Audio walk · Dakar
The Plateau
Put your phone in your pocket and walk. Your phone reads each stop aloud, then waits while you walk to the next one; tap “I've arrived” to carry on. Everything it says is written out below, so the walk works without sound too.
- 3 stops
- about 4 min of listening
- about 21 min between stops
- Cluster guide
3 stops · about 4 min listening · about 21 min between stops
Before you start
Voice and speed
The script is in English. On-device voices keep working with no signal once this page is open or saved.
Transcript
Everything the tour says, in order. Read it instead of listening if you prefer.
Before you start
Welcome to the The Plateau audio walk in Dakar. 3 stops: IFAN Museum of African Arts, Cathedral of African Remembrance and Kermel market. Morning cluster: the colonial-era centre with the IFAN museum, Place de l'Indépendance and government buildings; walk it before noon.
The Plateau between Place de l'Indépendance and Place Soweto, not the whole peninsula. Underfoot: broken pavements, traffic; slope: flat; shade: medium.
Dakar is a peninsula city at the western edge of Africa: a colonial port turned capital, with a memorial island offshore, a market district that never sleeps, and a beach-side quarter at its north-west tip.
Keep your eyes on the street, and pause the audio before you cross a road.
1. IFAN Museum of African Arts
Musée Théodore Monod d'art africain
Stop 1 of 3: IFAN Museum of African Arts. Locally, Musée Théodore Monod d'art africain. Arrival point: Place Soweto, the Plateau.
A museum of masks, textiles and objects from West Africa on Place Soweto: an hour in the Plateau, indoors in the heat of the day.
Ask before photographing exhibits. Quiet on weekday mornings. Casual; modest at the entrance. Go on a weekday morning; indoor and shaded, so it works as a heat break. Labels may be in French only; ask a member of staff for English notes. Check the day and hours with the hotel: opening days have changed over time. Is there an English guide? Not confirmed; ask at the desk. Can I photograph exhibits? Ask staff first. Shoes on.
Walk:Next, stop 2: Cathedral of African Remembrance. It's about 12 minutes on foot, about 450 metres to the east. Route: Walk to the cathedral. The tour waits here. Tap I've arrived when you get there.
2. Cathedral of African Remembrance
Cathédrale du Souvenir Africain
Stop 2 of 3: Cathedral of African Remembrance. Locally, Cathédrale du Souvenir Africain. Arrival point: Plateau street entrance (check the pin with your driver).
A large church of the 1930s in the Plateau: a 20–30 minute stop on the morning walk between Place de l'Indépendance and the IFAN museum; dress modestly and skip during services. On a first visit: A quick, free stop on the Plateau walk.
The Cathédrale du Souvenir Africain, completed in the 1930s, is one of the city's largest churches, built when Dakar was the capital of French West Africa and wanted buildings to match.
Dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered. Quiet on weekday mornings; full on Sunday services and Catholic feast days. Shoulders and knees covered. Go on a weekday morning; services on Sunday close the building to sightseeing. A short, free stop: fit it between the square and the museum rather than making a trip of it.
Walk:Next, stop 3: Kermel market. It's about 9 minutes on foot, about 150 metres to the north-east. Route: Walk to the market. The tour waits here. Tap I've arrived when you get there.
Cathedral of African Remembrance: hours, tickets and rules →
3. Kermel market
Marché Kermel
Stop 3 of 3: Kermel market. Locally, Marché Kermel. Arrival point: Near the Plateau port end; walk from the hotel or a short taxi.
The Plateau's covered market near the port: fruit, flowers, fish and small crafts; a 30–45 minute morning stop with cash in small notes and a firm no to touts.
Ask before photographing vendors and their stalls. Busy from mid-morning; calmer before 10:00. Casual; cover shoulders and knees out of respect. Go before 11:00: it is cooler and the aisles are calmer. Bargain gently for crafts and cloth; fruit and fish are usually near a fixed price. Cash only; small XOF notes make everything easier. Keep bags zipped and in front: pickpockets work the aisles. Is it worth a detour? Yes if you like markets and are on the Plateau anyway; otherwise Sandaga is the bigger, more hectic option. How much should I bargain? Start at about half on crafts and cloth and settle around 60–70%; do not bargain on food with a fixed price.
End of the walk
That's the end of the The Plateau walk. To carry on, Sandaga and the Médina is about 12 minutes away (car or long walk north). To carry on, Gorée Island is about 55 minutes away (walk or car to the ferry quay, then the boat).
Built from this site's place pages, walking times and city deep dive; nothing is added that isn't on those pages. Opening hours, prices and rules change: check each place page before you go. Walking times are typical (median) and assume a steady pace.