7 Days in Senegal
Trip Overview
Give Senegal seven days and it will hand you its pulse and its shoreline in one loop. Begin in Dakar, sail west to the sorrow-soaked stones of Gorée Island, motor north to the shuttered balconies of colonial Saint-Louis, then arc south through flamingo-pink Lac Rose, the surf breaks of Mbour, and the river-maze wilds of Saloum Delta. Mornings roll forward at a steady clip, afternoons surrender to siestas on Atlantic sand, and nights swing hard to mbalax in courtyard bars. You will smell charcoal-grilled fish drifting across open-air markets, hear sabar drums rattling late-night cafés, and watch crimson suns sink behind baobab silhouettes.
Pace
Moderate
Daily Budget
$120-180 per day
Best Seasons
November, May, when Senegal weather is dry and breezy
Ideal For
First-time visitors, Culture seekers, Music lovers, Photographers
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A complete plan for every day of your trip
1
Dakar Arrival & Plateau Discovery
Dakar
Land, clear customs, and dive straight into downtown Dakar for art, architecture, and sizzling street food.
Morning
Walk the Plateau's murals and colonial façades
Start inside Marché Kermel's ochre arcades, spices glint in hessian sacks and mango perfume hangs thick, then follow Rue 10 past the 1930s Palais de Justice. The painted walls of Village des Arts explode with neon portraits of griots and wrestlers.
Lunch
Chez Loutcha, Plateau
Afternoon
IFAN Museum of African Arts
Cool stone corridors display wooden Dogon masks and rust-red Senegalese textiles. Guides rap short rhythms on djembes, letting the echo drift through high-ceiling halls.
Evening
Sunset at Le Ngor with live mbalax
Order a gingembre cocktail while guitar licks ripple across the rooftop terrace
Where to Stay Tonight
Plateau or Fann Corniche (Hotel des Almadies or similar)
Close to airport and the Ngor surf break for next morning
See all Senegal accommodation options →Buy an SIM card at Orange on Rue A. Diop before 6 p.m.; passport required.
Day 1 Budget: $140
2
Gorée Island: Echoes of Memory
Gorée Island
A short ferry sails you to pastel houses, history museums, and Atlantic views.
Morning
House of Slaves and ferry ride
The 20-minute ferry from Port de Dakar skims jade water. Salt spray kisses cheeks. Inside the pink-walled House of Slaves, wooden doors creak and Atlantic wind whistles through the Door of No Return.
Ferry ticket at quay. Morning boats less crowded
Lunch
Chez Marème, Gorée harbor
Afternoon
Explore craft galleries and 19-century fort
Climb the volcanic-rock path to Castel d'Estrées; cannon mouths stare over sapphire water. Pocket-size galleries sell indigo batiks that still smell of wood-smoke dye.
Evening
Return ferry and dinner in Dakar
La Calebasse in Mermoz for palm-wine chicken
Where to Stay Tonight
Plateau (same hotel) (Hotel des Almadies)
No need to repack. Taxi to airport tomorrow is easy
See all Senegal accommodation options →Bring water shoes; Gorée's pier is barnacle-covered and slippery.
Day 2 Budget: $155
3
Northbound to Saint-Louis
Saint-Louis
A four-hour drive through baobab savanna drops you at Senegal's oldest French settlement.
Morning
Private car or Ndiaga Ndiaye bus
Leave Dakar at 7 a.m.; the highway unrolls past roadside stalls grilling spicy merlan. Baobab trunks rear like elephant legs against a pale sky.
Hotel can arrange driver for $80 split among travelers
Lunch
La Linguère, Saint-Louis island
Afternoon
Horse-cart tour of colonial grid
Rattle across the 1897 Faidherbe Bridge; wrought-iron arches clatter overhead. Cobbled streets lined with turquoise shutters run to the Governor's Palace, its verandahs scented with old timber and frangipani.
Negotiate price before boarding, standard is $10 per cart
Evening
Sunset over the Senegal River
Bar at Hotel Mermoz: sip bissap juice while pirogues glide by
Where to Stay Tonight
Saint-Louis island (Hotel de la Poste)
Colonial charm inside the UNESCO quarter, walkable to restaurants
See all Senegal accommodation options →Evenings get windy. Pack a light jacket for riverfront strolls.
Day 3 Budget: $130
4
Saint-Louis Markets & Jazz Night
Saint-Louis
Dig into busy markets by day, then sway to jazz in a riverside courtyard.
Morning
Guet Ndar fish market
At dawn, wooden pirogues slide onto sand, silver thiof flashing. Women in bright fabrics shout prices, smoke from charcoal grills stings eyes, and gulls scream above.
Lunch
Chez Maman Africa, fishermen's quarter
Afternoon
Langue de Barbarie canoe safari
Paddle through narrow mangrove channels. Saltwater slaps the pirogue, pelicans flap overhead, and fiddler crabs clatter across mud banks that reek of iodine.
