Dakar Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (45/100)
Is Dakar safe right now? Checked 15 October 2026
Dakar scores 45/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Senegal Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions, updated 1 Dec 2025); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution. No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Natural disasters (score 30)
Political instability (score 60)
September 27, 2026
Dakar, Senegal has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 45 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is political instability at 60/100; the lowest-rated category is natural disasters at 30/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Senegal travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Dakar to visit in 2026?
Dakar currently sits at 45/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for Dakar is political instability (60/100), and the lowest is natural disasters (30/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: security (50/100) and health and medical access (60/100).
A score of 45 is higher than the scores of 59% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 15, 2026
Dakar, Senegal currently has a moderate baseline risk composite of 45 out of 100. Travelers should note a Level 1 US State Department travel advisory and a Level 1 CDC global dengue health notice.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 02:35 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Political instability (score 60/100): Avoid demonstrations and political gatherings. Monitor news the morning of travel. Have a flexible departure plan.
- Government advisory (score 55/100): Read your country's current official advisory within 7 days of travel. Register with your embassy on arrival if available.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Dakar
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Daytime conditions are generally secure along major corridors and commercial districts. Keep bags zipped and avoid displaying high-value items openly.
Risk levels elevate noticeably after dark outside main central zones. Avoid walking alone through unlit parks, alleys, or quiet transit stations; favor pre-booked door-to-door transport.
Safety by Traveler Type in Dakar
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Families with children
Health/disaster risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, identify hospitals near your accommodation, and check seasonal hazard (storm/heat/quake) before you book.
Older travelers
Health/transport risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, plan rest between transfers, and locate English-capable medical care on arrival.
LGBTQ+ travelers
Local laws and social attitudes toward LGBTQ+ travelers vary widely by country and are not captured in our category scores. The official advisory/political indicators are elevated. Read your government LGBTQ+ travel guidance carefully and weigh trip purpose against current conditions.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Dakar for solo travelers (Crime 45/100 · Transport 50/100), women traveling solo (Crime 45/100) and business travelers (Digital 40/100 · Money 45/100 · Transport 50/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Dakar
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
Level 1 · Exercise Normal Precautions
Senegal - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Dakar happened in September (3 of 5 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Senegal travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Senegal entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-15 19:24:31 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Dakar
The most weather-stable two-month window for Dakar is March–April, when typical daily temperatures run from about 20°C to 26°C and monthly rain averages 1 mm.
No threshold-level heat, cold, wind, or cyclone flag appears in the stored normals; August is the wettest typical month at about 143 mm.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 10, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Dakar
Dakar has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Centre de sante cheikh ahmadou bamba backe
- Hospital: Centre hospitalier national pour enfant Albert Royer
- Hospital: Centre medico-social de la fonction publique
- Hospital: Clinique Fann Hock;SOS Cardio
- Hospital: Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec
- Hospital: Hopital COUD
- Hospital: Hopital de Fann
- Hospital: Hopital de fann
- Hospital: Hopital Principal de Dakar
- Hospital: Polyclinique de la Médina
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Caserne Samba Diéry Diallo
- Police: Cercle Mess des Officiers
- Police: Commisariat police
- Police: Commissariat de Police de Reubeuss
- Police: Commissariat du Port
- Police: État major Gendarmerie Senegal
- Police: Gendarmerie du Port
- Police: Gendarmerie Nationale
- Police: Police Municipale de Dakar
- Embassy: Ambassade de France
- Embassy: Austrian Embassy
- Embassy: Delegation of the European Union
- Embassy: Embassy of India
- Embassy: Embassy of Russia
- Pharmacy: Unnamed pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Pharmacie Allees Canard
- Pharmacy: Pharmacie Avicenne
- Pharmacy: Pharmacie Boisson
- Pharmacy: Pharmacie du Guet
- Pharmacy: Pharmacie Fahd
- Pharmacy: Pharmacie Kermel
- Pharmacy: Pharmacie Teranga
- Pharmacy: Pharmacie Vital
- Pharmacy: Vital
- Fire station: Caserne de pompiers de Gorée
- Fire station: Caserne Sapeurs Pompiers
- Fire station: Caserne Sapeurs Pompiers
- Fire station: Compagnie spéciale d'incendie et de secours du port autonome de Dakar
- Fire station: Pompiers Dieuppeul
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Senegal)
| Police | 17 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 15 |
| Fire | 18 |
| General | 112 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Essential local emergency phrases
Show this screen to first responders, hotel staff, or passersby if you cannot speak the local language during an emergency.
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | medium |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | high |
Travelers visiting Senegal should ensure they have a comprehensive travel insurance policy in place that includes provision for medical evacuation by air. Specific local hospital and emergency capabilities are not detailed in the available sources.
Common scam patterns
- General Fraud. Various forms of fraud and scams are common throughout West Africa and require constant vigilance from travelers. Visitors should remain cautious of individuals offering unsolicited services or deceptive deals. Tip: Always verify official pricing and avoid engaging with strangers offering unrequested assistance.
Area notes
- Government buildings and public areas. Protests and large public gatherings frequently occur near government buildings and public areas, sometimes turning violent.
Run a personalized assessment for Dakar
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2026 | 46 → 45 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Oct 10, 2026 | 45 → 46 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Oct 10, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| Oct 7, 2026 | 44 → 45 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 30, 2026 | 45 → 44 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 47 → 45 | moderate | Data update scoring v2 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | 35 → 47 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 35 | moderate | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (round 2: Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + GPI + EPI references) |
Every editorial change to Dakar's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Dakar
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Dakar, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.