Senegal is a country in the western part of the African continent. It has its own access to the Atlantic Ocean. Almost the entire territory of the state is represented by plains, only in the southwest and southeast there are small peaks, and then with a height of up to 500 meters above sea level.
9.4 million people live in the country and there are only three large cities. The capital of the state is the city of Dakar.
According to local legend, the country got its name from the Portuguese. When they arrived on the coast of the country, the first thing they heard from the local population was: Sunu gaal, which translates as "these are our boats." But the Portuguese did not understand anything and so called the country of Senegal.
Historical reference
The first settlements in the Senegal river valley appeared in the 9th century, and then it was the state of Tekrur. By the fourteenth century there were already several small kingdoms; the most powerful was called Jolof.
The history of Senegal is closely connected with the island of Gore, which for centuries has been a center of slave trade.
In the XIX century, the country was under the control of the French authorities. However, after the Second World War ended, the nationalist movement intensified in the country, people sought independence. A few years later, Senegal, like Sudan (Mali), received the long-awaited independence.
The modern look of Senegal and the capital has changed a lot, now it is one of the richest countries in Africa. State policy allows attracting foreign investors to the country. By the degree of safety and comfort, the country is among the five leaders of the continent. Accordingly, tourists began to come to the country.
Excursions
Senegal is a beautiful and distinctive country, now many Russians are coming here. Travel companies offer ordinary beach vacations on the Atlantic coast and sightseeing tours. As a rule, excursions involve a 10-day stay in the country. During these days, tourists will be shown the most interesting places in the country.
Dakar
This city is not only the capital of the state, but also the political and economic center of the entire western part of the continent. It is located on the ocean, very bizarre, African and European cultures are mixed here.
The central part of the capital is located on a hill and is surrounded by three streets. There are many shops and cozy restaurants. The center itself can be called a real attraction of Senegal. It has a typical Sahel layout for Africa. That is, houses are erected in such a way that they form palaces-wells, and in the middle - a tree.
In the capital there is a magnificent IFAN Museum (Soweto Square), which presents a collection of masks, sculptures and musical instruments, collected from almost the entire continent. It will also be interesting to look at the Art and Maritime Museum.
The Presidential Palace is very beautiful, which flaunts with white cladding on the ocean, surrounded by a park. Not far from the central part of the city is the "Big Mosque", it is quite "young", built in 1964, but very beautiful, with beautiful lighting that turns on at night. Not Muslims are not allowed here.
Almost every tourist who has visited Dakar has a photo of the sights of Senegal. This is a huge monument called the "Revival of Africa." It was built in 2010 from bronze sheets, its height is 49 meters. The sculpture depicts a couple where a man holds a woman with one hand, and in the second holds a baby who points towards the ocean.
The city has several large markets where you can buy almost everything, the richest is Kermel, which is located near the port.
And, of course, the capital of Senegal is famous for its rally. The event has been held since 1978 annually, amateur teams participate in it. This is a route with a length of more than 10 thousand kilometers, cars will start in France and finish in Dakar. The rally is known as a real survival race with a very difficult track, with rocks, dunes and mud.
Pink Lake Retba
This landmark of Senegal is located 20 kilometers from Cape Verde. People come here to see the water, the color of which ranges from purple to scarlet. This is a natural phenomenon that arose against the background of a large number of cyanobacteria in the reservoir. It has long been a lake that has been the end point of the Paris-Dakar rally.
Saint Louis District
This is another attraction of Senegal, where tourists are required to be taken. In the old days, it was the capital of the state, located near Dakar.
The most interesting thing in the city is the ancient architecture, which will tell about the colonial past of the state. Now the central part of the village is a UNESCO listed monument.
Gore Island
Only 4 kilometers from the capital of the state is the historical and simply interesting place of Senegal - the island of Gore. For many centuries, the island has been a transit base for slaves who were brought here from the western part of the continent. The slavers themselves lived here and avoided traveling deep into the mainland.
This is a small piece of sushi. By the way, it is believed that the name occurred after the distortion of the Dutch name Goede reede, which translates as "good harbor."
Now millions of tourists come here to see the House of Slaves and the fortress.
Nature reserves
Of course, Africa will not be Africa without a safari. One of the most visited and famous is the Bandia Reserve. This attraction of Senegal is 65 kilometers from the capital. This is as much as 15 hectares where rhinos, buffalos and giraffes live , and all these animals wander among the baobabs. A unique specimen of baobab has been preserved on the territory of the reserve, where almost until today Grites, that is, artists and musicians, were buried. Local residents never buried these people in the land, so as not to desecrate it.
In the north-west of the country there is another attraction of Senegal - an ornithological reserve called Juj (near Saint Louis). It is the third most important among similar parks in the world, with a total area of 16 thousand hectares.
The park is home to about 330 species of birds, more than 70 species of animals and 60 representatives of reptiles. People often come here to see crocodiles, huge monitor lizards and flamingos.
The Niokolo Koba National Park is one of the largest parks in the entire continent; it occupies approximately 1 million hectares of land. There are two rivers on the territory: Niokolo and Gambia. It is in this park that you can see the largest individuals of lions, antelopes, hippos, panthers and even elephants. And who wants a little exotic, you can visit the villages where representatives of the Bassari people live. These settlements are located near the park, on the border with Guinea.
Sali
What to see in Senegal? Fans of sea resorts must definitely go to the resort of Sali, which is 80 kilometers from the capital. These are beautiful sandy beaches on the Atlantic coast. In the district everything is created for a comfortable stay, many hotels, entertainment venues, the opportunity to go diving and snorkeling.
What tourists say and advise
Our tourists are worried about the ambiguous situation in Senegal. It seems to be calm here, when compared with other African countries, but in some areas and regions conflicts from time to time break out between the separatists and the troops of power. In light of this, it is not recommended to walk outside the big cities on your own, only accompanied by a guide.
Photo and video are not particularly welcome in Senegal, in most places permission and payment are required. Smoking here is also quite strict, this can only be done in specially designated places. Near mosques, smoking is prohibited.
According to tourists who came from the trip, any clothes will do, but it is better to exclude short skirts and shorts. There are many conservative Muslims in the country, so it’s better to give up kisses in public places.
Trips to national parks and safaris involve vaccination against yellow fever; you will also have to purchase medicines for malaria.
It should be prepared that in the country, in the order of things, blackouts, and without declaring the reasons and timing of the inclusion.
According to tourists, the cuisine in Senegal is very monotonous and not very tasty, the wines also do not differ in exquisite taste. In most restaurants and cafes, tips are already included in the bill, about 10%. In the capital itself, the beaches are not very good and clean, to get to the depths you have to go up to 30 meters, and there will be stones on the way.