Tourist Attractions & Monuments Senegal

Originally from a village near Saint-Louis, Djiby Mbaye is one of the official guides of the association Les Guides Amis du Patrimoine, of which he is also the treasurer. With more than 15 years of experience, he knows very well the Saint-Louis region, its culture, nature and history, which he will be able to help you discover through several excursions. He also organizes tours throughout Senegal and also transfers to different cities. He is a serious and punctual guide, with whom he is very pleasant to talk with.

The Maison des Esclaves (Slave House), with its red walls and cellar chains, has been featured in every history book. Former curator Boubacar Joseph Ndiaye (who died in 2009) was an institution. Thanks to him, this building constructed by the Dutch in the ^17th century was renovated with the help of UNESCO in 1990. It is one of the last slave houses still standing, with a capacity of 150 to 200 slaves, and has become a symbol of the horror of the slave trade, from the sale of African slaves by the Africans themselves, to the commercialization of human beings sent to the Americas in their millions by Portuguese, then Dutch and French colonizers. Their country of destination depended on the needs of the buyers: the father might go to the USA, the mother to Brazil and the child to the West Indies. They left Gorée under matricule numbers. On the left is the weighing room - slaves weighing less than 60 kg were put on hold and force-fed until they reached their weight. Next door, the room where men fit to leave awaited their turn, then the room for children, young virgins and finally women. Under the stairs, dungeons for the recalcitrant. At the end of the corridor, the "door of no return", then the sea, the last passage before the Americas. Upstairs, an exhibition room features explanatory panels on the triangular trade, incorporating the latest research. A visit not to be missed.

Since September 2005, this mythical boat has been sailing again between Saint-Louis and Podor, on the Senegal River. Leaving the city standing on its deck is a very emotional experience. It is possible to do only part of the journey, for example to go to the Djoudj nature park. If it is in transit in Saint-Louis, you can also visit it (free access, generally on the Roume quay, 200 m from the Bou el-Mogdad restaurant) and enjoy a nice concert on Saturday evening on the bridge. Warm and friendly staff.

In this protection center, they are ten passionate guides to introduce you to the Sulcata turtle, a species in danger of extinction, and explain all the steps before it is rehabilitated to the wild, in the Ferlo reserve. Today, the village has nearly 300 turtles with six different species, including the Sulcata and the Kinixys Belliana, native to sub-Saharan Africa. A nice ecological project that really deserves a look.

This fishing village, next to the point of Almadies, has kept its labyrinthine streets and its authenticity. Here, everyone knows each other, the children play in the street, the women discuss on the doorsteps, the atmosphere is friendly. We advise you to go there with a guide to learn about the history of the village, its sacred baobab tree, its small beaches, the central square where the village chiefs settle everyday business, the fishing cooperatives that share the profits in the community... a life of family mutual aid to be discovered!

Founded by Joëlle Le Bussy in 1996, this gallery is a showcase of contemporary art where modern African art is mixed with design and arts and crafts. Throughout the year, quality exhibitions are organized there, where famous visual artists and young talents meet. Joëlle also presents her own creations, designer furniture made from precious African woods, and unique decorative objects. Since 2009, Saint-Louis has been home to a branch of the gallery, which is just as pleasant to visit.

Created in 1966 by President Léopold Sédar Senghor, the aim of the Thiès Tapestry Manufactures or "tapestries of Thiès" is to transpose original works by Senegalese artists selected through calls for tender into decorative artworks: weaving, ceramics, mosaics, hanging, etc. Today, only the tapestry remains. The visit of the workshop is very interesting since it explains the different stages of the realization: transposition of the canvas on a cardboard, installation on the loom, weaving, etc.. Some of these works are exhibited and on sale in a room adjoining the factory. The place is spacious, which allows the different canvases to be displayed, all very colourful, some figurative, others more abstract. The original paintings can only be reproduced eight times in the form of tapestry. They are all on sale, starting at 600,000 FCFA per square metre. The catalogue is available on site, and it is possible to place an order by paying a deposit. Even if the Beaux-Arts consider the tapestries a bit too conservative, Thiès remains a reference for all of Africa and far beyond in terms of this art. Many of these works can be found in Senegalese institutions, but also in the palaces of heads of state or in world organizations. One of the most famous, a magnificent tapestry of 24 m² representing the Magal of Touba, pavilion since late 2012 the headquarters of the United Nations.

ASPT (Agence sénégalaise de la promotion touristique) is Senegal's tourism development agency. It promotes the country's tourist assets, encourages investment in the sector and organizes events to attract visitors. The aim is to make Senegal a destination of choice for travelers, highlighting its cultural wealth, magnificent beaches, varied wildlife and historical heritage. ASPT works closely with tourism stakeholders to promote the country's economic development.

Under the impetus of a French-Senegalese couple, Marie and Paul Bassene, this museum of traditional Diola culture saw the light of day in March 2018. Through ancient objects collected from the local population, we discover the Diola people and their traditions. The museum consists of four exhibition rooms: the construction of an impluvium hut in a green setting, everyday objects, seasonal activities and animist ceremonies. A pair of ostriches, in their enclosure, will majestically accompany your visit.

15 km from the resort of Saly, and 70 km from Dakar, the Bandia wildlife reserve, with its 3,500 ha of protected savannah, 2,000 ha of which can be visited, offers safaris to tourists. However, this experience is more suited to East and Southern Africa than to West Africa, where large predators have all but disappeared from the wilderness. But it has the merit of existing in Senegal, thanks to the commendable and successful reintroduction of wild animals into the heart of a protected area. In a private vehicle or on board a 4x4 that can be hired on site, with a highly professional guide who will explain the life of the animals, you come to observe in semi-liberty a dozen species of mammals including Derby elands, white rhinoceroses, ostriches, warthogs, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras and other mammals, as well as over 120 species of birds. Throughout your visit, your guide will bend over backwards to make your visit a memorable one. The best time to visit is in the morning or at the end of the day, when temperatures are not too high. The restaurant is renowned throughout the region for its excellent cuisine, and has its own butcher's shop. Many Dakar locals come here with their families to enjoy refined dishes, wood-fired grills and delicious pizzas... The pleasant view overlooks a pond where crocodiles bask. Clever monkeys roam around, not hesitating to steal food from the plates. Beware!

