PACKING LIST WEST AFRICA

be prepared for West Africa’s climate and customs

What to bring on your trip to Gambia and Senegal

We are pretty experienced in packing and we thought we had it quite together we left for our trip to West Africa. Truth be told, this article should be called “what we wish we would have brought.”

The climate in West Africa tropically warm. It varies from warm to extremely hot. We were planning on spending some time by the beach, visit villages and party a bit in Dakar. Shouldn’t be too hard to bring the right stuff, right?

Yet, we failed quite miserably. To keep you from doing the same we have put together a packing list which should help you to stay comfortable and appropriate in a hot Muslim country.

GAMBIA AND SENEGAL AT A GLANCE

Good to know

Best time to travel

Our Packing list – What you should bring to West Africa

Culture and security for female travelers

Our favorite read

Best time to travel West Africa- When should I go?

Located close to the equator, both Senegal and Gambia have a warm tropical climate. Temperatures vary from warm to extremely hot. The long dry season lasts from November-May and marks the high season. Roads are passable and it’s a great time for wildlife watching.

Basically our faces when we realised we packed all wrong!

Our packing list – What to wear in Gambia and Senegal

Gambia and Senegal are predominantly Muslim, even though you see a lot of short and tight cloths surrounding the party areas, it’s best to dress conservatively, especially when traveling off the beaten path.

We found it to be extremely hot set new records in sweating. Bring cloths which are covering, but from light-weight, breathable material. By the way: prints are great for covering sweat marks.

Female travelers in West Africa

Sadly, many caucasian women frequent especially Gambia on a quest for companionship. To set yourself, apart as much as possible make sure to wear cloths which cover shoulders to knees away from the beaches.

Men traveling West Africa:

For men the dress code is very simple: Jeans and T-shirt will do. Shorts will be ok in most areas, especially while walking around.

To feel comfortable in West Africa don’t forget to bring the following:

several long, loose pants
plenty of cotton shirts
light-weight scarf
a beach cover up
a hat
Birkenstock

Other essential stuff to bring:

Electronics:

bring a good, if possibly solar power bank. Some eco-resorts will only turn on electricity at night
if you have to work, bring an internet booster. Wifi is poor in many places.

Medics:

Malerone or any other malaria prophylaxis! Especially when traveling after the rainy season! It’s really hard to get, especially in Senegal and it will make you feel a lot better to have some as a back-up, just in case…
Mosquito repellent

Security and comfort for female travelers

We felt very safe in both countries, even long after dark. Apart from men trying to strike up a conversation, it is really really comfortable in terms of security.

Our favorite read in West Africa

““A wondrous novel about a period of African history few other writers have addressed. … Much of the novel’s radiance comes from the lush description of a traditional life that is both exotic and violent.”
—Charles L. Larson, The New York Times Book Review

“Segu” by Maryse Conde, the perfect book to get a better understanding of customs, tribes and culture.