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Voykit pocket guide · Senegal
Dakar
Dakar is a car-and-morning city: take the Gorée ferry early, walk the Plateau before noon, keep evenings for Ngor and the Almadies, pre-book the airport ride, and never rely on a taxi appearing.
Dakar sits on a peninsula and the sights are spread along its coast: the Plateau and the market district in the south, Gorée Island a short ferry ride offshore, and the Ngor and Almadies coast in the north-west. The airport, Blaise Diagne, is about 45 km from the centre, so the airport ride is a real leg, not a footnote. Traffic is heavy, pavements are broken, and prayer times, Fridays and Ramadan shape opening hours. Four clusters cover a first visit; a car with a driver joins them.
- Country
- Senegal
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · Nov · Dec
- Time zone
- Africa/Dakar
- Stay
- 2 days: Gorée morning, Plateau afternoon
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- XOF
- Money
- Cash (XOF) for markets, canteens, taxis and ferries; cards at hotels, malls and upmarket restaurants. Mobile money (Orange Money, Wave) is everywhere among locals but needs a registered local SIM.
- Daily spend
- Budget XOF 10,000–20,000 excl. bed · Mid XOF 20,000–50,000 excl. bed · High XOF 50,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Buy an Orange, Free or Expresso SIM at the airport or a branded boutique with your passport; registration is required.
- Emergency
- Police 17 (check) · Fire 18 (check) · Ambulance 1515 SAMU (check)
- Plugs
- 230 V, 50 Hz; two-pin European sockets (type C and E, some type K). Bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Not expected at canteens or stalls. Round up taxi fares; 5–10% in sit-down restaurants if service is not already added; a small tip for a guide or a porter.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; buy sealed bottled water or use a filter.
- Toilets
- Hotels, cafés and malls; carry tissues and small coins. Public toilets are rare.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (café, hotel or bakery) | XOF 1,000–2,500 |
| Thieboudienne lunch plate | XOF 1,500–3,000 |
| Beer (Gazelle or Flag), bar or restaurant | XOF 1,000–2,000 |
| Short taxi ride | XOF 1,500–3,000 |
| Airport car to the city | XOF 20,000–35,000 |
| Tourist SIM, about a week | XOF 3,000–10,000 |
| Museum entry | XOF 1,000–2,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS)
- DSS to Dakar: one pre-booked car, 60–100 minutes; the risk is a ride that is not there, a fare argued in the hall, and traffic on the motorway into the city.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Gare routière (Pompiers) and Gare des Baux Maraîchers (Gares routières) | Long-distance buses and shared taxis to Thiès, Touba, Saint-Louis and the Petite Côte | Car 20–40 min |
| Regional express train (TER) (TER) | Dakar to Diamniadio, with a link to Blaise Diagne airport (check current status) | Already there or a short car ride |
| Hotel or operator pick-ups | Lac Rose, Bandia, Saly and Saint-Louis tours | Already there |
Typical fares
- Airport to the city, hotel car or taxi
- XOF 20,000–35,000, 60–100 min depending on traffic
- Short taxi ride, centre
- XOF 1,500–3,000
- Plateau to Ngor
- XOF 4,000–8,000, 30–60 min
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk short distances in the Plateau by day; use a taxi, an app or a hotel car between districts and always after dark. There is no metro; the coast road is the bottleneck, so avoid rush hour and Friday afternoons.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside the Plateau and Gorée by day |
| Taxi (yellow and black) | Agree first: XOF 1,500–4,000 for a short ride | Short hops |
| Ride-hailing car (Yango, Heetch) | XOF 1,500–6,000 across the city | Between clusters, bags, night |
| Car rapide and Ndiaga Ndiaye minibuses | XOF 100–300 | Adventurous local routes |
| Dakar Dem Dikk buses | XOF 150–500 | Long cheap routes if you know the line |
| Regional train (TER) and BRT | Low fares (check) | Eastern suburbs and the airport link (check) |
| Gorée ferry | XOF 5,000–6,000 return, foreigner fare (check) | Gorée Island |
| Pirogue to Ngor island | XOF 1,000–2,500 return | Ngor Island |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Taxis have no meters: agree the fare before you get in.
