A typical first trip here runs about $475 to $650 per person for 7 days at a mid-range style, before flights. Get your own number from the Budget Calculator.
- Thieboudienne (ceebu jen), fish and rice in tomato sauce; the national dish and UNESCO heritage
- Yassa poulet, marinated chicken with caramelized onion and mustard sauce
- Mafé, peanut stew with meat; rich and deeply savory
- Attaya, strong, sweet, and minty Senegalese green tea ceremony
- Fresh seafood from the Atlantic coast: grilled barracuda, shrimp, lobster
- Festival du Désert, Saharan music festival (relocated from Mali)
- Dakar Biennale (Dak'Art), Africa's premier contemporary art fair (even years)
- Laamb wrestling, Senegalese traditional wrestling is immensely popular
- Teranga philosophy, "hospitality" in Wolof; a foundational cultural value
French is official; Wolof is the most widely spoken language. English is limited.
Dakar is West Africa's cultural capital, cosmopolitan, creative, and vibrant. Senegalese people are known for their warmth and hospitality (teranga).
- Accept attaya (tea ceremony) invitations, refusing is impolite
- Senegal is predominantly Muslim, dress modestly outside resort areas
- Use right hand for eating and greeting
- Tipping 10% is appreciated in tourist restaurants
Latest for Senegal
Updates for Senegal will appear here as they are published. Every update cites official sources, so you can plan on it.