Capital: Dakar
Time zone: GMT
Telephone services: Country Code: 221
Outgoing Code: 00
Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.
Tourist information: Ministry of Tourism and The Environment, BP 4049, 23 rue Calmette, Dakar, Senegal Tel: 821 1240 Fax: 822 9413
Passport information: Valid passport required. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.
Visa information: Required by all except nationals of Great Britain, Canada, USA, Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Togo and Tunisia.
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Exists throughout the country in Falciparum variety. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required by travellers arriving from endemic areas
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera, Meningitis, Rabies
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
Currency: CFA Franc (CFA Fr) = 100 centimes Amex and MasterCard are accepted, but other credit cards are not. Travellers cheques, preferably in French francs, are accepted.
ATM availability: 9 locations.
Cost of living: Accommodation is expensive, especially in the capital city and surrounding areas.
Languages: French, Many local languages are also spoken.
Weather: Dry season = Dec – May. Rainy season = June – Nov.
Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50 Hz
Post: 7 – 10 days to Europe.
Transport: ROADS: many are impassable during the rainy season. There are frequent check points and speed restrictions are strict. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required. Many roads in the Casamance region are mined.
Special information: Avoid travel to the Casamance region. It is polite to pay respect to the headman or school-teacher of any village you visit. Tipping is not always deemed courteous. Muggings are increasing in cities and major towns.