Dakar & Gorée Island Transfer: Lac Rose & House of Slaves

Stand at the Door of No Return, then watch the Pink Lake shift color with the sun

A guided tour from Dakar visiting either Lac Rose (the Pink Lake), Gorée Island's slave trade history sites, or both, with air-conditioned transport and a live English or French-speaking guide. The tour runs 4 to 7 hours depending on which option you book. Pickup is included. You navigate the dunes by quad, dune vehicle, camel or horse at Lac Rose, and walk through the House of Slaves museum on Gorée Island to see the Door of No Return and other artifacts from the transatlantic slave trade.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Pink Lake and Gorée Island

• Explore Lake Retba (Pink Lake)
• Tour dunes by quad bike or camel
• Visit House of Slaves museum
• See the Door of No Return

The experience

Your first afternoon in Dakar or a free day between other plans: this tour handles the transport and the guide, so you move between two of Senegal's most visited sites without arranging either yourself. SENEXPAT picks you up in an air-conditioned vehicle and takes you to whichever destination fits your time: the Pink Lake alone, Gorée Island alone, or both in a single outing. The company has operated since 2018 with a focus on getting expats and travelers to these places safely and reliably.

Lac Rose, also called the Pink Lake, sits behind a dune that separates it from the Atlantic. The water shifts color, pink to purple, depending on the sun's angle and intensity, and the tour includes your choice of how to cross the dunes: quad bike, dune vehicle, camel, or horse. Gorée Island, a short boat ride from Dakar's coast, holds the House of Slaves, a museum built around the history of the transatlantic slave trade. The Door of No Return, a physical doorway through which enslaved people were forced onto ships, stands as the centerpiece of the visit. Both sites are walkable once you arrive. The guide leads you through the history and the landscape.

The tour runs between 4 and 7 hours depending on which option you choose at checkout. A guide who speaks English or French travels with you the whole way. Infants can ride in a pram or stroller, and small children sit on an adult's lap. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and public transport options exist nearby if you want to extend the day on your own.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle.
• live guide in English or French.
• pickup from your location.
• access to Lac Rose dunes (by quad, dune vehicle, camel or horse, depending on your choice).
• entry to Gorée Island and the House of Slaves museum.

Options for this experience

3 options

Guide in English or French08:00

Guide in English or French08:00

Guide in English or French08:00

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (17 to 64 years) · Senior (65 to 80 years) · Youth (6 to 16 years) · Child (2 to 5 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 24

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 25 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by SENEXPAT's Excursions

Is this one for you?Choose the Lac Rose option if you want the dune experience and the color shifts of the Pink Lake; pick Gorée Island if the slave trade history and the Door of No Return are what drew you to Senegal; book both if you have a full afternoon and want to see how Senegal's natural and historical landscapes sit side by side.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

9 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 16 years); Child (2 to 5 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the Pink Lake and why does it change color?

Lac Rose, or the Pink Lake, is a natural lagoon separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a sand dune. The water shifts from pink to purple depending on the intensity of the sun and the angle of the light hitting it: a phenomenon caused by salt-loving algae and minerals in the water that reflect different colors at different times of day.

What will I see at the House of Slaves on Gorée Island?

The House of Slaves is a museum dedicated to the transatlantic slave trade. The Door of No Return is the main focal point: an actual doorway through which enslaved people were forced onto ships. The museum contains artifacts and exhibits that document this dark chapter of history.

Can I choose which sites to visit, or do I have to do both?

You choose at checkout. SENEXPAT offers a Lac Rose dune tour on its own, a Gorée Island tour on its own, or both sites together in one day. You also pick how you cross the dunes at Lac Rose: quad bike, dune vehicle, camel, or horse.

Does the tour include pickup from my hotel?

Pickup is included in at least one option. Confirm which option you choose at checkout to verify pickup is part of your booking.