Dakar to Saly and Lac Rose
Saly is reached by the toll motorway that passes the airport: allow 1 h 30 to 2 h 30 door to door depending on traffic leaving Dakar. Lac Rose is a half-day trip from the city. Neither journey is on the standard price list: both are quoted and agreed by both parties beforehand.
By Sandji Wône. Fares and timetables checked on 23 October 2026.
These are the two destinations we are asked about most outside the airport. They carry no published price, and that is deliberate: the hours of use, the waiting time on site and the return leg change the figure too much for a single fare to be honest.
Dakar to Saly
The normal route takes the toll motorway, the same one serving the airport, then the Petite Côte. Route calculators give about an hour and twelve minutes of driving from Dakar's southern suburbs, and travellers report two to three hours in practice when leaving the centre at the wrong time.
The variable is not the distance, it is getting out of Dakar. Leaving before 7:00 or after 10:00 changes the trip entirely.
Dakar to Lac Rose
Lake Retba is visited as a half-day trip from Dakar. The route follows the Grande Côte road, and the last stretch is not paved throughout: a vehicle with decent ground clearance is preferable.
Pricing is based on the total hours of use, waiting time included, not on kilometres alone.
How these journeys are priced
- Dakar to Saly is on the price list from 1 October 2026: 40,000 FCFA including tax per trip, in either direction. From AIBD airport, 30,000 FCFA including tax.
- Lac Rose is not on the price list: the fare is communicated before you book.
- A day with a car and driver to the regions starts at 95,000 FCFA including tax depending on the destination, 12 consecutive hours and 100 km included, then 300 FCFA per extra kilometre.
- Driver, fuel, toll and parking are included in the quoted amount.
- Beyond those 12 hours, 10,000 FCFA per hour started.
During the Youth Olympic Games
From 30 October to 13 November 2026, the Ngaparou to Saly road is closed during events on 5, 6, 8 and 10 November, with restricted access. We ask every client how to reach their residence, and we suggest an accessible meeting point if a road is closed.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Dakar to Saly?
Between 1 h 30 and 2 h 30 door to door depending on the departure time and traffic leaving Dakar. The route uses the toll motorway that serves Blaise Diagne airport.
How much is a private car from Dakar to Saly?
Dakar to Saly is 40,000 FCFA including tax per trip, in either direction, on the price list in force from 1 October 2026. From AIBD airport, the trip to Saly is 30,000 FCFA including tax. To keep the car and driver with you on site, a day to the regions starts at 95,000 FCFA including tax depending on the destination, 12 consecutive hours and 100 km included, then 300 FCFA per extra kilometre.
Can you visit Lac Rose in a day from Dakar?
Yes, Lake Retba can be visited as a half-day or full-day trip from Dakar. It is priced on the total hours of use, waiting time on site included.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of these sources, consulted on the date shown. Other operators' fares can change without us knowing.
Other guides
Tell us your plan, we price it
Date, time, number of passengers and bags, and how long you want on site. The quote is agreed by both parties before any commitment.