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Senegal

Teranga, Gorée Island and Lake Retba (the Pink Lake).

Capital
Dakar
Currency
CFA franc (XOF) — fixed parity with Cameroon's CFA
Flight from Cotonou
From Cotonou (varies)
Time difference
GMT+0 (−1h vs Cameroon)

Senegal is among the destinations a Beninese passport reaches without a visa. Teranga, Gorée Island and Lake Retba (the Pink Lake). Here: visa, real budget, best seasons and what to do — departing from Benin.

Formalities

The visa, step by step

Visa-free
Allowed stay
up to 90 days (ECOWAS)
Cost
Free
Processing
Immediate on arrival

How to apply

ECOWAS free movement: a valid Beninese ID card or a valid passport is enough — no visa.

Required documents

  • Valid ECOWAS ID card or passport
  • Return ticket
  • Yellow fever certificate

Good to know

  • •ECOWAS free movement (up to 90 days).
How much it costs

A one-week budget

Backpacker
228 000 FCFA
/ week, excl. flight
Comfort
480 000 FCFA
/ week, excl. flight

Round-trip flight from Douala / Yaoundé

270 000 FCFA–570 000 FCFA

Flights from Cotonou (ASKY, Ethiopian, Air Côte d'Ivoire, Royal Air Maroc…), depending on the destination.

Indicative round-trip price: it varies widely by season, layover and how early you book.

Where the money goes (backpacker estimate)

🏨120 000 FCFA
🍽️66 000 FCFA
🚕39 000 FCFA
🎟️57 000 FCFA
Hostel
6 000 FCFA–16 800 FCFA
Mid-range
30 000 FCFA–72 000 FCFA
Nice hotel
78 000 FCFA–168 000 FCFA
Tailored

Budget simulator

Comfort level
Estimated total budget
498 000 FCFA
Must-sees

What to do there

1

Gorée Island

UNESCO, House of Slaves.

2

Lake Retba (Pink Lake)

Pink colour and salt harvesting.

3

African Renaissance Monument

Panoramic view over Dakar.

4

Medina & markets

Sandaga, Kermel, crafts.

5

N'Gor Island

Almadies beach by pirogue.

6

Museum of Black Civilisations

A pan-African reference.

7

Saint-Louis

UNESCO town or the Bandia reserve (safari).

Itinerary

One week, day by day

  1. D1

    Arrival, west corniche and sunset at Almadies.

  2. D2

    Gorée Island: House of Slaves, fish lunch.

  3. D3

    Plateau: Renaissance Monument, museum, Kermel market.

  4. D4

    Pink Lake day: salt swim, dunes, Lebou village.

  5. D5

    N'Gor Island by pirogue, beach and lunch.

  6. D6

    Day trip to Saint-Louis (UNESCO) or Bandia reserve.

  7. D7

    Shopping at Medina/Sandaga, airport transfer.

✓

Travel checklist

A printable list (or save as PDF) so you forget nothing.

Travel checklist — Sénégal

Before you leave

What to pack

Visa sources: en.wikipedia.org

Indicative data (June 2026), reliability moyenne. Visa rules, prices and timelines change: always confirm with official sources before booking.

They did it

Traveler reviews

LN
Cameroon→Senegal

“Senegal is an excellent destination — it lives up to its name as the land of téranga (hospitality). There's so much to do in Dakar: I even did my first scuba dive, it was magnificent. It's beautiful, just a bit pricier than Cameroon.”

📌 Learn a few words of Wolof (“Nanga def?” = how are you?, “Jërëjëf” = thank you): it always goes down well and opens doors.

December 2025Solo9 dA bit pricierVisa on arrivalRecommends
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