Dakar

Airport transfer to central Dakar(1 hour)

Taxi 25,000-30,000 XOF (~$40-50). Use the Dakar-AIBD Express toll highway. DDD bus shuttle 5,000 XOF is cheaper but slower. Arrange hotel pickup if possible

Check into hotel(30 minutes)

Plateau district for culture, Almadies/Ngor for beaches. Hotels from $50-200/night. Hotel du Phare in Almadies is well-located

Walk the Plateau neighborhood(1.5 hours)

Dakar's administrative center — grand colonial buildings, the Presidential Palace (exterior), and Place de l'Indépendance. The streets are lively and relatively walkable

Dinner at La Calebasse(1.5 hours)

Traditional Senegalese in a family-style setting. Thieboudienne (fish and rice), yassa poulet. 3,000-6,000 XOF (~$5-10)

Ferry to Goree Island(20 minutes)

Departs from Dakar port every 1-2 hours. Return ticket 5,200 XOF (~$8.50). Arrive early for the first ferry to avoid midday heat

Maison des Esclaves (House of Slaves)(1 hour)

The Door of No Return faces the Atlantic. Entry 500 XOF. Listen to the guide's narrative — this is a place of remembrance. No selfies at the Door

Explore Goree Island(2 hours)

Walk the 45-minute loop — colorful colonial buildings, bougainvillea, art galleries. Buy art directly from artists who live and work here. The contrast of beauty and dark history is powerful

Lunch on Goree Island(1 hour)

Chez Aïda or Le Chevalier de Boufflers — seafood with ocean views. 5,000-10,000 XOF

African Renaissance Monument(1.5 hours)

49-meter statue taller than the Statue of Liberty. Entry 6,500 XOF (~$10.50) includes elevator to the crown. Panoramic views. Open 9AM-7PM. Best at sunset

Corniche drive and walk(1.5 hours)

The cliff-top road along the Atlantic coast — dramatic volcanic rock formations, surfing beaches, and ocean views. Walk the section near Mamelles Lighthouse

Lunch at Chez Loutcha(1 hour)

In the Plateau — famous for the best thieboudienne in Dakar. 3,000-5,000 XOF. Lunch served noon-3PM. Arrive by 12:30

IFAN Museum of African Arts(1.5 hours)

Place Soweto. Masks, textiles, instruments from West and Central Africa. Entry 500 XOF. The Wolof and Serer textile collections are standout. Closed Mondays

Ataya tea ceremony(1 hour)

Accept an invitation for attaya (Senegalese mint tea) — three rounds, each sweeter than the last. Never refuse the third. Found everywhere, especially in the evening

Taxi to Lac Rose(1 hour)

Hire taxi for the day: 15,000-20,000 XOF. Or join a tour $30-40 USD

Lac Rose visit and float(2 hours)

Best pink color November-May. 40% salt — you float like the Dead Sea. Salt harvesters demonstrate the process. Don't shave before — the salt stings. Rinse with fresh water after

Quad biking on the dunes(1 hour)

Sand dunes near the lake. 10,000-15,000 XOF for a 1-hour ride. Popular activity at Lac Rose

Lunch at a lakeside restaurant(1 hour)

Simple grilled fish and ataaya. 3,000-5,000 XOF

Pirogue to Ngor Island(5 minutes)

Wooden canoe from Ngor beach. 500 XOF each way. Quick and fun

Beach time and swimming on Ngor Island(2 hours)

Small beaches, simple restaurants, no cars. A perfect escape from Dakar's noise

Surfing at Ngor Right(2 hours)

West Africa's best surf break — consistent right-hander, best November-April. Board rental 5,000 XOF/day on the island. Lessons available

Lunch on Ngor Island(1 hour)

Fresh grilled fish at a beach restaurant. 5,000-8,000 XOF

Village des Arts(1.5 hours)

Former military camp converted to artist studios. Free entry. Working Senegalese artists — painting, sculpture, textiles. Near Route de la Corniche

