Updated 2016
Senegal’s outdoor and urban attractions make it the most versatile, and therefore one of the most popular, of Africa’s travel destinations. Sit on the beach all day, sip on your drinks all night, the most stressful part of your trip to Senegal will be figuring out which musical act to see at night in Dakar, the capital city with the thriving music scene.
Start with Senegal Travel Facts.
What to do
Not that your trip to Senegal has to be lazy in nature. You can spend as much of your trip bird watching on a wildlife safari as lying on your beach towel and for a well-rounded education on all things Senegalese, you’ll have to should include a trip to the Keur Moussa religious temple. Your slideshow to folks back home will look like you really branched out and saw the whole country, but Keur Moussa is most famous for the musical and dance tradition of the monks which put on dances and concerts.
Read: Surfing Senegal
Getting there
Senegal is such a popular tourist destination there are flights from all over the world to Senegal every day. Direct flights from New York and Washington as well as Brussels and other European cities depart daily.
Traveling to Senegal was made easier by the elimination of any need for a visa for citizens of most European Union countries, the United States, Japan, Morocco and several other countries. Travelers can stay for up to three months with just their passport.v
Where to stay
There is a wide selection of hotels in Dakar, where most tourists in Senegal split their time between the beach and the clubs and a dense jungle makes traveling elsewhere a difficult task. Hostels in Dakar are also widely available and easy to book although you’ll find nicer digs in the hotels.
Looking for a bit more info on Senegal before you sign up for a week or two in the country? Check out the message boards where you can ask travelers from around the world about your upcoming trip and answer their questions about places you’ve been. Also check out bootsnall’s travel stories about Senegal.