Good Time to Visit
Weather
Go during the dry season from December to May, when the trade winds cool the hot coastal area. Throughout the rest of the year, a hot monsoon wind blows from the south bringing the rainy season and hot, humid weather. More detailed information about Senegalese weather can be found in the Climate in Senegal section.
Festivals
Magal, the annual Mouride pilgrimage to Touba (dates vary), is an important time. Elsewhere, the St-Louis International Jazz Festival, in May or June, attracts artists from across the world. In December, Fanels (decorated lanterns) parades take place in St-Louis and Gorée. Senegalese wrestling events are popular nationwide.
Public Holidays
The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Senegal:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day |
| March/April (variable) | Easter Monday |
| 4 April | Independence Day |
| May/June (variable) | Ascension |
| May/June (10 days after Ascension) | Whit Monday |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 15 August | Assumption Day |
| 1 November | All Saints' Day |
| 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Variable* | Islamic New Year |
| Variable* | Ashoura |
| Variable* | Prophet Mohammed's Birthday |
| Variable* | Korité (End of Ramadan) |
| Variable* | Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice) |
* Although Muslim holidays always fall on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date they are celebrated on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, due to the fact that the Islamic calendar is lunar whilst the Gregorian calendar is solar. Because this lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Islamic holy days usually shift 11 days earlier each successive solar year. The method used to determine when each Islamic month begins also varies from country to country.