Pointe des Almadies(1 hour)

The westernmost point of continental Africa. Walk to the lighthouse for ocean views. Free

Brunch at Copacabana Surf Village(1 hour)

Beach restaurant with ocean views. Smoothie bowls, pancakes, coffee. 3,000-6,000 XOF

Sandaga Market for crafts(2 hours)

Dakar's main craft market — masks, fabrics, jewelry. Bargain hard, watch for pickpockets. More chaotic than Goree's art shops but better prices

Farewell dinner at Le Lagon 2(2 hours)

Seafood restaurant built over the ocean on stilts in the Corniche area. Fresh lobster and grilled fish. 10,000-20,000 XOF per person. Sunset views

Morning coffee and pastry at a Plateau café(45 minutes)

French-influenced café culture is strong in Dakar. Café Touba (spiced with djar pepper) is the local alternative to coffee

Last souvenir shopping(1 hour)

Marché Kermel (covered market near the port) for fabrics, baskets, and dried flowers. More organized than Sandaga

Airport transfer(1 hour)

Taxi 25,000-30,000 XOF. DSS is 47km — leave 3+ hours before flight including traffic. Avoid rush hours

Airport transfer(1 hour)

Taxi 25,000-30,000 XOF. Toll highway fastest

Plateau walk(1.5 hours)

Colonial buildings, Presidential Palace, Place de l'Indépendance

Dinner at La Calebasse(1.5 hours)

Thieboudienne, yassa. 3,000-6,000 XOF

Ferry to Goree(20 minutes)

5,200 XOF return

Maison des Esclaves(1 hour)

500 XOF. No selfies at the Door

Lunch on Goree(1 hour)

5,000-10,000 XOF

African Renaissance Monument(1.5 hours)

6,500 XOF. Crown elevator. Best at sunset

Lunch at Chez Loutcha(1 hour)

Best thieboudienne. 3,000-5,000 XOF

IFAN Museum(1.5 hours)

500 XOF. Closed Mondays

Taxi to Lac Rose(1 hour)

Day taxi 15,000-20,000 XOF

Lac Rose visit and float(2 hours)

Best pink Nov-May. 40% salt

Quad biking on dunes(1 hour)

10,000-15,000 XOF

Lakeside lunch(1 hour)

3,000-5,000 XOF

Pirogue to Ngor Island(5 minutes)

500 XOF each way

Surfing at Ngor Right(2 hours)

Board rental 5,000 XOF/day

Lunch on island(1 hour)

5,000-8,000 XOF

Village des Arts(1.5 hours)

Free. Artist studios

Brunch at Copacabana Surf Village(1 hour)

3,000-6,000 XOF

Sandaga Market(2 hours)

Crafts, fabrics, masks. Watch for pickpockets

Dinner at Le Lagon 2(2 hours)

Over-water seafood. 10,000-20,000 XOF

Senegalese cooking class(4 hours)

Start at the market buying ingredients, then cook thieboudienne, yassa poulet, and mafe (peanut stew). Several guesthouses and cultural centers offer classes. $25-40 per person

Lamb (Senegalese wrestling) match(3 hours)

If matches are scheduled (check locally — they happen on Sundays at Demba Diop Stadium or the beach). Tickets 2,000-10,000 XOF. Mystical pre-fight rituals, drumming, and incredible athleticism. Senegal's biggest spectator sport

Transport to Saint-Louis(4.5 hours)

Supratours-style bus (3,000-5,000 XOF) or hire a car ($80-100 for the day). The new highway cuts travel time

Check into Saint-Louis hotel(30 minutes)

Stay on the island — Hotel de la Poste (historic, $60-100) or La Résidence ($40-70). The island is walkable

Walk Saint-Louis Island(2 hours)

Colonial buildings in faded pastels, balconied houses, the Faidherbe Bridge (designed by Gustave Eiffel). A completely different mood from Dakar — slow, artistic, melancholic

Dinner at La Linguère(1.5 hours)

