Hann Park: come for the forest, the zoo is not the point of the outing

Hann Forest and Zoological Park (Hann Park) is best visited the opposite way to what its name suggests: you come for the forest, and glance at the zoo in passing. In the middle of a city that concretes over every free plot, Hann Park in Dakar keeps some sixty hectares of trees, a lake where birds settle and paths long enough to run in the shade. That is where to spend your morning, not in front of the cages.

At a glance

Resident or visitor: two ways to love Hann

If you live in Dakar, Hann is a habit more than a visit. It is where people run before work, where you take the children on a Saturday morning when the beach is too windy, where you picnic in the shade during the school holidays. The entry charge stays low, the park is a quarter of an hour from most neighbourhoods, and you keep coming back without thinking about it. The children’s activities bookable on QFS add to that, and you get the resident rate: up to 30% off depending on the activity.

If you are passing through, do not put Hann at the top of your list. Gorée, the Plateau, the Corniche and the museums tell Dakar’s story more powerfully. But if you are travelling with children, if the heat is getting to you or if you have a free half-day between two visits, Hann offers what the rest of the city rarely gives: silence, shade and birds. Come here to breathe, not for a safari: it is the only way not to be disappointed.

A forest planted in 1903 that became the city’s green lung

The park was created in 1903, on the initiative of Governor Martial Merlin, at the time when Dakar was becoming the capital of French West Africa. The idea had nothing to do with leisure: it was a public garden combined with a nursery, where species were acclimatised before being planted elsewhere in the colony. Hann served as a plant laboratory, and that role has never entirely disappeared: the park’s nursery still produces seedlings to green and beautify the city.

Over the decades, the garden gained an arboretum, an ethnobotanical garden and a zoological area that ended up giving the park half its name. The ethnobotanical garden is the most original and least known part: the plants are not arranged by family but by use. Plants that feed, that heal, that are used in crafts, that give scent or that decorate: you read the plant world the way the people who use it every day read it. The site long hosted school classes for environmental education programmes, and it remains a great hands-on lesson for a curious child.

The rest of the park is a forest to walk through. The tall trees close over the paths, an artificial lake attracts birds all year round, including migratory birds, and a fitness trail loop delights morning runners. Many runners come here precisely because there are trees. In a conurbation sorely lacking in green space, that simple fact says everything about the value of the place.

The zoo: what you need to know in 2026

Let us be frank, since this is the question everyone asks. The zoological area still houses lions, crocodiles, hyenas, primates, antelopes and birds such as marabou storks and hornbills. But its facilities are old, often described as poorly maintained for lack of resources, and they no longer meet current animal welfare standards. The subject keeps coming back into public debate, again this year: petitions and formal questions call for more resources to feed and care for the animals.

Our position, the same across the whole site: we do not recommend the zoo as the aim of an outing. If you walk through it with children, do so quickly, without feeding the animals, and use the opportunity to talk with them about what a decent enclosure should look like. The park’s real treasure is its trees.

Key facts & figures

Getting there & official fees

The park is in eastern Dakar, in the commune of Hann Bel-Air, on the Hann Bay side. From the Plateau, it is 6 to 7 km, or 15 to 30 minutes by car or taxi depending on the time of day; at rush hour, getting out of the centre can double that. Every taxi driver knows “parc de Hann”: it is the simplest address to give.

A small entry charge is paid on site, at the ticket office. It is an official fee: it is never included in the price of an activity booked on QFS, and it is never marked up or discounted. The published amounts vary according to the source and the year: bring small change. Opening hours may include a midday break: come in the morning and you will avoid both the heat and a closed gate.

What to see

The great forest paths. This is the heart of it. Walk with no particular aim, look up at the treetops, listen: the noise of the city fades surprisingly quickly.

The lake. The most popular spot in the park. People sit here to watch the birds and the aquatic plants; it is also the natural meeting point for families and picnickers.

The ethnobotanical garden. Medicinal, aromatic, food and craft plants: take the time to read what is on display. This is the part that sets Hann apart from an ordinary public garden.

The arboretum and nursery. A reminder of the place’s original purpose: a century of acclimatising trees, some of whose seedlings end up lining Dakar’s avenues.

The fitness trail. A loop for running or brisk walking in the shade. Early in the morning, you will meet runners, walkers and loyal retirees who never miss a session.

The play areas. For the little ones, with the option of booking a ride on a bike, an electric car or a children’s quad (see below).

Nearby

The park is the green lung of Hann Bel-Air, a former Lebou village facing the bay and now a district municipality of Dakar: our page tells you what to do there and how to find your way around. To the west, the Médina and the Plateau are home to the cultural sights: the Museum of Black Civilisations, the Théodore Monod Museum of African Art and Dakar’s iconic markets. From the port, the ferry heads out to Gorée Island. For a nature outing further afield, Lac Rose (Pink Lake) combines well with a family day. For an overview of the city, see our Dakar page, and for a ready-made programme, our ideal three-day itinerary in Dakar.

The right time

The park is best enjoyed in the morning. At opening time, the air is cool under the trees, the runners are there, and so are the birds, and the paths are quiet. In the early afternoon, the heat and a possible midday closure make the visit less pleasant. At weekends and during the school holidays, families flock in: that is when it is liveliest, but also noisiest. On weekdays, you will often have the forest almost to yourself.

As for the seasons, the dry season, from November to June, is the most comfortable. During the rainy season (hivernage), from July to October, the rain makes some low-lying parts of the park muddy, or even flooded after a heavy storm: closed shoes are a must.

Practical tips

• Clothing: closed shoes, a cap, and mosquito repellent near the lake at the end of the day.
• Water and picnics: bring water; picnicking is a park tradition, as long as you take your rubbish away with you.
• The animals: never feed the zoo animals and do not bang on the fences, even if other visitors do.
• Photos: photograph nature freely; ask before photographing families or people exercising.
• Children: keep them in sight near the lake and the enclosures, whose barriers are old.
• Safety: the park is busy during the day; avoid isolated paths in the late afternoon and leave before closing time.

Book an activity here with QFS

With children, Hann lends itself to the activity combos bookable in our family days & children’s outings section: a ride on a bike, an electric car or a children’s quad, combined with the walk. For more family outing ideas, browse parks, leisure & family outings and animal parks, where you will find places better suited to watching animals. Bird lovers can carry on with birdwatching, and sports enthusiasts with personal training & fitness in Dakar.

You pay 20% to secure your booking (the booking fee), and the balance is paid on site, on the day. Park entry is an official fee, payable on site and not included in the price. If you live in Senegal, you get the resident rate: up to 30% off depending on the activity (the exact rate is shown on each listing).

Frequently asked questions