Senegal Travel Safety Guide

The things to be careful about in Senegal are mostly ordinary rather than exceptional. That is worth stating plainly, because a reader who has only ever seen African countries discussed as risks deserves a precise account rather than a general one.

Ordinary does not mean nothing, and the sections below set out what it does mean.

Dakar, and ordinary crime

Robbery, burglary and assault have become more common in Dakar, and in some cases involve weapons. Hotels used by foreign visitors have been robbed at gunpoint. Pickpocketing and bag snatching are also increasing. The precautions are the ones that apply anywhere: be alert at ATMs, use pre-arranged transport at night, and do not carry more than you need.

There are frequent demonstrations about political issues in Dakar and other cities. Stay away from them, monitor local media, and ahead of a large demonstration consider stocking up on food, water and fuel.

The borders, and the Casamance

Several terrorist groups operate in neighboring Mali, and attacks have increasingly been carried out in southern and western Mali near the Senegalese border. Take particular care in remote areas near the Mali and Mauritania borders, which are not tightly controlled.

The Casamance, the spur of land south of the Gambia, has had decades of low-intensity separatist violence, largely directed at Senegalese security forces. The risk of clashes is lower in the region's main tourist areas and higher close to the Gambian and Guinea-Bissauan borders.

The law on same-sex relations

Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Senegal. On 30 March 2026 the law was amended to increase prison sentences for same-sex relations to between five and ten years, and to criminalize the promotion, support or funding of homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality.

That second clause reaches advocacy and not only conduct, which is why it is stated here rather than folded into the first. Same-sex relationships are also generally not tolerated in Senegalese society, and there is a risk of discrimination or harassment against people thought to be part of the LGBT community or to support its rights.

This is stated as the law of the country. It is not advice about who should travel where.

Health, and the number to call

The emergency medical number in Senegal is 15. Ask for an ambulance.

Medical facilities in Dakar are reasonable and are limited in the rest of the country, so travel insurance needs to cover medical evacuation and not only treatment. Senegal is a malaria country: see the packing list for what that means before you fly. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe, people accused regularly spend long periods on remand before trial, and the maximum sentence for trafficking is twenty years.