Terrace restaurant on the river. Fresh fish, attieke (cassava couscous). 4,000-8,000 XOF

Pirogue to Langue de Barbarie(3 hours)

Narrow sand spit between the river and Atlantic. Visit the Guet Ndar fishing village — one of West Africa's most photogenic (and most crowded per capita). Pirogue tour 5,000-10,000 XOF

Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (if season)(4 hours)

60km north. UNESCO site. 3 million migratory birds November-April including pelicans, flamingos. Boat tours $20-30. If outside bird season, skip and explore more of Saint-Louis

Lunch at Flamingo Jazz Club(1 hour)

Jazz bar and restaurant. Live music some evenings. 4,000-8,000 XOF

Sunset from Faidherbe Bridge(45 minutes)

The iron bridge glows in the sunset. Locals fish and chat on the pedestrian walkways

Morning walk — photography and café(1.5 hours)

The morning light on the colonial facades is perfect for photography. Grab a café Touba from a street vendor

Visit a local artist's studio(1 hour)

Saint-Louis has a thriving art scene. Ask at your hotel — several painters and sculptors open their studios to visitors

Dinner at Phare des Mamelles(1.5 hours)

Restaurant near the lighthouse. Seafood and Senegalese fusion. 6,000-12,000 XOF

Beach morning at Plage de Yoff(2 hours)

Local beach north of Almadies. Less touristy than Ngor. Fishermen pull pirogues up on the sand

Lunch at a dibiterie(1 hour)

Roadside grilled meat (dibi) — lamb or beef charcoal-grilled to order. 2,000-4,000 XOF. Found throughout Dakar. Point and order

Medina neighborhood walk(2 hours)

The dense, vibrant neighborhood behind the Plateau. Fabric shops, tailors who can make a custom outfit in 24 hours (5,000-15,000 XOF), and the Marché Tilène for spices and food

Custom outfit fitting(1 hour)

Pick fabric at the market, then visit a tailor. A custom dress or shirt costs 5,000-15,000 XOF including fabric. Pickup next day

Lunch at a local gargoté(1 hour)

Hole-in-the-wall eatery. Thieboudienne, mafe, or yassa. 1,500-3,000 XOF. Ask locals for recommendations

Evening at Just 4 U or Sahel nightclub(3 hours)

Dakar's nightlife is legendary. Live mbalax music (Senegalese pop), DJs, and dancing until dawn. Cover 3,000-5,000 XOF. Things don't start until midnight

Soumbedioune fish market(1.5 hours)

Fishermen land pirogues on this Corniche beach every morning. Watch the auction, the women who process and sell the fish, and the organized chaos. Best 7-9AM

Village artisanal de Soumbedioune(1.5 hours)

Craft market next to the fish market — woodworkers, leather workers, jewelers. Watch artisans at work. Better quality than Sandaga. Bargain at 50% of first price

Lunch at Le Djembe(1 hour)

Garden restaurant in Almadies. Senegalese and French cuisine. 5,000-10,000 XOF

Farewell dinner at Noflaye Beach(2 hours)

Beach restaurant south of Almadies. Fresh seafood, live music on weekends. 6,000-12,000 XOF

Last-minute shopping at Marché Kermel(1 hour)

Covered market. Fabrics, dried hibiscus flowers, local honey

Airport transfer(1 hour)

25,000-30,000 XOF. Leave 3+ hours before flight

Airport transfer(1 hour)

Taxi 25,000-30,000 XOF

Dinner at La Calebasse(1.5 hours)

3,000-6,000 XOF

Ferry to Goree(20 minutes)

5,200 XOF return

Maison des Esclaves(1 hour)

500 XOF

African Renaissance Monument(1.5 hours)

6,500 XOF

Lunch at Chez Loutcha(1 hour)

3,000-5,000 XOF

IFAN Museum(1.5 hours)

500 XOF

Taxi to Lac Rose(1 hour)

15,000-20,000 XOF for the day

Quad biking(1 hour)

10,000-15,000 XOF

Pirogue to Ngor(5 minutes)

