Senegal
Kaolack travel guide
Kaolack is a city in Senegal, home to about 172,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- BJL110 km · Banjul International Airport
- Currency
- XOFWest African CFA franc
- Time zone
- Africa/Dakar
- Language
- Badyara, Balanta, French
Things to do
What to see and do in Kaolack
See
Most of Kaolack's glory is in its past as it is rumored to have had some of the best mangroves in Africa but any evidence of these has long since disappeared. Kaolack has one of the biggest covered markets in West Africa. The market has a good selection of wax fabrics as this is where smaller buyers come from around the region to purchase fabric. You can easily get 2 meters for 1500 CFA or 6 meters for 3500. Another site to be seen in the market is the "gris-gris" market where vendors sell everything from skins to shells for the local charm makers. The stone circles at Wanar is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Kaolack
Kaolack has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 39 °C; August is the wettest, with about 242 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Kaolack: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Banjul International Airport (BJL), about 110 km from the city centre in a straight line; Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS, 122 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Kaolack is the transport hub of the country. You can get to any point in Senegal in a day's travel. There are two transport stations serving the city. Garage Dakar services areas to the West and North such as Dakar, Thies and St. Louis. Garage Nioro services the South and East with locations including Tamba, Kolda and the Casamance. Most people get around Senegal by sept-places but there are buses that pass through here heading from Bamako to Dakar and vice versa. There are also minicars which tend to leave only when full but are a cheaper option.
Getting around
Taxis (between 700 and 800 FCFA) are the main way to get around Kaolack or you can take a moto if you are brave enough.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
BJL · Banjul International Airport
DSS · Blaise Diagne International Airport
Questions
Kaolack: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Kaolack?
Kaolack has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. April is the warmest month, with average highs of 39 °C; August is the wettest, with about 242 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Kaolack?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Banjul International Airport (BJL), about 110 km from the city centre in a straight line; Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS, 122 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Kaolack?
West African CFA franc (XOF).
Nearby
Destinations near Kaolack
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.