EXPLORING GOREE ISLAND, SENEGAL

Jan 27

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Will Gorée Island ever be overrated? I doubt it. If you're planning a trip to la Teranga ( Senegal ), l'Île de Gorée has to be in your top 3 places to visit. It is located 2 kilometres at sea from the autonomous port of Dakar. The immensely splendid island has a picturesque architecture, colorful homes, charming street alleys adorned with bougainvilleas trees. The island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, mainly because of its heavy and painful history. It was one of the biggest slave trading ports in West Africa during slavery. Millions of slaves were kept captive in tiny cells before they'd go through the door of no return, embark on boats and cross the ocean for the Americas. Gorée is more than an island and the experience is inestimable.

HOW TO GET TO GOREE ISLAND

It's pretty easy to get to Gorée from Dakar. Take a taxi to the autonomous Port of Dakar. If you mention to the taxi driver you want to go to Gorée, he'll definitely know where to take you. It is highly visited by tourists and locals. A ferry makes the liaison from the port to Gorée following a detailed schedule ( see resources at the end of this post ). A quick and pleasant 20 minutes boat ride later, you'll be on the island.

ESTIMATED COST

Roundtrip FerryNon African Resident - Adult : 5200 f cfaSenegalese Resident - Adult : 1500 f cfaAfrican Resident - Adult : 2700 f cfaSharing the link to the full list of the ferry cost below.House of Slaves entry priceAdult : 500 cfaChildren : 500 cfaTIP: If you're spending a few hours or the whole day in Gorée, make sure you have enough cash on you to eat at a restaurant, buy souvenirs etc. You can even spend the night, they have gorgeous guesthouses on site.In case you're visiting the Island alone, you might want to pay for a tour guide to take you around the Island. As soon as you get off the boat, several tour guides will approach you to offer their services ( negotiate to lower the price, always! )You can decide to decline of course. The inhabitants of the island are very friendly and will help you with directions.

WHAT TO DO

La Maison des Esclaves ( The House of Slaves): The first time I went to Gorée, it was almost 7 years ago. The experience this time around though was 1000% more emotional. I didn't get to visit the house of slaves 7 years ago because of the important TIP below!We brought our son Lukas with us because I thought it was important for him to experience this as well. When we arrived on the island, we had time to explore a little and take some pictures before heading to the house of slaves. We were a group of approximately thirty people taking part in the guided tour. The official speaker/host talked about a few important facts of what happened on the island during the slave trade for about twenty minutes. It was extremely moving and sometimes hard to listen to and imagine. Then we were free to visit the island on our own. The chambers where the slaves were enchained are downstairs, as well as the door of no return " la porte du voyage sans retour ". There's a museum upstairs. Gorée's slave houses are maintained in their very original state.TIP: The House of Slaves is closed between noon and 2.30 pm, so plan your visit accordingly. Buy from local artisans: it's always a good idea to support the makers. You'll see many vendor stations while walking through the island. They have beautiful handmade goods that you can buy. Remember, always bargain!Take a hike to the top: you'll love the incredibly gorgeous view of the island, its surroundings and the ocean. It's also a good spot for photos.Take a dip in the ocean: Go prepared. Dress comfortably and wear appropriate shoes for walking ( because you'll do a lot of walking ). Bring extra clothes in your backpack if you want to change and take photos à la travel blogger ;)