An African country of celebration, music, festivals and night life.
From its beautiful beaches and forests to its animal sanctuaries and archaeological history, Senegal is very diverse to meet the needs of any person. Leave the culture-filled country happier, refreshed, and stress-free once you visit. Dakar is the capital of Senegal with nearly four million inhabitants and is a very cosmopolitan city. Senegal is one of the most developed countries in West Africa when it comes to cellular service and Internet access. If being close to nature is your ideal lodging, there are also campsites in and around the national parks and reserves, as well as bungalows in some of the sites.
What Senegal offers?
Senegal is one of the most popular tourist destinations in West Africa, which is home to Dakar and Saint Louis, two dynamic cultural hubs. Senegal is also home to several diverse wildlife parks, including the Niokolo-Koba National Park, the Oiseaux du Djoudj National Park, and the Bandia Game Reserve. Senegal is known as the land of “teranga”, which is the Senegalese value of hospitality, respect, and community. The Senegalese beaches are beautiful and sandy, with rich populations of fish. Savory Senegalese food is sure to tempt your taste as well.
The pink Lake: The lake is an incredible rose-colored body of water which is northeast of Dakar. Visitors are welcome to swim in the shallow, warm waters without any fear of drowning. Swimmers are guaranteed to float during the week. The lake is particularly spectacular at dawn and dusk, when the feldspar deposits reflect the sunlight through the salty waters and produce the unique and vibrant pink color.
Wildlife: Bird-watchers will catch a glimpse of everything, from flamingos to egrets, pelicans to ostriches, as well as the more than one hundred species of birds on the mainland or on one of the islands just off the coast. Niokolo Koba, the biggest national park, has more than eighty mammal species including, lions, hippopotamus, buffalo, gazelles, and many types of monkeys. Eco-tourists can enjoy the pristine mangroves, home to nearly fifty various types of animals. Also, enjoy the diverse ecosystem of the Sine Saloum deltas, where mangroves, mudflats, sandy islets, dry forests, and lagoons make for incredible environmental tours.
Water Activity: Well-known by European divers for the amazing variety of fish that abound in its waters, Senegal offers exceptional snorkeling, particularly around Goree Island and the Madeleine Islands off Dakar. Bring your camera to capture the everlasting and joyful memories of your adventure in Senegal — they will be some of your most outstanding souvenirs for sure!
Bandia Game Reserve: The Bandia Wildlife Reserve is one of the most popular tourist destinations and has succeeded in reintroducing much of the marvelous native flora and of some of Africa’s best loved animals. Many of which have gradually disappeared, some of them centuries ago, due to demographic pressure and poaching. Visitors can get around the reserve in a private car or four-wheel drive vehicle. After touring the game reserve, visitors can enjoy a meal at the Bandia restaurant which overlooks a waterhole where buffaloes and crocodiles relax, and monkeys chatter in the trees.
Authentic handicrafts and artifacts: Nothing captures the spirit of a country like the authentic handicrafts of its people. The collector and bargain-hunter in you will revel at the exquisitely carved gold, silver, and bronze jewelry, antique beads, and authentic amber necklaces found in markets and antique shops throughout the country. Painters depict the daily life of the population with humor and talent in vivid colors and a naive style. With each region offering its own traditional crafts, you will not only be supporting the artisans and their livelihood, but also indulging in duty-free shopping in areas like St. Louis, Tambacounda, Ziguinchor and Kaolack, outside of Dakar.