Senegal
Senegal serves as a gateway to French-speaking West Africa, with Dakar as a lively coastal city and Saint-Louis as a small town steeped in old-world charm. Cities are spread apart, so allow plenty of travel time between them.
- Currency
- XOF
Senegal currency guide — today's rate & payment tips
Visa and entry rules change often. Check your government's travel advisory or the local embassy before you go.
Average temperature by month
Based on Dakar · 5-year average
Choose a city
Map and place data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Dakar
Dakar is the capital of Senegal, an Atlantic coastal city at the westernmost point of the African continent. It has long played an important role as a port linking Europe and Atlantic trade routes.
22 sights 9 guides Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS)
Saint-Louis
Saint-Louis is a city at the mouth of the Senegal River in northwestern Senegal, about 320 km north of Dakar. Its riverside setting offers a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere.
6 sights 9 guides Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS)
Ziguinchor
Ziguinchor sits at the mouth of the Casamance River and serves as the hub of southern Senegal's Casamance region. It's a good place to take in riverside scenery along with its cathedral.
1 sight 9 guides Ziguinchor Airport
Thiès
Thiès, in western Senegal, is the country's second-largest city. Its regional museum and cathedral offer a feel for the atmosphere of an inland Senegalese city.
2 sights 9 guides Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS)
Kaolack
Kaolack is a Senegalese city that has grown into a hub of the peanut trade. Mosques and Islamic-style buildings scattered throughout downtown lend it an exotic atmosphere.
1 sight 9 guides Blaise Diagne International Airport
Top sights in Senegal
Nature
Gorée
A small island off the coast of Dakar, Gorée Island carries the sorrowful history of once being a hub of the slave trade. Visitors can revisit the memory of that era through the House of Slaves and its historical museum.
Nature
Cap-Vert
A headland in Dakar, Senegal, marking the westernmost point of the African mainland. It was named "Cape Verde" (green cape) by Portuguese explorers, and offers sweeping views out over the Atlantic.
Heritage & monuments
African Renaissance Monument
A monument standing atop the Collines des Mamelles in Dakar, rising about 50 meters to make it the largest statue in Africa. Its overwhelming scale, towering over the city, is worth seeing in person.
Nature
Senegal River
The longest river in West Africa, its waters flow gently across a vast expanse of land. Two dams can also be found along its course.
Nature
Pointe des Almadies
This is the westernmost point of the African continent, and of the combined Eurasian-African landmass. At the tip of Dakar's Cap-Vert Peninsula, it faces the Atlantic Ocean, offering a real sense of standing at the continent's edge.
Nature
Magdalen Islands
An uninhabited island off the coast west of Dakar, with steep cliffs shaped by time and a variety of birds and fish. It's also one of the smallest national parks in the world.
Museums & galleries
IFAN Museum of African Arts
One of the oldest art museums in West Africa, located in Dakar. Founded with the support of Senegal's first president, Léopold Senghor, it showcases traditional African art.
Temples & religious sites
Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint-Louis du Sénégal
A Catholic diocese located in Saint-Louis, Senegal. As part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Dakar, it serves as a center of Catholic faith in the region.
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Local data
Get an eSIM for Senegal before you go
Activate mobile data with a QR code instead of swapping SIM cards. Buy it before departure and switch it on the moment you land.
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