Senegal
Useful apps for Senegal: transport, maps, translation
Install four apps before you land: Yango or Heetch for rides in Dakar, Google Maps with offline maps downloaded, WhatsApp for drivers, guides and hotels, and a translation app for French and Wolof. Wave mobile money only works with a Senegalese number and ID, so treat it as optional and carry cash instead.
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GuideSenegal
Key facts
- Ride-hailing
- Yango or Heetch in Dakar; thin or absent outside the capital
- Maps
- Google Maps with offline maps downloaded; coverage thins in the delta and east
- Messaging
- WhatsApp — drivers, guides and hotels use it for everything
- Mobile money
- Wave and Orange Money QR codes are common; both need a Senegalese number and ID
- Language
- French is the working language; a translation app with offline French helps
- Data
- SIMs from Orange, Free or Expresso need passport registration; a few GB cost a few thousand XOF
- eSIM
- Works in Dakar and main towns; coverage thins in the delta and the east
Details
Set the phone up before you fly, because airport Wi-Fi is not guaranteed and a driver waiting outside is not the moment to download a map. The four-app shortlist covers almost every practical need: rides, navigation, messaging and language. Everything else is optional.
Rides: Yango and Heetch both operate in Dakar. Fares are quoted in the app, which removes the negotiation that street taxis involve. Outside Dakar — Saint-Louis, the Sine-Saloum delta, Palmarin, Popenguine — expect no ride-hailing coverage; you arrange a car and driver, a sept-place or a hotel transfer instead. Confirm the price before you get in.
Maps: download the Dakar region and any other area you plan to visit as offline maps while you still have fast data. Google Maps handles main roads and city streets well; it is weaker on tracks in the delta and the east, where a local driver's knowledge beats the app. Save your hotel and ferry terminal as pins.
Messaging: WhatsApp is the default channel for drivers, guides, guesthouses and tour operators. Save numbers with the +221 country code and confirm pickups the evening before.
Money: Wave and Orange Money are used for QR-code payments almost everywhere, but signing up needs a Senegalese number and ID. Plan on cash and cards unless you have a local number.
Language: French is the language of signage, menus and official business. A translation app with French downloaded offline covers most situations; Wolof phrases are a bonus, not a requirement.
Summary table
| App | Use it for | Works where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yango or Heetch | Ride-hailing | Dakar; not outside the capital | App fare, 2026 estimate |
| Google Maps | Navigation, offline maps | Cities and main roads; thin in the delta and east | Free |
| Drivers, guides, hotels | Anywhere with data | Free | |
| Wave / Orange Money | QR payments | Nationwide, but needs a local number and ID | Free to install |
| Translation app | French (offline), Wolof | Offline once downloaded | Free |
| Airline or ferry app | Dakar–Gorée ferry, regional flights | Check operator | Free |
Prices are 2026 estimates; confirm in the app before you travel.
Tips
- Download offline maps for every region on your route before leaving Dakar.
- Save your accommodation, the Gorée ferry terminal and any driver's number as pins and contacts.
- Keep a screenshot of your booking address in French to show a driver.
- Buy a local SIM at the airport or an operator shop with your passport, then top up with scratch cards or the operator app.
- Carry small XOF notes for taxis, parking and stalls where QR payment is not set up.
- Check app coverage again if you head to the delta or the east — signal and services both thin out.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Which apps do I need in Senegal?
Four cover most trips: Yango or Heetch for rides in Dakar, Google Maps with offline maps, WhatsApp for drivers and hotels, and a translation app for French. Wave mobile money is useful but needs a Senegalese number and ID.
Does Uber or a local taxi app work in Senegal?
Uber is not the app to plan around here. Yango and Heetch are the ride-hailing options in Dakar. Outside the capital there is no ride-hailing coverage, so arrange a car and driver, a sept-place or a hotel transfer instead.
Does Google Maps work well in Senegal?
Yes for Dakar and main towns and roads. Download offline maps before you travel. Coverage of tracks in the Sine-Saloum delta and the east is weaker, where a local driver's knowledge is more reliable.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialYango
- officialHeetch
- officialWave Mobile Money
- officialOrange Senegal
- secondaryWikivoyage – Senegal