According to aceinland, Senegal (French: Sénégal) is a country in Africa bordering Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and The Gambia. The capital of Senegal is Dakar. A number of large cities in Senegal are: Pikine, Touba, Guédiawaye and Thiès.
Senegal is a country that is mostly known for its nature. Senegal has a National Park called Niokolo-Koba. This is a nature reserve of approximately 900,000 hectares and was established to protect its flora and fauna. Monkeys, hippos, crocodiles, lions, buffaloes and leopards, elephants, chimpanzees, panthers and approximately 350 bird species live here. This park is one of the biggest attractions in the country. The coastline of the country consists of wide sandy beaches. For years, the capital Dakar was the final destination of the annual Dakar Rally, but it has been moved to Buenos Aires in Argentina due to threats. 25 kilometers from Dakar is the lake Lac Rose, which is known for its pink color and the high salt concentration that keeps people afloat.
Where is Senegal located?
Travel information of Senegal
Official name: Republic of Senegal
Continent: Africa
Area: 196,722 km²
Capital: Dakar
Country code: SN, SEN
Population: 15,736,368 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 581 m
Distance (Amsterdam – Dakar): 4,626 km
Flight time: approx. 6 hour
Travel advice
Current status: All non-essential travel to certain border areas in Senegal is discouraged.
Current color code: Yellow and orange.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Senegal that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Senegal, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Senegal. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, hiking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Senegal?
Weather and climate
Senegal has a tropical climate. The temperatures are around 20 to 25 degrees during the winter months and around 35 to 40 degrees during the summer months.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Senegal can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Senegal can be found at Climate info.
Best time to travel
January, February and December are the best months to travel to the interior of Senegal.
January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November and December are the best months to travel to the coast of Senegal.
This avoids the rainy season.
Language
French is the official language in Senegal. In addition, several local languages are spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into French for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon departure from Senegal.
A visa is not necessary.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Senegal: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Senegal in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Senegal, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in Senegal. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Senegal, payments are made with the CFA franc (XOF).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Senegal can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Senegal are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -24% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (44% cheaper), food (1% more expensive), imported beer in catering (30% cheaper), cigarettes (84% cheaper) and public transport (94% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Senegal it is customary to tip. If this has not already been included in the bill, it is customary to tip approximately 10%.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 2 hours earlier in Senegal.
During our winter time it is 1 hour earlier in Senegal.
Senegal has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Senegal can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Senegal you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Senegal.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Senegal.
Electricity In Senegal you may need a travel plug
in some cases. More information about common plugs and sockets in Senegal can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: Local numbers
– Fire: Local numbers
– Ambulance: Local numbers
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Senegal can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Senegal can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Senegal end in.sn.
Senegal’s official website: au-senegal.com.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Senegal is 00221 or +221.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Senegal? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in Senegal’s Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Senegal.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Senegal.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Senegal can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Senegal, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Senegal?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Senegal. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Senegal can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Senegal can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Senegal? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with Senegal, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Senegal, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Senegal.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking at all ages.
– Alcohol and traffic: No maximum permitted alcohol content.
– Tobacco: Unknown
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Not allowed. Prison sentence up to 10 years.
Did you know that…
…There is also a river in Senegal called Sénégal?
…The Senegalese capital Dakar is the westernmost point of Africa?
…Milk in Senegal is not liquid but dissolved powder?
…People in Senegal don’t know bread but only baguettes?
…Senegalese chew sticks to brush their teeth?
…Wrestling is Senegal’s national sport?
