Budget/Backpacker Travel Guide: Senegal

Accommodation

$8-25 per night

Basic guesthouses, budget hotels, shared rooms in local accommodations, simple lodges with fans

Food & Dining

$5-15 per day

Street food, local markets, ceebu jen from neighborhood spots, attaya tea, simple grilled fish

Transportation

$2-8 per day

Car rapides (local buses), sept-places shared taxis, walking, occasional motorcycle taxis

Activities

$3-12 per day

Beach time, local markets, free cultural sites, occasional museum entry, walking tours

Eat at local neighborhoods rather than tourist areas - typically 60-80% cheaper for authentic Senegalese cuisine

Use car rapides and sept-places instead of private taxis for 70-85% savings on transportation

Stay in Senegalese-run guesthouses rather than international hotels for 40-60% accommodation savings

Buy fresh produce and snacks at local markets instead of hotel shops for 50-70% food savings

Travel during rainy season (June-October) for 30-50% lower accommodation rates

Book domestic transport directly rather than through hotels to save 25-40% on transfers

Join group tours instead of private guides to reduce activity costs by 40-65%

Only eating in hotel restaurants and tourist zones - typically costs 150-300% more than local alternatives

Taking private taxis for all transport instead of learning local shared taxi system - increases transport costs by 400-600%

Traveling only during peak dry season without considering shoulder seasons - accommodation can cost 50-80% more

Not negotiating prices at markets and for services - can overpay by 30-100% in tourist areas

Booking last-minute accommodation in popular areas during festivals - prices can surge 200-400%