Tips for solo travel in Senegal

Hi everyone, I’m 66 and just discovered solo travel in Uzbekistan—I loved it! So I’ve decided to explore Africa, starting with Senegal. I’m just beginning my research, but if anyone can give me advice on which month to go, what to see, and whether this destination is safe—or maybe suggest another African country—I’d really appreciate your tips!

hi there; you’ll find all the info on this forum page. https://voyageforum.com/guides/senegal/

Hi Corinne, Senegal is a fantastic destination to start discovering Africa! The recommended periods are from December to April, when the temperature and climate are very favorable—if I had to pick specific months, I’d say January and February. For the rest of the year, it’s the rainy season, with a wet, hot, and humid climate.

We meet a lot of women traveling solo here—it’s a safe country, also known as the "Land of Téranga," which means "hospitality." :)

For exploring the country, it all depends on what you’re looking for. There are plenty of excursions to do, like bush markets, historical monuments such as "Gorée," natural sites like the Saloum Islands, the lush southern region called Casamance, and safaris.

Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any other questions. Have a great day! !

Hi there. For a first solo trip to West Africa (without an agency or guide), I’d recommend Benin or Togo instead—they’re less touristy than Senegal but just as interesting. The commercial vibe is more "chill," and the locals are less focused on tourists, so there’s less pressure, less hassle from vendors, street sellers, and all kinds of "guides." Fewer scams too...

Thanks for your advice—I’m really torn now😛 I need to look into these countries a bit more, but if you say they’re safe, it’s true they do feel more authentic.

thanks Nadine for your tips

hi. like many "touristy" countries, in senegal tourism is confined to just a few square kilometers. all you have to do is step to the side to leave it behind. i regularly travel off the beaten path, away from the "must-see typical senegalese sights," and all the hassles of "the giant baobab you absolutely have to see" disappear.

Like many "tourist" countries, in Senegal tourism is confined to just a few square kilometers. All it takes is one step to the side to leave it behind.

Hi there, That’s true pretty much everywhere... Once you’re off the tourist trail, you’re really on your own. Still, when you arrive in a country by plane, it’s hard to skip the capital and its surroundings (like certain neighborhoods I’ve forgotten the names of, markets, and Gorée Island, for example, in Senegal).

As far as I’m concerned, nowhere else in the world have I been as hassled in my first few days by trinket sellers, fake guides, and thieves as I was in Dakar. Never before had anyone dared to slip their hands into my pockets while I was surrounded on all sides! (After that, I started putting razor blades in them!)

Used to traveling in all kinds of conditions, it didn’t bother me *that* much, but I’ll admit that compared to other big African cities (Accra, Lomé, Cotonou, etc.), except maybe Abidjan, I found Dakar particularly overwhelming for the first two days. So for a woman traveling alone, I have my concerns.🙁

Hi there, Cambrousse, a female Vf member, has traveled solo quite a bit in West Africa (Benin, Togo, and probably Senegal too). If she doesn’t chime in on this thread, maybe you could message her privately?

Hi Corinne, It’s a seventy-something woman answering you here. I traveled solo in Africa, including Benin, 5 years ago. It’s a Francophone country that isn’t overrun by tourist hordes, so making connections with locals was really easy, and I felt safe everywhere. With them, I had long political conversations since, at the time, Beninese people were heading to the polls.

I stayed for over a month, traveling long distances by local buses, using shared taxis to get around, and making the most of moto-taxis. They even started calling me "the white lady" when I stayed in the same place for a few days. I often hired a private guide—usually a moto-taxi driver—to visit more remote spots (very affordable prices).

Accommodation was satisfying and not too expensive. Food was no problem, with plenty of local fruit. I planned my itinerary using *Le Futé* guide (not always recommended for some destinations, but it was a good starting point) and filled in the details once I arrived.

You won’t find monuments like those on the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, but depending on the area, there are sites linked to the slave trade. In the north of the country, you’ll see mini individual fortified castles called *tatas sombas*, home to extended families. And I haven’t even mentioned the daily markets everywhere! The best time to go is during our winter, from January to April. Avoid the rainy season.

Lastly, don’t forget to bring a yellow fever vaccination certificate and check with your doctor about malaria prophylaxis.

