When to go — seasons and climate
Two seasons
Senegal lives to the rhythm of two seasons. The dry season, roughly November to May, is the main travel period: clear skies, bearable heat on the coast, passable tracks. The rainy season — locally called hivernage — runs broadly from June to October, longer and heavier as you head south towards Casamance. Between December and February blows the harmattan, a dry wind laden with Saharan dust, felt mostly inland.
Depending on your plans
On the coast, from Dakar to Saly, the ocean and trade winds temper the climate all year round — December to March are the mildest months. The interior and the south-east (Tambacounda, Kédougou) are markedly hotter, with very high peaks late in the dry season: if eastern Senegal is on your itinerary, aim for the heart of the dry season. For birdwatching in Djoudj or the Saloum, the dry season is also the great migration period.
The rainy season has its fans: lush landscapes, the south-east's waterfalls at full flow, spectacular light. In exchange, expect trickier secondary roads and more humid heat.
An honest caveat: the patterns above are general climate guidance, not guarantees — recent years have seen late or below-average rainy seasons. Check the forecast as your departure approaches.
Also in this guide
Planning your trip — formalities, health, money
Visa, passport, vaccinations, currency, phone: what to know — and double-check — before travelling to Senegal.
Read more →Getting around — trains, roads, domestic flights and the ferry
TER and BRT in Dakar, toll motorways, flights to Casamance, the Ziguinchor ferry, taxis and car hire: moving around Senegal.
Read more →Dakar and around — Gorée, Ngor and remembrance
Gorée Island and its House of Slaves, the African Renaissance Monument, Ngor and Madeleine islands, the Pink Lake: the peninsula at its best.
Read more →The Petite Côte — Saly, Somone and Joal-Fadiouth
Beach resorts, the Somone lagoon, Popenguine cliffs and the shell island of Fadiouth: Senegal’s holiday coast.
Read more →Saint-Louis and the North — heritage and river birdlife
The UNESCO-listed island, the jazz festival, Djoudj bird sanctuary and the Langue de Barbarie: the North between history and ornithology.
Read more →Sine-Saloum — mangrove channels and islands
A UNESCO-listed delta where pirogues, shell mounds and island villages compose one of the country’s most beautiful landscapes.
Read more →Casamance — Cap Skirring, Ziguinchor and Diola culture
Some of West Africa’s finest beaches, a majestic river, Diola culture: the lush South is welcoming visitors back.
Read more →Eastern Senegal — Niokolo-Koba and Bassari country
The great national park freshly off the danger list, the Bassari cultural landscapes and the Dindéfélo waterfall: adventure lies east.
Read more →Culture and food — Teranga, mbalax and Ceebu Jën
Teranga, Youssou Ndour’s mbalax, wrestling, the Dakar Biennale, the great pilgrimages — and a national dish on the UNESCO list.
Read more →