Like the whole of West Africa in microcosm, Senegal boasts a variety of landscapes and cultures that belie its compact size. Northern desert wilds give way to the rain-soaked Casamance, fringed by hundreds of kilometres of pristine beaches and the fantastically frenetic capital city, Dakar, surrounded by ocean and proudly perched at the westernmost point on the African continent. This smorgasbord of landscapes is all accessible within a day's travel, making Senegal the perfect choice for anyone looking to sink their teeth into West Africa, for the first time or the hundredth.

Author Biography

Sean Connolly first travelled to West Africa in 2008, and has been returning to study, work, or backpack around the region ever since. When he's not discussing verb tenses, diplomatic recognition, or the merits of camel meat, you may find him riding in the back of a grain truck, sampling questionable local delicacies, or seeking out a country's funkiest records-a distinct pleasure in as music-mad of a country as Senegal. Raised in Chicago and educated in New York, Sean is a full-time culture fiend (read: anthropology graduate) and stays on the move whenever possible.