Bradt Travel Guide: Senegal

Temporarily out of stock

This new, thoroughly updated third edition of Bradt’s Senegal continues to offer by far the deepest coverage of any guidebook to this increasingly popular part of West Africa – and is the only one to focus exclusively on the country. With nearly 400 pages of detailed description, it remains the definitive source of tourist information about the region’s most accessible Francophone nation.

Senegal’s smorgasbord of landscapes belies its compact size; pleasingly, all can be reached within a day’s travel, making the country perfect for anyone looking to sink their teeth into West Africa for the first time – or the hundredth. Northern desert wilds cede to lush, subtropical Casamance (now benefitting from an historic peace deal), fringed by hundreds of kilometres of pristine beaches. Meanwhile, the fantastically frenetic capital city, Dakar, perches proudly at the African continent’s westernmost point, almost entirely surrounded by ocean.

Natural assets aside, Senegal offers numerous man-made delectations. The country’s fashion is among the most dazzling on the African continent, from wide and shiny grand boubous to multi-coloured patchwork baye fall tunics. Dakar’s nightclubs throb well into the morning hours, offering a rare chance to dance yourself silly with superstar musicians on their home turf. Senegal attracts numerous visitors to one of Africa’s most prolific and creative arts scenes, so this guidebook provides a thorough, accessible introduction to its music, art, film and literature. Saint-Louis’ charm is a glorious throwback to 19th-century colonial glamour, while sleepy Île de Gorée is a haunting testament to colonial horror: visitors peer through the door of no return, where thousands destined for the Americas glimpsed Africa for the final time.

This new third edition reflects improvements associated with post-COVID revitalisation of tourism. New transport infrastructure makes travel easier than ever. The Petite-Côte boasts an expanded range of activities, restaurants and lodging options. Once-neglected Niokolo-Koba National Park has come under the wing of conservation organisations: a brand new lodge offers comfortable accommodation and privileged wildlife viewing. Thoroughly updated throughout by a resident travel writer, Bradt’s SeSenegal negal remains the only guidebook ready to take you to all corners of this enchanting land.

AUTHOR:
Sean Connolly (seanconnolly.me) first travelled to West Africa in 2008 and has been returning to study, work, or backpack around the region ever since. He has been working with Bradt Guides since 2011, authoring its Senegal and Mauritania guidebooks, and updating additional guidebooks to Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, Uruguay, Sierra Leone and Rwanda. When he’s not revising guidebook entries or discussing the many merits of camel meat, you may find him hitching a lift on a grain truck, chatting over a hot café Touba, or seeking out Senegal’s funkiest records and best bowl of thiéboudiène (Senegal’s national dish). Raised in Chicago (USA), Connolly stays on the move whenever possible, though lately you will find him most often in Copenhagen (Denmark).

In 2011, Philip Paoletta (philintheblank.net) made an inadvertent stop in Senegal on his way home from Mali. A few days in the frenetic capital city of Dakar – exploring markets, nightclubs and ramshackle beach bars serving fresh seafood and cheap beers – were enough to convince him to come back for a longer visit. He returned with a friend several years later and, after exploring the country on local motorbikes, they launched Scoot West Africa, a tour company offering immersive travel experiences in Senegal and beyond. In 2023, he relocated from Mali to Senegal with his wife and their two kids. He now calls the Petite-Côte home and – when not cruising around the country on two wheels – can often be found searching the baobab-dotted landscape for birds, relaxing on the banks of the criss-crossing waterways of the Sine-Saloum, and honing his Wolof language skills. He is the updater of Bradt’s Senegal guidebook.

ISBN: 9781804692967
Author: CONNOLLY, SEAN
Format: Paperback
Publication date: 01/03/2026
RRP: $54.99
Pages: 392
Dimension: 216mm X 135mm
Imprint: Bradt Travel Guides