Prepare your trip
Travel thoughtfully, including solo.
Safety, arrival, getting around and travelling as a woman: a practical framework for your choices.
Short answer
Prepare transport, keep control of belongings and consult dated official advice for your route. No area is presented here as risk-free. Solo travel particularly calls for contacts and a planned return; women travelling alone will find specific precautions below, without judgement about choosing to travel.
Prepare your first hours
Keep your arrival address, a contact and transfer details available without a connection. Our advice: schedule no sightseeing after a long flight. Leave time to learn your neighbourhood, locate a cash point and ask how to return before your first outing. Give a trusted person your plan and keep a copy of documents separate from the originals.
Solo: organise your independence
Canadian travel advice notes that women travelling alone may experience harassment. A busy neighbourhood is not a safety guarantee. Choose outings and return transport in advance, avoid displaying valuables and leave interactions that make you uncomfortable. You do not owe an explanation for declining. Our suggested starting point: one discovery area and a simple return, rather than a plan that forces night-time improvisation.
Adapt advice to your circumstances
Read official advice for your nationality and route, particularly outside the areas covered here. It addresses regional risks, health and legal differences, including specific risks for LGBTQ+ travellers. A tourism page cannot replace that information. Save your assistance provider and consular contact before departure; the FCDO lists 15 for medical emergencies in Senegal.
Nightlife, approaches and destinations
For an evening out, arrange the return beforehand and keep drinks and belongings with you. Clarify prices and services before accepting an offer; do not hand documents to an unidentified intermediary. For areas beyond Dakar, Petite Côte and Saloum, consult official regional advice instead of generalising our coverage. We do not publish scam lists or “safe” places without verifiable evidence.
Sources and verification
Documentary research and editorial advice. No field visit claimed.
