Dakar & Goree Island Full-Day Tour: Slave House & Colonial Sites

Walk through the House of Slaves and stand where millions were held before the ships

A full-day tour of Dakar and Goree Island with an English-speaking guide, ferry ticket, House of Slaves admission and lunch included. The itinerary moves through colonial architecture, Islamic landmarks, the presidential palace, the modern African Renaissance Monument, and the Cathedral, ending at the House of Slaves on Goree Island—the most important slave depot in West Africa between the 15th and 18th centuries. Children from age 5 are welcome; the vehicle is wheelchair accessible.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Dakar and Goree Island

• Visit Goree Island slave depot
• Tour the House of Slaves
• See colonial architecture landmark
• View Islamic architecture example
• Pass by former French Governor's home
• Visit panoramic city monument
• Stop for shopping in city
• Visit impressive Cathedral

The Experience

The day starts with Goree Island, a ferry ride from Dakar that carries you to the site where millions of enslaved Africans were held and sorted before being forced onto slave ships. The House of Slaves sits at the center of that history—a building where the conditions were so severe that stepping through its rooms requires little imagination to grasp what happened there. Your guide, who knows Dakar as a local, walks you through the structure and the stories attached to it, making the history concrete rather than distant.

Back on the mainland, the tour moves through Dakar's architectural layers: colonial buildings that mark the French presence, Islamic structures that reflect the country's religious character, and the presidential palace built for the former French Governor. You'll stop at the Cathedral, built in the 19th century in a country that is 95% Muslim—one of the finest examples of religious architecture in the region. The modern African Renaissance Monument offers a panoramic view of the city itself, a striking 21st-century landmark that contrasts with everything older on the route. A shopping stop gives you time to absorb the city's rhythm before moving to the next site.

The eight-hour tour includes the ferry to and from Goree Island, entry to the House of Slaves, lunch, and transport in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide. Pickup is arranged, and all fees and taxes are covered upfront—you arrive ready to move through the day without managing logistics.

What’s included

• Ferry ticket to and from Goree Island.
• House of Slaves admission.
• lunch.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• English-speaking guide.
• all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by SENEGAL ODYSSEY TOURS

Is this one for you?Book this tour for your first or second day in Dakar if you want the city's history and landmarks woven together by someone who knows the stories behind each one—the guide's local perspective turns a list of sites into a narrative that connects colonial architecture, religious landmarks and the weight of the House of Slaves into a single coherent day.

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Top questions

What exactly is the House of Slaves on Goree Island?

The House of Slaves is a building on Goree Island where enslaved Africans were held and sorted before being forced onto slave ships between the 15th and 18th centuries. It was the most important slave depot in West Africa during that period, and visiting it gives a direct sense of the conditions and the scale of what happened there.

Can I bring young children on this tour?

Children from age 5 are welcome. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and infants can sit on an adult's lap. The vehicle is wheelchair accessible and all areas and surfaces on the tour are accessible.

What's the African Renaissance Monument, and why is it on the itinerary?

The African Renaissance Monument is a striking 21st-century landmark in Dakar that offers a panoramic view of the city. It represents modern Africa and contrasts with the colonial and historical sites elsewhere on the route, giving you a sense of Dakar's full timeline.