Go with a plan.
Senegal's safety score rose to 67 today, but keep in mind that Canada maintains a higher caution level at 2/4 compared to the US and UK. Watch for global polio and measles notices before you depart.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Senegal
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Two-person pickpocketing
One person grabs your leg to distract you while the other picks your pocket. Wear trousers with buttoned or snapped pockets and keep your shirt untucked to cover them.
False recognition and fake guides
Strangers claim to have met you before or offer to guide you to lead you to a remote location for robbery. Avoid these individuals entirely.
Cash grabbing at stalls
Vendors grab cash from your hand, pocket it, and claim the money is theirs. Do not hold cash in your hand while bargaining.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Identification requirements
Police check vehicles for proper papers and may take you to the station if you lack identification. Carry your passport or a copy at all times.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Polio
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Although highly exaggerated, there is still fighting going on in the Casamance region of Senegal.
- •The "struggle" goes on between the government and the Mouvement des forces démocratiques de la Casamance (MFDC).
- •In Dakar, take care when walking the streets: petty theft and scams are abundant.
- •Be cautious of people claiming to have met you before or offering to guide you.
- •Finally, there have been instances of street stall vendors grabbing cash out of non-local shoppers' hands and quickly stuffing the money into their own pocket.
- •Carry some sort of identification.
Staying healthy
- •Get necessary vaccines before arrival.
- •Take anti-malarials.
- •Avoid tap water and all dishes prepared with it. Bottled water, such as Kirene which is most common and bottled in Senegal, is widely available and inexpensive.
- •To prevent serious effects of dehydration, it is wise to carry around packets of rehydration salts to mix with water, should you become dehydrated.
- •Emergency numbers and contact details for health services:
- •Ambulance (SAMU): 15 15 SOS Médecins: +221 33 889 15 15 15 Hôpital Principal (Dakar): +221 33 839 50 50 (poste 5555) Clinique de la Madeleine (Dakar): +221 33 889 94 70 Clinique de l'Océan (Dakar): +221 33 82…
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Senegal functions as a relatively safe entry point for travelers accustomed to structured environments. While the country lacks the polished infrastructure of Europe, money effectively purchases convenience and safety. Violent crime is not a primary concern for visitors within Senegal itself. However, the situation changes drastically at the border; crossing overland into Guinea-Bissau introduces genuine dangers, specifically the risk of armed robbery and the reality of non-existent or unreliable transport infrastructure. Travelers should weigh the comfort of Senegal against the legitimate security threats present in neighboring regions, where the lack of established systems makes the journey significantly more hazardous.
“From what I hear, it's fairly safe and money can buy convenience/safety to some extent.
— r/travel
“And what I hear is that infrastructure barely exists, armed robbery is a real risk, and transport is not fully reliable.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / D / E / K · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 17 / ambulance: 18 / fire: 1515
Show the receipts (10 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12