There—I’ve finished singing Benin’s praises. Cambrousse from Vf can add more since they’ve been there several times. Carassou, Françoise

Thanks Françoise for your long reply—I’m still hesitating about the destination. Do you think we could meet up? I live in the Monts du Lyonnais.

I just sent you a PM to answer your request. Carassou

I’ve done quite a bit of solo travel in the region. The country I liked the least was Senegal. It’s the only country in the area where people are so eager for your wallet... I’m used to traveling with local public transport—that is, the transport used by locals. There are places where you have to fight to get the right info. They’ll offer you tourist-oriented info right away, or sometimes it’s 10 times more expensive... especially for pirogues to villages. You eventually find what you need, but it doesn’t flow as smoothly as in other countries. As soon as you arrive at accommodation, before you even order a drink, you’ve already got 5 excursion offers. Feels like harassment.

Anyway, the country is beautiful, but I didn’t enjoy the vibe.

I much preferred Benin, for example. No one’s waiting for your wallet there. Everything’s easier, interactions with locals are simpler and less transactional.

I’ve been to Benin 3 times—3 weeks, then 6 months, then 3 months. I really loved it.

Hello, Senegal isn’t that bad for a first destination. Personally, I didn’t experience or live through any of what’s described. I wandered around alone and everywhere, on foot for hours in both very touristy spots and much less frequented areas, and honestly, I didn’t encounter all the annoyances that are mentioned. Some comments are even disturbing, and I don’t understand why they didn’t spark any reaction—like those about colonization or the idea that Senegalese people’s life plan would be to trick a French person every day. Still, I went there with a whole suitcase of prejudices and was dreading it ten times over. But by refusing politely yet firmly, there were no issues at all. That said, it might be harder if you’re a woman—I don’t know, I’d need one less Y and one more X to say for sure.

Otherwise, Benin is also a great choice. Madagascar could be an option (not right now), as well as the Comoros or even Rwanda, which is extremely safe and very easy for a first solo trip in Africa.

Hello there. Cambrousse, you’re describing a real truth here. That said, this phenomenon really only pops up in super touristy spots. I remember your posts about the Saloum Islands. Yes, "Senegalese-style" transport is a bit hidden—I didn’t run into this issue at bus stations, with unlicensed taxis, or even in town when I asked random folks on the street. Hotels/camps in tourist hubs like Ndangane are basically prospecting grounds for guides and their crew. But I don’t quite agree with generalizing these behaviors.

I spend a lot of time on the Petite Côte, in villages or along the coast. I grab my beers (I love Gazelle) in bars where I never see those "annoying, clingy" types. Whether it’s Mbour, Warang, or Nianing, I’ll admit you’ve gotta know the right spots.

In rural villages, when you’re traveling independently, this stuff just doesn’t exist. Quite the opposite, actually.

Hi there, Senegal isn’t that bad for a first destination. Personally, I didn’t experience or live through any of what’s described. I wandered around alone, on foot for hours, in both very touristy spots and much less frequented areas, and honestly, I didn’t encounter all the unpleasantness that’s talked about. Some of the comments are even disturbing, and I don’t understand why they didn’t spark any reaction—like the ones about colonization or the idea that Senegalese people’s life plan is to trick a French person every day. Still, I went there with a whole suitcase full of prejudices and was dreading it ten times over. But by refusing politely but firmly, I had no problems at all. That said, it might be harder if you’re a woman—I’d need one less Y and one more X to say for sure.

Otherwise, Benin is also a great choice. You could consider Madagascar (not right now), the Comoros, or even Rwanda, which is extremely safe and very easy for a first solo trip in Africa.

Hey, Prejudices are sometimes valid, and I invite you to read the article in the link, written by a Senegalese tourism professional (also a director of social platforms) in his country—meaning he knows his stuff—and it describes well what happens between the critic and the criticized. Our only mistake (as tourists returning from Senegal) when we say a beach is dirty or street vendors are aggressive, etc., is forgetting to say that criticism can be constructive and that we can point out what’s wrong in a way that helps improve things, rather than just saying "don’t go." https://www.senegalinsights.com/themes/tourisme-au-senegal/le-sentiment-anti-francais-un-nouveau-defi-pour-le-tourisme-senegalais

Hello, Of course, sometimes prejudices turn out to be true, and I’m not at all questioning what other forum members have shared. For my part, I’m just saying that I expected it wouldn’t be easy for all the reasons mentioned, and I didn’t have any problems—even in touristy areas. Lucky break, I don’t know, but the trip went really well.

