Highlights

• Museum of Black Civilisations
• Les Almadies beach and the westernmost point of Africa
• Ngor Beach and island
• Pink Lake (Le Lac Rose) and boat ride to see salt harvesting; ATV riding through sand dunes
• Kermel Market
• Independence Square
• African Renaissance Monument
• Mosque of the Divinity
• Cathedral of Our Lady of Victories
• Place du Souvenir Africain
• Western and Eastern Corniche coastal drives
• Grand Mosque of Dakar
• Grand Théâtre National de Dakar
• Dakar Central Rail station
• Presidency of Senegal
• National Assembly
• National Gallery of Senegal
• Dakar Port and ferry to Gorée Island

Before you go

• Dakar is the capital of Senegal, and located on the western coast
• The airport is pretty organised, however beware of guys trying to offer you an unofficial taxi upon arrival
• The best exchange rates are via the black market, which your guide can help you with
• Post offices and banks have short hours on the weekends
• Weather is generally moderate although there is a rainy (Jun-Oct) and a dry season (Nov-May). It can also get very windy by the coast
• Most people speak French, but less speak English so a translation app is useful
• Taxis are the easiest way to get around. You do have to bargain and pay with cash
• Many people are independent business men and women and they signal their trade in interesting ways, like nail cutters clicking scissors

Transport

• The main airport is Blaise Diagne International Airport, about 1 hour drive from the city
• We had an excellent driver, Samba, and English-speaking guide, Mika, from Trip Tour Senegal
• Although there are public buses, we opted for the convenience and safety of private transport
• Around the city taxis are available, and you should have in mind what the cost should be so you can agree at the start of the ride
• Additionally, there is a Dakar Central Rail station, so you can take the train though we didn’t try it

Accommodation

• While in Dakar, we stayed at the four-star Hotel Fleur de Lys Plateau, right in the middle of the city centre
• Comfortable rooms and beds, spacious bathroom with amenities
• Breakfast is included but there is not a lot of selection, so get there early
• Great views from the slightly run-down rooftop terrace
• As usual I recommend checking reviews on Booking.com or using AirBnB

Food

All of our breakfasts were at the Hotel Fleur de Lys Plateau. We enjoyed the buffet, although the selection was limited. The first day, we thought we went too late and that they were almost out of food. However, on the next day we went earlier and also didn’t have much food to choose from. Interestingly, they had mixed vegetables, heated tinned tuna, and rice.

Dinner at the hotel was better and we could choose what to order. My friend had a grilled prawn platter one night. And we both had whole daurade with side dishes. It was great to have fresh fish every day in Senegal.

Our meal at Chez Salim near the Pink Lake was excellent. We had three courses starting with shrimp in sauce with a salad. Because I had heard that we should be careful with fresh fruit and vegetables, I skipped the raw salad. Then my friend had the fish and I had poulet yassa, a traditional fish with a tasty onion sauce.

One evening, we had a hard time finding an open restaurant that was not a Ramadan buffet. We ended up eating falafel burgers from a fast food place called Nomad. It was surprisingly delicious, crispy and fresh.

We also had some dessert from L’Orientale, a large Lebanese restaurant. They had an amazing selection of baklava and other sweets. Finally, it is also possible to find French patisseries at Eric Kayser and Belgian chocolate from Jeff de Bruges.