500 XOF

Surfing(2 hours)

Board 5,000 XOF/day

Le Lagon 2 dinner(2 hours)

10,000-20,000 XOF

Cooking class(4 hours)

$25-40. Market shopping then cooking

Lamb wrestling match(3 hours)

If scheduled. 2,000-10,000 XOF

Transport to Saint-Louis(4.5 hours)

Bus 3,000-5,000 XOF or car $80-100

Saint-Louis Island walk(2 hours)

Faidherbe Bridge, colonial facades

Dinner at La Linguère(1.5 hours)

4,000-8,000 XOF

Pirogue to Langue de Barbarie(3 hours)

5,000-10,000 XOF. Guet Ndar fishing village

Djoudj Bird Sanctuary (seasonal)(4 hours)

60km north. $20-30. 3 million birds Nov-Apr

Dibiterie lunch(1 hour)

Grilled lamb, 2,000-4,000 XOF

Custom outfit fitting(1 hour)

5,000-15,000 XOF including fabric

Gargoté lunch(1 hour)

1,500-3,000 XOF

Mbalax nightclub(3 hours)

Just 4 U or Sahel. Starts midnight

Flight to Ziguinchor(1.5 hours)

Air Senegal, $80-150 one way. Or take the overnight Le Djola ferry from Dakar ($30-50)

Check into Ziguinchor hotel(30 minutes)

Auberge Le Kinkéliba or Hotel Kadiandoumagne. $25-60/night

Ziguinchor town walk(2 hours)

Colonial Portuguese/French architecture, vibrant market, Casamance River waterfront. A completely different energy from Dakar — more relaxed, more green

Dinner at restaurant with Casamançais cuisine(1.5 hours)

Palm wine, oysters grilled on mangrove charcoal, and fish yassa. The cuisine is more seafood-heavy and spicy than northern Senegal

Transfer to Cap Skirring(1.5 hours)

70km from Ziguinchor. Taxi or shared transport

Beach day at Cap Skirring(4 hours)

Wide golden sand, warm Atlantic water, palm trees. Less developed than Dakar's beaches. Simple beach bars serve fresh fish and cold beer

Lunch at a beach restaurant(1 hour)

Grilled barracuda, palm wine, fresh fruit. 3,000-6,000 XOF

Visit a Diola village(3 hours)

The Diola people have a distinct culture from northern Senegal. Their case à impluvium houses collect rainwater in a central courtyard. Visit with a local guide ($15-25). Learn about animist traditions and palm wine tapping

Forest walk near Oussouye(2 hours)

Tropical forest with kapok trees, monkeys, and birdlife. The Casamance is Senegal's greenest region. Guide recommended

Mangrove pirogue tour(2.5 hours)

Paddle through the Casamance River mangroves — oyster-harvesting women, pelicans, kingfishers. $15-25 per person. Sunrise departure is magical

Drive to Touba(3 hours)

195km from Dakar. Hire car $80-120 or join a tour

Grand Mosque of Touba(2 hours)

One of the largest mosques in sub-Saharan Africa. The tomb of Cheikh Amadou Bamba, founder of the Mouride brotherhood. Free entry. Dress very modestly (long sleeves, long pants/skirt, head covering for women). Remove shoes. No photography of worshippers. Deeply sacred site

Touba city walk(1 hour)

The city revolves entirely around the mosque and Mouride faith. Market area, religious bookshops, and the unique energy of a pilgrimage city

Soumbedioune fish market(1.5 hours)

7-9AM. Pirogues landing, fish auction

Village artisanal(1.5 hours)

Woodworkers, leather, jewelry. Better quality than Sandaga

Marché Kermel shopping(1.5 hours)

Covered market. Fabrics, dried hibiscus, honey, baskets

Farewell dinner at Noflaye Beach(2 hours)

Seafood, live music. 6,000-12,000 XOF

Airport transfer(1 hour)

25,000-30,000 XOF. Leave 3+ hours before flight