As for anti-French sentiment, I didn’t feel any of that either. Again, I’m not ignoring that it exists, but insulting someone on social media and doing it in person on the street aren’t the same thing. It’s pretty true everywhere, actually—you can easily get insulted on social media for criticizing Belgium, for example, and I’ve never had any issues walking around a country that isn’t mine.

In short, I didn’t feel or experience any of that during my time in Senegal, and like a lot of things, what happens on social media stays on social media.

Just my experience

Yes, you do encounter the phenomenon described here: www.senegalinsights.com/...-tourism-in-senegal Rarely in an open way, but it’s present in the minds of many young people. Prime Minister Sonko isn’t unrelated to this. For several years now, there’s been anti-French propaganda, notably from Guy Marius Sagna with his movement "FFRAP France Dégage." But as they say above, it’s the same "clientele" and the same behaviors you find in Europe and most countries these days.

Yes, I didn’t have any issues with the 7-seater minibuses or the bus stations. Otherwise, I probably compared it to my trips to Benin, Mali, and Burkina Faso, where we’re not solicited at all.

Senegal is a really beautiful country, though, and I experienced some amazing moments, like a wrestling tournament final in Mar Lodj, far from any touristy spots. I loved Casamance a lot.

When you've got a long drive ahead and the local cops stop the vehicle for over an hour each time, nitpicking at the driver to extort money while looking at us tourists with a certain disdain—that’s daily life in Senegal. When you politely explain to a street vendor following you relentlessly that you’re grown women and if you need to buy something, you’ll go to him or someone else because you know what you want. And then he replies: "If you were in my house, I’d never accept you talking to me like that"—even though you’ve said "no" a thousand times. When another guy on a supposedly secure beach waits for your group to split up so he can target a girl who’s alone for just five minutes, snatches her necklace, leaves scratches on her neck, and runs off while the so-called beach guards don’t lift a finger. When you willingly follow a guy who says he’ll take you to a typical restaurant where you’ll eat well, only for him to lie and say "it’s nearby" while you walk for an hour. Then you end up in some sketchy place where you’re harassed throughout the meal by guys forcing you to buy their junk, piling it around your plates (and the owner lets them do it), and then the owner adds insult to injury on the bill, trying to overcharge you for a basic meal. And so on... Yes, they need to improve if they don’t want people criticizing their country afterward (while telling you), "You colonized us, you stole our wealth." How many more years is this going to last? Ugh...

It’s clear that under these conditions, the stay is beyond unpleasant. You forgot to mention that as soon as you arrived, you were scammed out of a large sum of money at the airport exchange counter... https://voyageforum.com/forum/arnaque-1er-bureau-change-arrivee-aeroport-dakar-d10778513/

Yeah, but that was partly my fault because I was stressing about missing my unlikely shuttle from an equally unlikely hotel. Double fault on my part for assuming the clerk at a completely official currency exchange office was like a totally by-the-book administration. And yet, in France, I go to my bank reluctantly, telling my advisor straight up not to try selling me their crap because it won’t work on me. When traveling abroad, I always feel invulnerable because I’m caught up in all the pleasures of stepping out of my comfort zone (and there, too, I’m wrong). Once in Colombia, in the middle of guerrilla activity in my favorite department, a cop took my bank card right out of my hand while I was trying to explain that I was looking for a bank in an area where they only speak Costeño. I snatched it back violently and left. It was only long after returning to France that I realized how naive I’d been—once again—with authorities who are supposed to be honest. Same thing in the same region where a corrupt cop extorted 250,000 pesos from me just because he saw a bottle of rum at my feet in my car. Yeah, when traveling, we often act stupid!!!

.... I’ll go ahead and share (don’t hit me, okay!). I don’t have that kind of problem when I travel. I’ve hung out in West Africa, Algeria, Mali, Morocco of course, Mauritania a bit, and Senegal quite a bit. When I say "hung out," I mean stays of several months in "hardcore backpacker" conditions.

One of the keys is relaxation, letting go.

A question: which hotel are you talking about? That’ll give us an idea of where you stayed.

.... I’ll take the liberty (don’t hit me, okay!). I don’t have that kind of problem when I travel. I’ve hung out in West Africa, Algeria, Mali, Morocco of course, Mauritania a bit, and Senegal quite a lot. When I say "hung out," I mean stays of several months in "hardcore backpacker" conditions. One of the keys is relaxation, letting go. One question: which hotel are you talking about? That’ll give us an idea of where you’re staying.

