Senegal


Island of Goreia, Senegal

A Slave Island of Slavery

Were several millions or just thousands of slaves passing through Goreia on their way to the Americas? Whatever the truth, this small Senegalese island will never be freed from the yoke of its symbolism.”

on this side of the Atlantic

Island of Goreia, Senegal

A Slave Island of Slavery

Were several millions or just thousands of slaves passing through Goreia on their way to the Americas? Whatever the truth, this small Senegalese island will never be freed from the yoke of its symbolism.”

Map


How to go


VISA AND OTHER PROCEDURES

It is mandatory to have a biometric visa in a valid passport. You can order it online at Senegal visas

HEALTH CARE

At least officially, it is necessary to present the yellow fever vaccine certificate if you are a passenger from countries at risk of contagion or who has passed through these countries or their airports for more than 12 hours. 

Vaccinations or boosters for diphtheria, hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid fever are advised.

In October 2014, WHO declared Senegal free from transmission of the Ebola virus.

Prevention of malaria is also advised. Vaccination against typhus and hepatitis B is also recommended. Before leaving, you should contact the Clínica de Medicina Tropical e do Viajante, Av. da Liberdade, 129, 7º dto, tel. 21 322 5622.

For more information on traveling health, see the Health Portal of the Ministry of Health and Tropical Medicine and Travelers Clinic. Senegal-specific health and disease prevention advice also in FitForTravel (In English).

TRIP TO SENEGAL

A TAP fly directly from Lisbon to Dakar for around €500 round trip. The flight takes 4 hours. 

Must Do's


  • Dakar Rally
  • Goree Island
  • Saint-Louis
  • lac rose
  • Saloum Delta National Park

 

Explore


INTERNAL FLIGHTS

A Air Senegal operates daily flights from Dakar to Ziguinchor and, in high season, less regular flights to Cap Skiring.

CAR RENTAL

It is possible in Dakar, both at the airport and in the city, starting at €25 per day. Expect erratic traffic typical of most African capitals Traffic signs and traffic lights are scarce, the chaotic traffic of Dakar demands patience, maximum attention and quick reflexes. The road system is quite comprehensive by West African standards. Asphalted roads reach virtually every corner of the country and connect almost every city. Senegal follows three African international roads, not counting the connections to Gambia whose territory “invades” Senegalese territory.

If traveling to deep Senegal, do so with a strong, 4-wheel-drive vehicle.

BUSES

The capital Dakar is the only Senegalese city with a bus system, known as Dakar Demm Dikk. The service is regular and the fixed prices are negligible.

OTHER

The most common – but one of the least comfortable – way of exploring Senegal is with September Places, old vans that the owners try to fill as much as possible on each route. As a rule, they have fixed prices for each route, but usually the owners try to make foreigners pay considerably higher prices.

Slightly cheaper are mini-buses (Ndiaga Ndiaye) or old cars fast and that connect the main towns. They carry 30 or 40 people and are harder to find than the September Places. They only leave when full or almost full.

Taxis have fixed prices but, as with September Places, it is normal for drivers to try to make foreigners pay considerably higher amounts.

When to go


Senegal's high season runs from November to February when the country remains cooler and drier. December to June are months of intermediate weather between the dry and rainy season, which runs from June to the end of September. With the exception of December, the second half of the year is the hottest.

Money and costs


Senegal's currency is the West African Franc (CFA). There are banks with ATMs in the main cities of the country. Exchange houses and unofficial money changers who gladly accept Euros and Dollars also abound. If you resort to the latter, do so with utmost care and suspicion.

ACCOMMODATION

It is quite diverse, from the simple room rented by the residents of the Island of Goreia to the luxury hotels in Dakar and Saint Louis and other cities most visited by foreigners. Resorts abound in the most tourist areas of the Atlantic coast, several are part of international chains. Accommodation has intermediate values ​​for African standards. From €15 to €20 per night in guest houses most humble in Dakar at several hundred a night at the country's best international resorts.

FOOD

Street food must be handled with great care and suspicion in Senegal. The restaurants in the main cities – Dakar, Thies, Saint Louis – serve traditional Senegalese food with much more guarantees of quality and hygiene. Senegal's national dish is ceebu jen ou tieboudienne, rice with fried fish, cooked in tomato sauce and accompanied by vegetables, can cost only 2 to 3€. You resorts from the Atlantic coast and lodges from the interior of the country serve traditional food possibly adapted to the taste of foreign visitors included in tour packages or at substantially higher prices, €10 to €40 per meal.

INTERNET

Internet cafes are plentiful, especially in Dakar where wi-fi networks have also increased at a rapid pace. Shipping costs between €3 to €5 per hour. Several establishments offer wifi with a simple purchase.