Planning Your Vacation in Senegal

The country at a glance

Entering Senegal: two things have changed, and nobody is talking about it

First, the visa: there still isn't one. For under three months, as a tourist, you enter with just your passport if you are European, North American or a national of an ECOWAS country. The exemption dates back to 2015 and still stands.

Be wary, however, of what you may read elsewhere: several websites claim an electronic visa is now mandatory. That is false as of this writing — the project exists, the platform does not.

Next, the vaccination card. Here is the change almost no website has picked up: since March 9, 2026, presenting a vaccination card or certificate is no longer required to enter Senegal. With one caveat, which we detail on our page about entry requirements: several foreign authorities still require a yellow fever certificate for anyone coming from or transiting through a country where the disease circulates.

In any case, the real health issue is not there: it is malaria, present throughout the country and all year round. Prepare for it with a doctor, not with a rental website.

Money: the one thing that is truly different here

Let's start with the good news, because it is underrated. The CFA franc is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate: 655.957 FCFA to one euro, unchanged since 1999. So there is no exchange-rate risk, no rate to watch, and no better or worse time to change money. Between two exchange counters, only the commission differs.

And by the way, no: the eco is not in circulation. Not a single bill, not a single coin. The launch is targeted for 2027, with a gradual rollout, and the timetable has already slipped several times. In 2026, you pay in CFA francs.

The real issue here is the phone. The share of people with a bank account in the strict sense tops out at around 22% in the country, but more than 83% of adults use financial services: the gap is mobile money. Wave and Orange Money are used for everything — paying, receiving money, settling an electricity bill — and a foreigner only needs a passport to open a Wave account. Our page on currency details each provider's fee schedule, the 0.5% government tax added since December 2025, and the cheapest ways to send money from abroad.

The takeaway for your trip: bring cash. Cards are accepted in hotels, supermarkets and upscale shops in Dakar, Saly or Saint-Louis. They are accepted nowhere else: markets, taxis, small restaurants, crafts, tips. ATMs become scarce as soon as you leave the big cities. At the ATM, always decline conversion into euros and choose "pay in CFA francs": the rate applied by automatic conversion is always worse. And keep small bills, as getting change for a 10,000 FCFA bill is a daily problem.

Getting around: what it really costs

In Dakar, the yellow taxi with a black stripe has no meter: you negotiate the fare before getting in, out loud and all-inclusive. State your exact destination, get a price, and if the driver changes the terms once you are on the way, you should have taken another one.

So the figure of a thousand francs for a ride in Dakar is correct — but it is a floor, not an average: it applies to a short ride, during the day. Expect a surcharge at night.

Three ride-hailing apps operate in Dakar — Yango, Heetch and Yassir — and the Senegalese courts allowed them to keep operating in September 2025. They show a price before the ride, which settles the negotiation question. Uber and Bolt are not available.

Two major transit systems have changed the city. The BRT (bus rapid transit), running since May 2024, connects the Plateau to Guédiawaye over 18 kilometers with electric buses, every six minutes from 6:00 to 21:00. The TER (regional express train) has served Diamniadio since late 2021, in 45 minutes, every ten minutes — and it is priced per zone crossed, which makes it a cheap urban transit option as much as a suburban link: 500 FCFA to stay within Dakar, only 1,500 FCFA to go all the way to the end. Its extension to the airport was announced for September 2026: as of this writing, no source confirms that commercial service has opened. In the meantime, the connection is by TER to Diamniadio and then a shuttle, or by the Dem Dikk bus line from Guédiawaye for 6,000 FCFA.

Our page on getting around Senegal covers bush taxis (sept-place), bus stations and intercity connections.

If you live in Senegal

Some of what we write here will not tell you anything new. Two things, however, are worth saying.

Resident rates exist and they are substantial. These differences are not favors: they are the rule, and you have to ask for them.

On our accommodation, the resident discount applies automatically — our resident rate page explains how.

The country is closer than it used to be. The Mbour – Fatick – Kaolack highway opened on August 22, 2026: one hundred kilometers of four-lane divided highway that put the Sine Saloum within reach of a Friday-evening departure. The Kédougou – Salémata road was paved in 2023, and so was the road from Joal to Djiffer. Much of what you think you know about driving times dates from before these projects.

If you are coming home

You know the journey better than we do. Still, three points are poorly documented and often overlooked.

When to go — and this fall's big event

The dry season runs from November to May and it is the right window for most regions: roads and dirt tracks are passable, the heat is bearable, and the sea stays warm until November. The rainy season, from July to October depending on the region, brings spectacular scenery, very few visitors and low prices — at the cost of damaged dirt roads and mosquitoes. Our page on when to go to Senegal breaks it down region by region.

One event is worth noting for anyone looking for accommodation this fall: the Youth Olympic Games take place from October 31 to November 13, 2026, in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly. It is the first time an Olympic event has been held in Africa. Over those two weeks, accommodation in these three areas will be tight and prices will follow: if your stay falls in this period, book now. If you are looking for peace and quiet, shift your dates by about two weeks.

Where to go: five Senegals in one country

Our pages what to see in Senegal and things to do in Senegal walk through the sites and activities; the trip budget page gives ballpark figures by expense category.

Three things to know before you book

For everything else — electricity, phone, water, tipping, public holidays — our practical information answers case by case, and our FAQ covers the booking process.