An exceptional maritime environment, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011, stretching over 5,000 km² where the arms of two rivers, the Sine and the Saloum, meet. There are 28 burial sites in the form of tumulus-shaped burial mounds. Between mangroves and islets, we meander by pirogue along these saltwater canals, discovering piles of seashells, some of them hundreds of metres long. These shell mounds are the result of human activity in the region over the past millennia.

If you've always dreamed of floating like on the Dead Sea, now's the time to take the plunge for an unusual experience! For greater peace and quiet, prefer small private beaches, such as those near the Palal restaurant, which are ideal. They also give you the chance to rinse off, which is essential, as salt attacks the skin and burns the mucous membranes. Be careful not to get a drop of salt water in your eyes!

Known for his monumental sculptures, Ousmane Sow was a great figure of contemporary African art and today leaves a great void in the Senegalese artistic landscape. It was with his first series on the Nouba Wrestlers that this Dakar native was revealed to the public in 1987, at the Cultural Institute of the capital. A physiotherapist by profession, he uses his increased knowledge of human anatomy to give realism to his works. He achieved international fame in 1999 during a retrospective of his African series and The Battle of Little Big Horn on the Pont des Arts in Paris. More than 3 million visitors flocked to see the exhibition! He even fulfils the dream of every artist by joining the Academy of Fine Arts in 2013. One of his dreams? To open a place in Senegal dedicated to his most beautiful sculptures, where the public could contemplate them. This wish, although posthumous, has now become a reality thanks to his children and Béatrice Soulé, his artistic agent, who have done everything possible to repatriate his works to Senegal. This house so dear to his heart, which he had named the Sphinx as a preamble to his imagined series on the Egyptians, now houses his greatest works. Between the colourful walls, covered with the material of his creations, we wander through this artistic labyrinth according to our desires and our favourites. From the Nuba to the great men, passing by the Fulani or unfinished projects, we remain in admiration in front of its majestic sculptures.

The Alliance française is worth a visit for its incredible architecture alone! Frenchman Patrick Dujarric drew his inspiration from impluvium huts to design this disconcertingly beautiful establishment. It's the only cultural center in the whole city. It boasts a library, exhibition space, open-air cinema and a large stage for events. The Alliance is also renowned for its restaurant, set in a shady garden. At the time of our report, the Alliance Française had been burnt down during riots in the city.

The Monument de la Renaissance africaine impresses with its gigantic size. Already, from the Plateau, you can see this 52 m-high colossus, built on one of the two volcanic hills of Les Mamelles, embracing his wife and carrying his child with one arm. Symbolizing a forward-looking Africa, this monument is a source of controversy, both because of its figurative aspect, which displeases conservative Muslims, and because it is a rather megalomaniac project by former president Abdoulaye Wade, who under the symbol of a continent created a monument with an ultra-luxurious presidential lounge, estimated to have cost nearly 15 billion FCFA. What's more, it was built by a North Korean company specializing in concrete rather than art, and was inaugurated in the presence of several African leaders in 2010, in the midst of the economic crisis, to mark the ^50th anniversary of Senegal's independence. For the rest, you have to climb 198 steps to reach the esplanade before taking an elevator to the ^15th floor and admiring a breathtaking view of the city and the ocean. You shouldn't expect any artistic prowess from the monument itself, as it's very expensive and you're only paying for the view. You'll come out without having seen much of interest, apart from an explanatory frieze tracing African history, a video of the monument's construction, and the few rooms dedicated to contemporary African art.

In the middle of the small island, this baobab, with a circumference of about twelve meters, is one of the most emblematic of Senegal. You will quickly notice that each village, each forest seems to have the biggest baobab of the country. But after this first consideration, the baobab is still impressive, both by its size and by its beauty. It would have more than 800 years, and the legend tells that it has never lost its leaves! Men come here to talk in the shade of its branches while some artists wait for the tourists.

By dugout canoe or on foot across the bridge, you can easily reach this small island, planted with baobabs and made up of a pile of shells, which houses the only mixed cemetery in the country, a true symbol of peace and brotherhood between the two religions. Here, reigns a peaceful atmosphere, conducive to meditation. In the foreground, the tombs of Catholics with their crosses. In the background, the mausoleums and the graves of the Muslims. From the top of the hill, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Fadiouth and the lagoon.

The Mbour port is the second largest fishing port in Senegal. Here you can attend (around 17 h) the return of the fishermen, sometimes returning for several days at sea. In the middle of colourful canoes, women peeling and décortiquent fish, before reselling them locally. The smell and excitement that reigns there are indescribable. Further, carriers are waiting for shipments to be sent to the regions or directed directly to Dakar before joining European markets. Local guides will come to you spontaneously. The tourist office has structured tourism, you will be asked for free participation for the visit (5 000 FCFA for a group with a complete tour with tour of the port and the artisanal market are sufficient).

Calm, clear and limpid water: this is the water that awaits you on the small beach of Gorée, bounded by the pier's dyke. It is protected from the Atlantic winds, like the whole island, being located in the centre of a harbour, but the water is cooler than on the mainland. Quiet during the week and out of season, it is however very busy during the holidays and weekends. In the event of large crowds, you may prefer the other beach of the island, below Fort d'Estrées, out of sight.