We traveled all over the country, so we stayed in several hotels. But I personally didn’t experience harassment or anything like that because I never let it happen and always use the right tone. The drama my friends had was mostly in Saly (which explains a lot). I should mention they had faces that seemed to attract trouble and couldn’t say no firmly (basically the current generation) 😄

Thanks for this reply. It confirms what I was saying. The so-called "must-see" tourist spots in Senegal are definitely places to avoid. That’s where you’ll find the biggest pains in the neck in West Africa. The rest of the country—basically the whole thing ;)—is honestly really cool.

Saly is *the* spot you shouldn’t go to... in my opinion, of course. Oh! And Touba. Ugh... no comment.

Thanks for this reply. It confirms what I was saying. The so-called "must-see" tourist spots in Senegal are definitely to avoid. That’s where you’ll find the biggest pains in the neck in West Africa. The rest of the country—basically everything else 😉—is honestly really cool. Saly is *the* spot you shouldn’t go to... in my opinion, of course. Oh! And Touba. Ugh... no comment.

I didn’t have a choice about Saly for the last two days of my trip—I was with CDV, the "for girls only" agency (the one that kicked me out since)

Thanks for all your posts—I’ve decided it’ll be Benin! I’m leaving for the whole month of January. Now, time to get to work planning the itinerary. 😎

Benin! So many great memories... except with the authorities because I traveled through the country during the revolution. In every city I passed through, I got another stamp in my passport. By the time I left the country, there wasn’t much space left! In Parakou, I had to wait a good hour for my passport in the police station courtyard... had to wait for the ink to dry! 😉

😉🙂😉 We’ve all got stories like that. Me, I’ve had a few—like the time at the Burkina border where they didn’t have an exit stamp... some remote border post in the middle of nowhere, and I was on a moto-taxi. I had to go 15 klicks back to get the stamp. So, officially, I never left Burkina, even though I entered one day. But I still made it into Togo. The young Togolese customs officer stamped my entry, wrote down my name, and 10 minutes later, sent me a Facebook friend request. 😉 I’ve got tons of stories like that. It’s the sweet stuff of travel in Africa.

Yeah, Senegal can be intense when it comes to harassment, etc. I described it. But my trips to 7 different places went smoothly. Having a good knowledge of West Africa definitely helped me keep some distance from all the insistence. ... Staying calm and using humor are key. But as I’ve already said, I preferred Benin, Mali, and Burkina 1000 times over.

Yes, Senegal can be tough in terms of harassment, etc. I described it. But my trips in *sept-places* (shared taxis) went smoothly. Having some experience with West Africa definitely helped me keep my distance from all the insistence. ... Staying calm and using humor were key. But like I said before, I preferred Benin, Mali, and Burkina *a thousand times over*.

I had to explain to the restaurant manager at the hotel why I was putting some of my breakfast stuff in my bag—it was just because I wasn’t hungry at the moment (breakfast was included). Ugh, after a while, it’s just exhausting.

..well, for my part, I crossed Mali by road, through the desert, from Gao to Timbuktu, from Diboli to Algeria... with Bambaras, with Tamasheks. The people aren't much fun. I remember noting that: "When you ask the Bambaras for the time, it’s like you’ve insulted their mother." That’s exactly how I wrote it.

Senegal, I didn’t explore as much, but I laugh a lot more there. Senegalese people, from the random kid to the old lady selling odds and ends at the market, are way more approachable and really open to chatting—and more if there’s a connection.

Maybe it’s just a different way of looking at things? I don’t know.

That’s just how I felt.

...well, for my part, I crossed Mali by road, through the desert, from Gao to Timbuktu, from Diboli to Algeria... with Bambaras, with Tuaregs. The people aren't much fun. I remember noting that: "When you ask the Bambaras for the time, it's like you've violated their mother." That's exactly how I wrote it. In Senegal, I didn't travel around as much, but I laugh a lot more there. Senegalese people, from the unknown kid to the old lady selling next to nothing at the market, are way more approachable and really more open to conversation—and more if there's a connection. Maybe it's just a way of looking at things? I don't know. That's just how I felt.

For me in Senegal, it went much better with women than with men.