Hi! I have a friend who will be doing research in Senegal this summer (July-September). She's looking for advice about dress (will it be hot or cold? Is she expected to keep arm & legs covered?), internet access, best (cheapest) airline to fly, etc. If anyone would like to respond with suggestions please post here or PM me with your e-mail so I can pass it on to my friend.

Thanks in advance!

The cheapest airline I found was SA through African Travel Management, they get special offers. The flight was pleasant. Northwest and SA work
together.
I just came from Dakar and it was perfect weather, sometimes I even wore long sleeves in the evening, a cool breeze always comes from the ocean.
I guess it will depend on where in Senegal she will be. I don't know when rainy season starts so I don't really know what the weather will be like later.
PM Taurean, her husband is Senegalese.
You don't have to cover your arms and legs.
The people are very friendly. Careful with taking pics of people without asking them, it is my experience that they don't like it.

Omoba, how much did your ticket cost? We are thinking about flying through Senegal on our trip.

LL........$ 1735 and it goes up, up, up in the summer season. Had I traveled a month earlier I would have saved about $ 300 but I had to be there
this month.

Don't remind me............that was money peed in the wind except that I got to see Stephen with a ph........ok let me shut up before I lose it

Omoba is so right. THe prices are going up as we speak - summer is so expensive. They just had some incredible deals on SAA to Dakar a few months ago for the first time. All bets are off for the summer. It will definitely be between $1600-$2000 unless you go through Casablanca and have one of those long and complicated trips to save one or two hundred dollars. I've flown both Delta and SAA, and SAA is absolutely the best, but not always the cheapest. I've used many websites and travel agents, but your friend should definitely try the travel agent that Omoba used and I've had fairly good luck with www.consolidatorwebfares.com.

The rainy season will really kick in in Dakar in August. It's pretty hot (don't know what you friend is used to) in July/August, but I personally don't ever think Dakar is too hot. If you are going inland, yes, it's hot. I think foreigners are given a lot of latitude in terms of dress, but I have never found it respectful or felt comfortable wearing anything short. When people go to the clubs at night, it's another story, but in the daytime, people appreciate it if you cover your legs and respect their customs. If someone is doing research in the country, that's even more important. No one will do anything to you though. There's, no need to cover your arms. It's a very moderate country.

Dakar is a very cosmopolitan city and there are cybercafes everwhere. The prices will differ depending upon what part of the city you are in, but you'll pay an average of a dollar per hour for internet access. Printing is expensive. Some hotels have internet access either through cable or wireless for their customers. All this can be googled though...good luck!

Aisha, what are the prices like around December? I hope it won't be so bad since that is Christmas season.

December is okay if you can fly out the first week. Christmas travel is high season also. My husband, on the other hand, flew to the U.S. from Senegal during the first week of December and it was around $1400 - the pre-recession price :-)

If you can fly in during the first week and manage to stay after the first of the year you can do better, but travel during the latter part of December is just robbery! There are sometimes really good deals in November when no one can fly! Best!!

Trouble in southern parts of Senegal, I suggest you don't travel in those regions and stay to the north. Just saw that unrest has picked up there.

Hey, thanks for all the posts! I thought I put this thread on e-mail notification. Surprise! I didn't. I was wondering why no one posted. Thanks again.