Forecast
Dakar — travel, stays & events guide
Local time--:--
Dakar timeWeather Forecast
Dakar, SenegalOpen-Meteo forecast.
Dakar city overview
Dakar is a city in Senegal shaped by its region, population, local economy, landmarks, climate and civic history. This overview summarizes the city itself: where it sits, what defines it, which places anchor its identity and why it matters within the wider country.
City facts
Known forDakar, Capital city in Senegal, Dakar planning base 3, Dakar planning base 4
RegionSenegalSenegal
Time zoneAfrica/Dakarlocal time
Founded1456historical origin
City history
Peaceful contact was finally opened in 1456 by Diogo Gomes, and the bay was subsequently referred to as the "Angra de Bezeguiche" (after the name of the local ruler).
The Portuguese founded a settlement on the island of Gorée (then known as the island of Bezeguiche or Palma), which by 1536 they began to use as a base for slave exportation.
The island switched hands between the Portuguese and Dutch several more times before falling to the English under Admiral Robert Holmes on January 23, 1664, and finally to the French in 1677.
The infamous "House of Slaves" was built at Gorée in 1776. Lebou Republic By the 1780s, Dakar was one of the largest towns in Cayor.
Traders from Gorée decided to move to the mainland, and a "factory" with warehouses was established in Rufisque in 1840.
In 1857, the French established a military post at Ndakaaru (which they called "Dakar") and annexed the Lebou Republic, though its institutions continued to function nominally.
The port facilities were improved with jetties, a telegraph line was established along the coast to Saint-Louis, and the Dakar-Saint-Louis railway was completed in 1885, at which point the city became an important base.
A second major railroad, the Dakar-Niger built from 1906 to 1923, linked Dakar to Bamako and consolidated the city's position at the head of France's West African empire.
In 1940, Dakar became involved in the Second World War when General de Gaulle, leader of the Free French Forces, sought to make the city the base of his resistance operations.
On 1 December 1944, French soldiers guarding the camp opened fire on the West African soldiers.
Accounts of the death toll range from around 35 (the official French account) to over 300 (army veterans active at the time). Independence Dakar was the capital of the short-lived Mali Federation from 1959.
The bay of "Bezeguiche" would go on to serve as a critical stop for the Portuguese India Armadas of the early 16th century, where large fleets would routinely stop, both on their outward and.
A new Lebou village, called Ndakaaru, was established directly across from Gorée in the 17th century to service the European trading factory with food and drinking water.
French trading firms established branch offices there, and industrial investments (mills, breweries, refineries, canneries) were attracted by its port and rail facilities.
Worth seeing
Dakar
Dakar is a practical Dakar planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
Capital city in Senegal
Capital city in Senegal is a practical Dakar planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
Dakar planning base 3
Dakar planning base 3 is a practical Dakar planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
Dakar planning base 4
Dakar planning base 4 is a practical Dakar planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
Dakar planning base 5
Dakar planning base 5 is a practical Dakar planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
Dakar planning base 6
Dakar planning base 6 is a practical Dakar planning anchor: compare its location, transfer time, nearby hotel bases and event timing before you lock the day plan.
Stay overview
Compare Dakar before booking Dakar hotels. Start with the places you will repeat most, then check airport timing, parking, nightly price and event demand before choosing the final base.
Hotels & areas
Compare accommodation options in and around Dakar by area, not only by nightly price. A cheaper room can become expensive when airport transfers, parking, attraction routes, late arrivals or event-week demand add time and cost.
Compare stays in Dakar, SenegalFlights & airports
Main airport TBC arrival plan
- Dakar airport accessMain gateway TBC.
Compare airport access against hotel location, arrival time, rental car pickup, late flights and onward driving before choosing the first night base.
Rental cars
Dakar day-trip car use
Compare rental cars when airport arrival, day trips, parking, luggage, theme parks, coastal routes or nearby regions matter more than staying fully on transit.
Compare rental carsTravel tips
Best time to visit
Check weather, school holidays, daylight, local festivals and major event calendars before locking in hotel rates or non-refundable tickets.
Transport notes
Choose a base around the trips you will repeat most: airport, station, old town, waterfront, venue district or day-trip route.
Crowds
Prices can jump around festivals, conventions, school holidays, cruise days, ski weeks, race weekends and large sports events.
Booking detail
Compare total cost with taxes, breakfast, parking, resort fees, transfer timing and cancellation terms before choosing the cheapest room.