Shop a Review

Where is the country of Senegal located? The Republic of Senegal, normally simply referred to as Senegal, is a country in western Africa. On the north side of the country, the Sénégal River forms the border with Mauritania. Senegal encloses the country of The Gambia. Senegal forms the westernmost part of the Sahel. The fairly flat landscape of Senegal has an unnamed highest point of 581 meters above sea level, which is located in the southeast of Senegal. Senegal is located in a transition area from desert to savanna. The northern part of the country has a warm desert climate (type BWh according to the Köppen climate classification), the central part a warm steppe climate (type BSh) and the southern part a tropical savanna climate.

Rainy season

Senegal has a rainy season that starts in June in the south and lasts until October. More to the north there is no longer a rainy season, but a wetter season in which – unlike the other months – there is precipitation. In Saint-Louis, for example, this wet season runs from July to the first half of October. The total precipitation varies from about two hundred millimeters in the north to locally sometimes more than fifteen hundred millimeters in the southern regions.

Temperatures

The warm climate of Senegal ensures high to very high temperatures throughout the year. Along the coast, cooling by the seawater causes temperatures that vary from 25 to 35 degrees Celsius during the day. In the north it is an average of 30 degrees during the day, even in the coolest months. Inland, the temperature continues to rise and forty degrees or higher is not a rarity. The highest temperatures are recorded in the Tambacounda region. For example, on the border with Mali it can even get warmer than 50 degrees.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Best time to visit Senegal

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Senegal? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. The Republic of Senegal is a country located in western Africa. Climatically, you can divide the country in two: the northern half is arid and desert-like, while the southern half is tropical with much more greenery. The weather in Senegal has three characteristics that apply to the whole country: it is warm, it is often sunny and rain falls almost exclusively in summer. The winters are almost dry.

Best months

The best time to travel for a holiday in Senegal is from November to mid – February. It hardly ever rains and during this period you avoid the worst heat. This is not possible everywhere, however. Whoever travels into the northern interior will always have hot weather. During the coolest months of December and January, the average maximum temperature still rises to about 33 to 36 degrees Celsius.

Beach holiday in Senegal

Senegal is an excellent beach destination. In the southwest you will generally find the most beautiful beaches, for example at Cap Skirring. Another popular destination for a sun holiday is the southern part of the Thiès region. Due to the wet summers at the popular beach destinations, Senegal is especially suitable for a winter sun holiday. If you want to book a sun holiday to Senegal, it is preferable to do so for the period October to April. It is then warm, sunny and dry. The minimum temperatures are around twenty degrees, while the maximum temperatures are around or slightly above thirty degrees.

Senegal during the school holidays

Do you want or need to go on holiday during the school holidays? Then the Christmas holidays and spring break are by far the best travel periods for a holiday to Senegal. The worst heat has not yet arrived in many places and it is dry and sunny. With temperatures already rising in February in some places inland, the Christmas holiday is the best option if you don’t want to stay only on the coast of Senegal. The May holidays and the autumn holidays are also reasonable options. Take a good look at the climate data for the desired travel destinations within Senegal and see what the weather is like. Some places are fine in May or October, but there are also destinations where it is too hot. It is better not to celebrate the summer holidays in Senegal. This holiday falls during the monsoon period, which causes precipitation and clouds, especially in the places where Dutch travel companies offer package holidays. July and August are quite gloomy and sometimes very wet at the beach destinations.