- Late at night
- No metro. Ride-hailing and taxis run late but thin out after dark; book the ride back.
See and do
01Gorée and the House of SlavesMaison des Esclaves
The defining memorial of the Atlantic trade, on a car-free island 20 minutes by ferry.
Hours: best Early morning · Price: XOF 5,000–6,000 ferry plus entry · Time: 3–4 h with lunch · 14.6665, -17.3985
02IFAN Museum of African ArtsMusée Théodore Monod d'art africain
Masks, textiles and everyday objects from West Africa; the best indoor hour in the Plateau.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: XOF 1,000–2,000 · Time: 1 h · 14.6678, -17.4368
03Thieboudienne lunchThiéboudiène
The national dish, eaten at lunch where locals eat it.
Hours: best 12:00–13:30 · Price: XOF 1,500–3,000 · Time: 45–60 minHours: best 12:00 PM–1:30 PM · Price: XOF 1,500–3,000 · Time: 45–60 min · 14.6678, -17.4368
04African Renaissance MonumentMonument de la Renaissance africaine
A 49 m statue with a view over the whole peninsula.
Hours: best Early morning or late afternoon · Price: XOF 2,000–5,000 · Time: 1 h · 14.7208, -17.4935
05Ngor Island by pirogueÎle de Ngor
A short boat ride to a car-free island with a beach and seafood.
Hours: best Morning · Price: XOF 1,000–2,500 plus lunch · Time: Half day · 14.7500, -17.5140
06Kermel marketMarché Kermel
Fruit, fish, flowers and small crafts near the port.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free to browse · Time: 45 min · 14.6702, -17.4320
07Grand Mosque of DakarGrande Mosquée de Dakar
The main religious landmark of the city; a respectful outside view.
Hours: best Mid-morning · Price: Free · Time: 20 min · 14.6760, -17.4395
08Grilled fish at SoumbédiounePoisson braisé, Soumbédioune
Fish from the pirogues, grilled to order on the Corniche.
Hours: best Lunch · Price: XOF 3,000–8,000 · Time: 1–1.5 h · 14.6765, -17.4655
09A live mbalax night
The city's signature music; go with a booked car and check the venue.
Hours: best From late evening · Price: XOF 2,000–10,000 (check) · Time: 3–4 h
10Lac Rose and Bandia
A pink-tinged salt lake and a safari park within about an hour.
Hours: best Weekday · Price: Driver or tour, ask your hotel · Time: Full day
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lac Rose (Lake Retba) and Bandia reserve | Car about 45–75 min, depending on traffic | Full day |
| Saly and the Petite Côte | Car about 1.5–2.5 h | Full day or overnight |
| Joal-Fadiouth (shell island) | Car about 2.5–3 h | Long day or overnight |
| Saint-Louis | Car or bus about 4–5 h, or a domestic flight | Two nights |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thieboudienne lunch, Plateau canteen | Thieboudienne lunch plate · Plateau | XOF 1,500–3,000 | Budget |
| Fataya and café Touba, Plateau streets | Fataya and café Touba · Plateau streets | XOF 300–1,000 | Budget |
| Dibi grill stands, Medina | Dibi (grilled lamb) with onions and mustard · Medina | XOF 2,000–4,000 | Budget |
| Riz and sauce canteens | Rice with peanut, fish or tomato sauce · Any office street, lunchtime | XOF 1,000–2,000 | Budget |
| Grilled fish, Soumbédioune fishing beach | Grilled fish with rice · Corniche, Soumbédioune | XOF 3,000–8,000 | Mid-range |
| Terrace lunch on Gorée | Yassa or grilled fish on a terrace · Gorée | XOF 5,000–12,000 | Mid-range |
| Lebanese and French restaurants | Mezze, grills and French menus · Plateau, Almadies | XOF 6,000–15,000 | Mid-range |
| Seafood terraces, Ngor beach | Lobster or a seafood platter on the beach · Ngor | XOF 15,000–35,000 | Splurge |
| Hotel and Almadies fine dining | French, fusion and seafood menus · Almadies, Plateau | XOF 20,000–45,000 | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Addresses change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | XOF 20,000–35,000 | Plateau, Medina guesthouses | Budget hotels and guesthouses |
| mid | XOF 40,000–80,000 | Plateau, Almadies, Ngor | 3–4 star hotels and beach guesthouses |
