Senegal, whose official name is the Republic of Senegal, is a sovereign state in West Africa. Its territory is organized into 14 regions.It owes its name to the Senegal River, which marks the border to the east and north of the country. Senegal is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. Gambia forms a virtual enclave within Senegal, following the Gambia River for more than 300 km inland.Senegal is a country nestled between the arid desert lands in the north and the lush tropical forests of the south. Traveling to Senegal will provide you with an impressive collection of sights, sounds and flavors.Most tourists travel to Senegal for its beaches. Wide strips of white sand invite you to swim and sunbathe, whether in the urbanized tourist areas, where you can spend a relaxing day on the beach, an evening surrounded by cocktails, or stroll along the beaches of the coastal towns that are full of hundreds of colorful wooden canoes.When traveling to Senegal one should not miss visiting its capital, Dakar. Located at the tip of a peninsula, this dizzying city is made up of elegance and the bustle of the people. Busy streets, markets and vibrant nightlife set a relentless pace, but there is always an escape, whether to the meditative calm of historic Gorée Island or the golden sands of Yoff and NGor.The Tourists planning to travel to Senegal usually visit the deltas of the Casamance and Saloum rivers, a coast divided into a labyrinth of thick mangroves, streams, small lagoons and wide dazzling plains. A canoe trip through these surprising areas reveals hundreds of bird species. If you want to blend in with Africa's busy urban areas, or be alone and relax with your thoughts and the sounds of nature, traveling to Senegal is a good option.Archaeological remains suggest that Senegal was inhabited in prehistoric times. The eastern part of the country was once part of the Ghana Empire. Islam was established in the country during the 8th and 9th centuries, introduced by the Berbers and in the 13th century the Hólof Empire took control.Europeans began to show interest in the area during the 15th century , British, Dutch and Portuguese established trading and slave trading posts in the area. France took possession of the region in 1677 and in 1959 the first president of Senegal, Leopold Senghor, was elected.

Programs at Senegal

7 nights
€1,946
per person
7 nights

Useful information for traveling to Senegal

The official language is French but there are also many other local languages, the main one being Wolof.

The country has a total of 15,129,273 inhabitants with a density of 77 inhabitants per square kilometer.

To travel to Senegal it is necessary to have a passport. This document must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry into the country. Currently it is necessary to obtain a visa.

It is highly recommended to have up-to-date vaccinations against yellow fever, hepatitis A and B, and tetanus, as well as to come equipped with treatment against malaria, which is endemic in Senegal.

It is recommended to use high sunscreen and always carry mosquito repellent. It is advisable to drink only bottled water.

Senegal enjoys a tropical climate, with average temperatures throughout the year of between 26° and 30° C. It also has a brief rainy season between the months of June and October, with sudden but spectacular storms.

The tourist season in Senegal runs from October to June, when the weather is cooler, drier and more comfortable. The safest time to avoid rain is from mid-November to April. During the rainy season, from July to September, the humidity is very high and during the day it is very hot. During the rainy months, some of the national parks are inaccessible as they are closed, although also during this time the landscape is very green and beautiful, and many hotels reduce their rates by up to 50%.

Senegal is 2 hours less than Spain.

Senegal's gastronomy is considered one of the best in Africa, with an undeniable influence of French cuisine. The base of many dishes is chicken or fish. Although Senegal is a predominantly Muslim country, and there is a notable absence of pork, it is easy to get alcohol served to you if you are a tourist. It is worth highlighting the “Chicken au yassa”, barbecue chicken with onion and lemon sauce, “the taboudienne” is a traditional Senegalese dish consisting of fish cake with herbs and rice.

The official currency of Senegal is the CFA franc. The exchange rate is fixed with respect to the euro: €1 = 656 CFA

Crafts:

In the style of wicker baskets, in Senegal they make many objects with straw, which they then decorate with other colored materials such as strips of plastic or leather. Among them we can easily find many baskets of all sizes and shapes, coasters, fans, boxes or trivets. There are them for all tastes and they are very striking. People in Senegal used these baskets to clean cereals or separate good grains from bad ones.

One of the great attractions of West Africa are wax fabrics. We are all struck by the parade of people's bubus designs, which fill the streets with flight and color. They can be purchased in most large markets.

Local sport:

Coming from southern Senegal and practiced for more than ten centuries, Senegalese wrestling is a mass sport that has resulted in an authentic social phenomenon of great importance in the country, far superior in relevance and prominence to any other sporting activity.

From the versions more traditional (mbappat) to the current practice ofLamb, the wrestlers have become mass idols and represent one of the few dreams of success, money, recognition and future for some young people in the country. Dressed in the traditional loincloth or mbap and different amulets orxons, they face each other in the arena with their immense bodies and the magic that their respective sorcerers, the marabouts, articulate using of spells to weaken the opponent's strength.