When to go
The best time to visit Senegal is winter, from
December to mid-February: it's warm on the coast, even hot in the interior, the sun shines, and it practically never rains. Sometimes, the heat can be intense in inland areas, but humidity is low and nights remain pleasantly cool.
Spring is scorchingly hot, and partly autumn (after the rainy season), but at least, it doesn't rain.
It's better to avoid the rainy season, at least in the south and from July to September.
A special case is represented by
Dakar, where the weather is particularly mild, and good for a long period, from December to May. However, on the coast, the heat is generally less intense.
For a
beach holiday, you can go from November to May, although as previously mentioned, the sea is cool from January to May in the north-central, and (though a little less) from January to April in the south.
What to pack
In
winter: bring light clothes for the day, a sweatshirt and a jacket for the evening (until April or May for Dakar), and a scarf or turban for the sand.
In
summer: in the north, bring lightweight clothes, long and made of natural fabric (cotton or linen), a turban for the desert wind; in Dakar, you can add a light sweatshirt; in the south, a light sweatshirt and a light raincoat for the rain.
It's better for women to avoid shorts and miniskirts outside of the beaches.
Back to the climate of
Senegal