Book through hotel. Low tide at 2 p.m. suits bird watching
Evening
Live jazz at Le Djolof
Order Café Touba ice cream while trumpet riffs bounce off coral-stone walls
Where to Stay Tonight
Saint-Louis island (Hotel de la Poste)
Keeps luggage simple. Jazz club is a 5-minute walk
See all Senegal accommodation options →Carry small CFA notes. Market vendors rarely have change for 10 000 bills.
Day 4 Budget: $125
5
Lac Rose & the Pink Salt Flats
Lac Rose (Retba)
Leave the river city and steer south to a shallow lake that turns strawberry under the sun.
Morning
Drive to Lac Rose via coastal road
The route cuts past baobab graveyards and peanut fields. The air thickens with dust and grilled peanuts. Reach the rose shoreline where salt harvesters scrape crystalline sheets, skin dusted white.
Hire same Saint-Louis driver or join a shared sept-place
Lunch
Chez Salim, edge of Lac Rose
Afternoon
Float in the pink lake and 4×4 dunes
The water feels slick like silk, salt crystals crunch between toes. A short 4×4 ride over ochre dunes ends at Atlantic rollers crashing below.
Guides at Chez Salim. Negotiate lake entry plus 4×4 together
Evening
Sunset dune picnic
Fresh coconut water and bissap biscuits while dunes glow amber
Where to Stay Tonight
Lac Rose lodges (Campement du Lac Rose)
Round huts face the water, wake up to pink reflections
See all Senegal accommodation options →Rub shea butter on skin before swimming. Cuts salt sting.
Day 5 Budget: $135
6
Surf & Serenity in Mbour
Mbour
Swap dunes for surfboards along Saly-Mbour beaches, Senegal's Atlantic playground.
Morning
Drive to Mbour and surf lesson at Virage
One hour south, the tarmac hugs a coastline of coconut palms and fishermen mending turquoise nets. At Virage, soft Atlantic rollers suit beginners. Wax smells coconut-sweet under the Senegalese sun.
Book boards and instructor the evening before via WhatsApp
Lunch
Ocean 7, Saly beach strip
Afternoon
Mbour fish market and pirogue painting
Colorful boats bob in the estuary. Artisans slap bright paint onto hulls while diesel smoke drifts. Pick up hand-carved calabash bowls for souvenirs.
Evening
Beach bonfire with local drummers
Keur Birane beach bar sets logs ablaze. Sip palm wine to sabar beats
Where to Stay Tonight
Saly beach strip (La Pierre de Lisse eco-lodge)
Steps from sand, solar-powered, quiet after dark
See all Senegal accommodation options →Mbour ATMs run out on weekends. Withdraw cash in Dakar before heading south.
Day 6 Budget: $150
7
Delta Safari in Saloum and Dakar Return
Saloum Delta National Park
Close with bird-rich mangroves before rolling back to Dakar for departure flights.
Morning
Pirogue safari through Saloum Delta
Push off at Palmarin at dawn. Water mirrors sky, egrets lift in silence. Mangrove roots twist like serpents, and the air tastes of brine and spicy oyster omelettes sizzling onshore.
Reserve through eco-lodge; low tide exposes oyster banks for tasting
Lunch
Boukarou Lounge, Somone
Afternoon
Drive to Dakar airport via coastal road
Catch last glimpses of baobabs and roadside women selling bissap juice in recycled bottles. Reach Blaise Diagne airport by 4 p.m. for evening departures.
Leave Somone by 1 p.m. to beat Dakar traffic
Where to Stay Tonight
Airport vicinity (Onward flight)
No overnight needed for evening departures
See all Senegal accommodation options →Airport Wi-Fi is free but spotty. Download boarding pass beforehand.
Day 7 Budget: $110
Practical Information
Everything you need to know before you go
Getting Around
Domestic legs ride hired 4×4 or shared sept-place taxis, reliable and air-conditioned. In Dakar, hop bright-yellow car rapides or flag orange-and-black taxis with meters. Pirogues handle island and delta traffic. Always agree price before boarding.
Book Ahead
Book Saint-Louis hotel during May jazz festival, grab surf lessons in Saly, catch Gorée ferry before 9 a.m. to beat the crowds.
Packing Essentials
Pack light cotton layers, reef-safe sunscreen, universal adapter, small CFA cash bundles, water shoes, light jacket for river and ocean nights.
Total Budget
$950, $1,200 for the week excluding airfare
Customize Your Trip
Adapt this itinerary to your travel style
Budget Version
Ride Ndiaga Ndiaye buses instead of private cars, bunk in guest houses like Casa Mara in Dakar and Auberge des Marins in Saint-Louis, eat at street stalls, total drops to $600, $700.
Luxury Upgrade
Upgrade to Radisson Blu Dakar sea suites, charter a yacht for Saloum Delta, dine at Le Lagon 1 in Dakar and La Maison Rose in Saint-Louis, expect $2,000+.
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