| splurge | XOF 100,000–300,000+ | Almadies, Plateau international chains | 5-star hotels |
Per room per night in XOF, 2026 estimate.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Peace be upon you | Salaam aleikumsa-laam a-lay-koom |
| Hello | Bonjourbon-zhoor |
| How are you? | Nanga def?nan-ga def |
| Thank you | Jërëjëfjeh-reh-jeff |
| How much is this? | Ñaata la?nya-ta la |
| Too expensive | Dafa bareda-fa ba-ray |
| Not spicy, please | Sans piment, s'il vous plaîtson pee-mon seel voo play |
| Please take me to this address | Emmenez-moi à cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtahm-nay mwah ah set ah-dress |
| How much to go to the Plateau? | C'est combien pour aller au Plateau?say kom-byan poor a-lay oh pla-toh |
| No problem | Ñu ngi finyoo ngee fee |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greetings: Greet and ask how someone is before any question or purchase; skipping it reads as rude.
- Right hand: Give and receive money, food and objects with the right hand or both hands, not the left alone.
- Mosques: Shoulders and knees covered; women cover the hair; remove shoes; avoid prayer times and Friday midday.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people; never photograph police, soldiers, government buildings or the airport.
- Ramadan: Avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight; be discreet about it.
- Meals: Shared bowls are common: eat from your side with the right hand or a spoon and wait for the host.
- Bargaining: Haggle with a smile at markets; never at shops with posted prices.
Red lines
- Greetings come first: say hello and ask how someone is before any question or purchase.
- Use the right hand to give, receive and eat.
- Ask before photographing people; do not photograph police, soldiers, government buildings or the airport.
- During Ramadan avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight.
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry-quay touts who sell 'tickets' or 'guide' packages at the Gorée quay: buy the ticket at the official window, and agree nothing with a helper who approaches you.
- The 'friendship bracelet' or 'gift' handed to you, followed by a demand for payment: keep your hands in your pockets and say no thank you.
- The 'artist' or 'student' who invites you to a gallery or studio, where the pressure to buy starts: it is a sales visit, not a favour.
- Taxis quoting a special foreigner fare, and meters that are 'broken': agree the fare first or use an app with a price shown.
- Street money-changers offering a better rate than a bank: short-changing and fake notes are common. Use a bank or hotel desk.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover between flights. Skip: Ngor and Lac Rose: they need their own day.
- 07:307:30 AMFerry to Gorée
- 10:3010:30 AMLunch on the island terrace
- 13:301:30 PMFerry back and rest indoors
- 16:304:30 PMIFAN Museum or a Plateau walk
- 19:307:30 PMDinner on the Corniche or in the Almadies
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- UK FCDO travel advice — Senegal: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/senegal
- Wikivoyage — Dakar: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Dakar
- UNESCO — Island of Gorée: whc.unesco.org/en/list/26/
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Dakar
Emmenez-moi à cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Maison des EsclavesHouse of Slaves, Gorée
- Musée Théodore Monod d'art africainIFAN Museum of African Arts
- ThiéboudièneThieboudienne lunch, Plateau canteen
- Monument de la Renaissance africaineAfrican Renaissance Monument
- Île de NgorNgor Island
- Marché KermelKermel market
- Police17 (check)
- Fire18 (check)
- Ambulance1515 SAMU (check)
Most embassies are in Plateau or Almadies; write your own embassy's 24-hour line below.
Give your driver the district and a landmark, not just a street name.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/dakar). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.