Exploration diving in Dakar is for certified divers (level 1 minimum) who want to see the capital’s volcanic seabed. Outings go by boat with a guide, equipment provided, at depths between 10 and 30 metres depending on experience, from Ngor or the Plateau.

Volcanic seabeds still little known

Dakar is an underwater destination that few people know about, but not those who dive there. Its volcanic seabeds and rocky plateaus shelter a wide variety of species and several exploration sites. The busiest sites are the artificial wreck known as the Cargo, the cliff and plateau at Ngor, and the rocks of Soumbedioune. You dive between 10 and 30 metres, with visibility that varies by season: often 10 to 15 metres in the dry season, from November to May, and lower in the wet season.

Underwater, the terrain is the main attraction: caves, fissures and rocks covered in algae, sheltering groupers, sea breams, lionfish and sometimes rays. It is a more technical dive than the introductory ones, for those looking for the more authentic side of Senegalese diving.

Running order and options

After an equipment check and a briefing on the day’s site, the group boards for a short boat ride. The dive lasts between 40 and 50 minutes; each buddy pair is supervised by a guide who knows the currents and the descent zones. On the return, a debrief goes over what you saw. The length of the outing runs from 40 to 120 minutes depending on the option.

Six options exist, priced per person: exploration, sunset dive, night dive, the “Double” option, and two 10-dive packs, with or without equipment. The equipment, the boat and the guide are included; sunscreen and meals are not.

If you are a diver living in Dakar, this is a training ground within weekend reach. If you are a certified visitor, it is a chance to dive beneath a capital city, with marine life different from that of postcard destinations.

Ngor, Plateau: the starting points

Departures are from Ngor or the Plateau, two areas that give quick access to the main sites. Ngor Island is just opposite, and the Dakar page brings together the city’s activities.

After the dive

You can go up to the Mamelles lighthouse, wander around Ngor village or have lunch on the west corniche facing the ocean. For a quieter outing, snorkelling lets you see the same waters from the surface.