Travel to Senegal

You can't get a direct flight straight into Senegal but you can get indirect flights to Dakar in around nine hours with just one stopover. You can fly from most airports in the UK with carriers such as TAP, Turkish Airlines, KLM, Air France and Delta fly.

Dakar - Leopold Senghor Airport is nine kilometres away from the city centre. You can pick up a bus between the hours of 6am and 9pm into town, but taxis are available at other times. Taxis can be quite expensive if you pick them up directly from the airport. However, if you get your hotel to arrange one or walk just outside the airport onto the main road, you can get one at a more reasonable rate.

You can find bargain hotels in Senegal for as little as £10 per night. But you should avoid staying in the heart of Dakar city centre if you're looking for a good deal as it can be pricey. As a general rule you will find hotels in the country fairly reasonably priced.

Take extra care when you are picking up food on the streets. The food may not be cooked in a sanitised environment. You will find that restaurants are a safer option. Try the traditional dish ceebu jen - rice and fish which comes with a red or white sauce. You can also sample maafe which is meat and rice covered in a tomato and peanut based sauce. However, if you are on a really tight budget, you can pick up fresh food from the markets or supermarkets and prepare it yourself.

The most expensive time to visit Senegal is November to February, the country's main tourist season. If you travel in the wet months of July to late September you can also find that some of the national parks are closed - however if you are willing to take the risk you'll find that prices are reduced by as much as half.

December or March to June is a great time to visit the country, as Dakar comes alive with a number of music festivals.