felt truly welcomed, the people are friendly and there’s less corruption. Two other very beautiful destinations are Point Saint George and Karabane Island. How to reach Casamance:

• overland, going around Gambia, covering nearly 1000 kilometres (what an adventure those roads are!)
• overland, crossing through Gambia (in this case you pay customs and a crossing bridge fee; the road from the border to Ziguinchor, according to other travellers, isn’t the most scenic)
• by air: a connection between Dakar and Cap Skirring
• by ferry: a connection between Dakar and Ziguinchor (pets not allowed!)

If you think this area might interest you, we recommend including it in the 14-day itinerary, dedicating at least 5 days to it given also the time needed to reach it. If you want to understand why we loved Casamance, you can find out here. To travel Europe with your pet you need to have:

• passport
• microchip
• valid rabies vaccination

Check whether your pet's breed is allowed in the country you're visiting. We recommend always being careful in crowded places, as people might be scared of your pet which is why we always keep our pets on a leash. In many cases a muzzle is required, so we recommend keeping one handy.

We recommend bringing a bowl (we use one that clips conveniently onto a backpack) and a water bottle if the day is particularly hot.

Our Vlog

If you want to watch our vlogs or hear our thoughts, here are the videos:

• vlog

• our thoughts