Overland Senegal Travel
Currency to display:
Contents
- 1 Visiting Senegal
- 2 Entering Senegal with a Car or Motorbike
- 3 Driving in Senegal
- 4 Gas price in Senegal and Diesel price in Senegal
- 5 Safety and Security Considerations
- 6 Camping in Senegal
- 7 Navigation
- 8 Special Overland Travel interests
- 9 Vehicle Maintenance
- 10 Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Senegal
- 11 References
- 12 Helpful External links
Visiting Senegal
Give a brief overview of what it's like to visit. How easy is the border, how safe is the country, are there great things to see and do, etc.
Entering Senegal with a Car or Motorbike
Correct as of: July 2013
Required Paperwork
Senegal has a few strange rules. Cars older then 8 years (use to be 5) are not allowed to enter Senegal. If you have a Carnet de Passage you might get a special permission. It depends on the day and the custom officer. Last time I was there (2012) they allowed me 3 days. If I wanted to stay longer I had to go to Dakar main custom office to get it extended.
If you don't have a Carnet de Passage bu still want to pass through you have to buy an expensive paper for a few hundred dollars, after which they will allow you to pass through in 48 or 72 hours.
Besides this you need your original Vehicle registration, in the same name as your passport.
Process at border
(To check if you need a travel Visa for Senegal, application instructions and fees see: Senegal Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)
Briefly describe the process at the border to enter with a vehicle
Cost of entry
Entering Senegal should be free. However, customs, police and immigration are increasingly demanding unofficial fees for stamp, permits and inspection. Not big amounts, perhaps FCFA2,000.00 XAF here and there. Its annoying and illegal, refusing to pay is possible of course but expect to be delayed.
Permitted length of stay
State the permitted length of entry for the vehicle
Extension of stay
If you need to extend your car papers you will have to visit one of the main custom offices. Its a tedious process and you are at the mercy of the custom official. There is an office in st. Louis, (if you cross the bridge its on the left, but due to one way traffic you have to drive round), but the main office is in Dakar, at the main gate of the port. St Louis officials might refer you to Dakar, which will cost you a lot of time getting there and back. All in all its not a tourist friendly process.
Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.
Exiting with a vehicle
Describe the paperwork requirements and process at the border to exit.
Driving in Senegal
Insurance requirements
Liability insurance is mandatory and can usually be bought at the border. If you travel through more west African countries get a 'carte Brun' which is valid in most west African countries at no extra cost. Expect to pay FCFA10,000.00 XAF to FCFA20,000.00 XAF per vehicle per month, depending on engine size.
Cost of insurance
State the price of insurance and a time period.
Where to purchase insurance
If you are coming in from Mauretania (Diema border), just after the Senegalese border there is a small wooden shack/restaurant. The lady sells insurance and she has reasonable prices, even changes your money, just watch cause she gives bad exchange rates.
Driving license
Any valid drivers license will do.
Driving side of road
Right.
RHD vehicles are allowed but ensure you have correct paperwork..
Mandatory items in vehicle
I have been checked a few times, so make sure you carry the usual stuff. You might need two safety triangles, first aid kit, and fire extinguisher. They even checked the expiry date on this, but I had heard this in advance so I removed the date since it was expired and told the police officer it was a new kind which would never expire. He believed me.
Roads
General Road quality
Senegal has reasonable roads. Some stretches have potholes, specially if the roads have heavy truck traffic. But in general its not to bad.
Road signs
There are some signs, but don't expect many. Those that are there are readable.
Toll roads
There is, to my knowledge, only one toll road. That's the brand new motorway entering Dakar. When I was there last (2012) it was not all finished but looking good. Once finished it should save a lot of time entering and exiting Dakar. Forgot the price but won't be expensive.
Bribery in Senegal
Briefly describe how common bribery is and whether it should be expected, and the best way to deal with it.
Checkpoints
There used to be a lot of checkpoints in Senegal where tourist got hassled for money, the one just exciting st. Louis being one of the most notorious. However the President has called for a stop to this and now it's better. Lets hope it stays that way.
Traveling with pets
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.
Gas price in Senegal and Diesel price in Senegal
Last updated: October 2012
Currency and unit to display:
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Unleaded | €1.55 EUR per Liter[1] |
| Diesel | €1.32 EUR per Liter[1] |
Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency
Briefly describe if gas shortages are known to occur.
Also state the approximate average distance between gas stations. This is a very rough estimate.
Gas and Diesel Quality
Discuss if gasoline / diesel considered "clean" or "dirty", and generally high or low quality.
State the sulfur content of diesel, if known.
Safety and Security Considerations
Driving at night
Discuss driving at night and if it should it be avoided. Mention why.
Vehicle parking
Discuss if vehicles can be parked on the street, if they are considered "safe" at night. If vehicles can not be parked on the street, list the other options that exist.
Special driving considerations
A List of special things to be careful of (i.e. Unsigned speed bumps, abnormal road rules, people or animals on the road, etc.).
List any roads that are not recommended to drive for safety or other security reasons.
Security advisories and information
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Senegal - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Camping in Senegal
There are quite a few campsites in Senegal, some really nice. Around most touristy spots they are available, but not in Dakar as far as I know.
Expect to pay between FCFA2,000.00 XAF and FCFA5,000.00 XAF per person per night.
Wildcamping is possible in Senegal, specially in rural areas. Try to camp away from villages unless you don't mind lot of attention and lot of demand for 'cadeau' which means gift.
Camping guide books
List and link to books specifically for camping.
Drinking water
Describe if the regular tap water is safe to drink. If not, describe where safe water can be purchased and the approximate average price range.
Paper maps
Reise Know-How are amoung the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in Senegal
GPS Maps of Senegal
Review different GPS companies, quality and coverage (Tomtom, Garmin, OSM, Tracks4Africa). (with links to each).
GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Senegal
Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.
Special Overland Travel interests
List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders
Travel Guide Books
Vehicle Maintenance
Dealers
4x4s / Trucks
- Toyota Global Dealer Locator
- Land Rover International Dealer Locator
- Mercedes Benz International (select country on bottom right)
- Jeep International site locator
Motorbikes
Local Garages
Add known good mechanics here.
Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Senegal
Buy
Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle.
List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.
Sell
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'
References
Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.
Helpful External links
Add any helpful external links here.
- Senegal: Visa and Passport requirements | World Travel Guide
- Health Information for Travelers to Senegal - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Senegal travel guides at wikivoyage
- Senegal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
