Travel in Senegal
Senegal is truly the land of Teranga, or hospitality in Wolof. There is plenty to do around the country and many teachers spend long weekends exploring a different part of the country. Below we've listed some popular vacation spots around Senegal!
La Petite Côte
La Petite Côte is the stretch of coast between Dakar and the Saloum delta that boasts some of the country's most beautiful beaches. There are plenty of resorts, Airbnb, hotels and hostels scattered along the coast and most are only an hour to two hour's drive to Dakar, making them great options for long-weekends. The most popular towns are Toubab Dialow, Popenguine, Somone, and Saly.
Sine-Saloum Delta
The Sine-Saloum Delta is about a 4-hour drive from Dakar, and is known for its mangroves, wildlife, and great bird-watching! One of the area's most popular attractions is the Saloum Delta National Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site which covers nearly 150,000 hectares.
Lompoul Desert
The Lompoul Dessert is a beautiful desert located 3 hours north of Dakar. Though small when compared with the nearby Sahara Desert, Lompoul is a great place to spend a long weekend in a different world. The desert is marked by large sand dunes (and sand dune boarding is available!). Many ISD teachers bring visitors to Lompoul to stay in one of the eco-lodges that offers an all-inclusive package, with transportation to and from Dakar.
Saint Louis
Located 4 hours north of Dakar, Saint Louis is UNESCO World Heritage Site, the former capital of French Africa and is known for its French-colonial architecture and thriving arts and music scene. There is a famous jazz festival in Saint Louis each spring!
The Casamance
The Casamance is the region of Senegal south of The Gambia. The Casamance is best known for the tourist-destination Cap Skirring with its white-sand beaches, reggae music scene, and high-end resorts. Each spring break, ISD teacher, Mr. Papis, organizes a group trip to visit the beaches and villages in the Casamance region, where he grew up.
