10 Curious things you might not know
Senegal is one of those countries that you discover little by little.
Beyond Dakar, its beaches, or some of its best-known places, there are traditions, landscapes, words, and stories that help explain why this West African country has such a unique identity.
And when you travel to take part in a volunteering experience, many of these curiosities stop being simple facts you read before your trip: they start becoming part of your everyday life.
From a word that sums up an entire way of welcoming others to an island literally built on shells, here are 10 curious things about Senegal that you might not know.
1. There is a word that defines much of Senegalese culture: Teranga
Senegal is known as “the country of Teranga”, but translating Teranga simply as “hospitality” does not quite capture its full meaning.
The concept is connected to welcoming others, sharing, showing respect, and making people feel part of the community. It can be seen in small everyday gestures and especially around food: traditionally, when it is time to eat, sharing the meal with those who are present is part of this culture of hospitality.
The Senegalese Tourism Promotion Agency also highlights values such as exchange, tolerance, and solidarity as part of the so-called Teranga spirit.
It is probably one of the words that best helps you understand Senegal once you start living alongside its people.
2. French is the official language, but it will not be the only one you hear
One of the first things that stands out when you arrive is the variety of languages.
French is the official language of Senegal, but the country also has several national languages, including Wolof, Pulaar, Serer, Mandinka, and Diola.
Wolof has a very important presence in everyday conversations, especially in many urban areas.
That is why learning a few words during a volunteering experience can become a small gateway into the community. A simple greeting in the local language can completely change a conversation.
3. One of its most famous dishes is Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
If you spend some time in Senegal, there is one name you will probably end up learning: Ceebu Jën —also often written as thieboudienne.
It is one of the country’s most representative dishes and traditionally combines rice, fish, and different vegetables.
But what is interesting is that it is not simply a recipe.
In 2021, UNESCO inscribed Ceebu Jën, a culinary art of Senegal, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Its preparation methods, the customs associated with the meal, and the way the recipe is passed down are all part of Senegalese cultural identity.
Once again, food can tell us much more about a country than it may seem.
4. There is an island where the streets are covered in shells
Very close to the Petite Côte lies Fadiouth, connected to the town of Joal by a long wooden bridge.
And something quite unusual happens here.
The streets of Fadiouth are covered with mollusc shells, particularly cockle and oyster shells, accumulated over generations. As you walk, the shells literally crunch beneath your feet.
The area’s relationship with the sea and shellfish harvesting forms part of its history and has even physically transformed the landscape.
It is one of those places that shows how the environment and local communities can evolve together over centuries.
5. The famous Pink Lake is not always pink
Lake Retba, internationally known as the Pink Lake, is probably one of the most photographed places in Senegal.
Its water can take on pinkish tones due, among other factors, to microorganisms associated with environments with very high salinity. But here is the curious part: the lake does not remain pink all the time, nor does it always maintain the same intensity of colour.
In addition, severe flooding in 2022 significantly reduced its salinity, and the lake lost much of its characteristic colour for several years.
In 2026, there was especially positive news: after work to remove excess freshwater and restore salinity levels, Lake Retba once again displayed its famous pink colour and traditional salt harvesting resumed.
So even one of Senegal’s most famous landscapes is constantly changing.
6. Yes, the Dakar Rally is called Dakar because of Dakar… even though it is no longer held there
This curiosity often causes quite a bit of confusion.
The famous Dakar Rally owes its name to the Senegalese capital because the first editions of the legendary Paris-Dakar race ended there.
The first edition began in December 1978 and, after around 10,000 kilometres, the participants who managed to complete the race arrived in Dakar in January 1979.
However, the competition later left Africa, moved to South America, and since 2020 it has taken place in Saudi Arabia.
The name remained.
So every time you hear about the Dakar Rally, you are indirectly hearing the name of Senegal.
7. A small island off Dakar holds an enormous part of historical memory
Around 3.5 kilometres off the coast of Dakar lies Gorée Island, covering just 28 hectares.
Its small size contrasts with the enormous historical significance it holds.
Between the 15th and 19th centuries, it was linked to the Atlantic trade of enslaved people and today it is an important place of remembrance and reflection on one of the most painful chapters in history. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1978.
Its colonial buildings, narrow streets, and colourful façades contrast greatly with the history they hold.
Visiting Gorée is not simply about seeing a beautiful place: it means learning about and understanding part of the history of Senegal, Africa, and Europe.
8. Senegal has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites
For a relatively small country in terms of size, Senegal has an extraordinarily diverse natural and cultural heritage.
It currently has seven properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: five cultural and two natural.
These include Gorée Island, the Island of Saint-Louis, the Saloum Delta, Niokolo-Koba National Park, and the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary.
This gives an idea of the enormous diversity found within the country: historic cities, wetlands, mangroves, savannahs, traditional cultures, and completely different ecosystems can all be found within its borders.
9. One park in Senegal can host around one and a half million birds
In the north of the country lies the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, located in the Senegal River delta.
It is a wetland area of around 16,000 hectares made up of lakes, channels, ponds, and other aquatic environments.
According to UNESCO, the area provides a refuge for around 1.5 million birds, including white pelicans, cormorants, herons, African spoonbills, and flamingos.
Its geographical location also makes it an especially important stop for many migratory birds after crossing the Sahara.
Senegal may not be the first country that comes to mind when we think of major birdwatching destinations, but its richness in this respect is remarkable.
10. In the Saloum Delta, there are islands created by humans over centuries
And we finish with one of the most surprising curiosities.
The Saloum Delta is made up of mangroves, lagoons, channels, sandbanks, and islands, but some parts of its landscape hide a very particular story.
For approximately 2,000 years, the collection and consumption of shellfish created enormous accumulations of shells. Over the centuries, some of these mounds became actual islets created through human activity.
Some were even later used as burial sites.
Today, the Saloum Delta is a World Heritage Site and represents one of the best examples of how human communities and the natural environment have shaped a landscape together over generations.
Senegal is much easier to understand when you experience it from the inside
We can read about Teranga, learn what a word means in Wolof, or look at photographs of the Pink Lake.
But visiting a country and temporarily becoming part of its everyday life are two completely different experiences.
During a volunteering experience in Senegal, the destination stops being simply the place you have travelled to. You begin to get to know the people who live there, their routines, their food, their way of interacting, their celebrations, and all those small customs that often go unnoticed when you simply visit a place for a few days.
And perhaps that is one of Senegal’s greatest curiosities: many of the most interesting things about the country do not appear in a guidebook.
You discover them by spending time with its people.
With Cooperating Volunteers, you can live a volunteering experience in Senegal, collaborate alongside our team and local communities, and at the same time discover the country from a completely different perspective.
