Snorkelling in Dakar means looking at the capital’s seabed with your head in the water, with fins, mask and snorkel, with no tank and no certification. It is a guided outing of about two hours, around Ngor and the Plateau, in shallow water, with guide and equipment included.

An outing at the surface

Two options exist, priced per person: the fin-and-snorkel trek (snorkelling) and the introduction to freediving. In both cases the outing is supervised, the equipment is provided (fins, mask and snorkel) and no certification is required. The guide, the equipment and the supervision are included; the meal is not.

The outing begins with a quick briefing on the basic movements and safety. The instructor hands out the equipment and accompanies the group from the beach or the boat. The water trek lasts about two hours, in shallow water, from 1 to 4 metres, in areas chosen for their marine life: multicoloured fish, starfish, sea urchins, small crustaceans. Breaks are planned to rest on the boat or on a patch of sand before returning to the starting point.

It is an activity to share as a family: some shallow areas near Ngor or Virage suit the youngest, always accompanied. If you live in Dakar, this is an afternoon on the coast without going through certification. If you are visiting, it is a way to see what the city hides beneath its corniche, before possibly moving on to diving.

Where you get in the water in Dakar

Departures are mainly from the beach at Ngor, the port of the Plateau or certain areas of the west corniche. The water there is fairly calm, with rocky seabeds and a few scattered corals. Ngor beach gives an idea of the setting, and Ngor Island is a few minutes away.

To see around the starting points

The rest of the day can take several forms: the Mosque of the Divinity facing the ocean, the Museum of Black Civilisations in the Plateau, or Gorée Island. To stay on the water, diving offers deeper options, and a boat trip shows you the coast from offshore.