Experience the best of Dakar
Dakar, the capital of Senegal, sits on the Cap-Vert peninsula, the westernmost point of mainland Africa, a city of markets, music and ocean beaches.
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Dakar occupies the tip of the Cap-Vert peninsula, jutting into the Atlantic at the westernmost point of mainland Africa. The city mixes colonial boulevards with busy markets such as Sandaga and fishing beaches where painted pirogues unload at Soumbédioune. The African Renaissance Monument, a huge bronze statue of a man, woman and child on a hilltop at Ouakam, overlooks the coast.
Just offshore, the island of Gorée, a UNESCO site, is reached by a short ferry ride. Its pastel houses, bougainvillea and narrow lanes have a quiet beauty, and a museum there remembers the Atlantic slave trade. Lake Retba, or Lac Rose, to the north-east, is a shallow salt lake whose water can turn pink, and the colonial city of Saint-Louis lies further north.
Thieboudienne, rice cooked in tomato with fish and vegetables, is the national dish, alongside yassa, chicken or fish in an onion and lemon sauce, mafé peanut stew, and bissap and ginger juices. Mbalax, the dance music of Senegal, pours from clubs, and Dakar is the home city of the singer Youssou N'Dour. The dry season runs from November to May, and the rains fall from July to October.
- 4 skip-the-line tickets
- Free cancellation on 94% of experiences
- 4.7 across the top 14
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Questions about Dakar
- What is there to do in Dakar?
- We list 153 experiences in Dakar. The largest groups are day trips (38), city tours (13).
- What are the top attractions in Dakar?
- Ranked by the experiences that visit them, the top attractions in Dakar are Gorée Island, Maison des Esclaves, Lake Retba (Lac Rose), Ngor Island (Île de N’Gor).
- What is the most popular experience in Dakar?
- By number of traveller reviews it is "Explore Dakar and Gorée Island full day", rated 5.0 out of 5 from 279 reviews.
- How long do tours and tickets in Dakar take?
- The typical experience in Dakar lasts about 7 hours; the middle half run between 4 hours and 48 hours.
- Can I cancel a booking in Dakar?
- The operator lists free cancellation on 94% of the 153 experiences we hold for Dakar. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.
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