A ferry roughly every hour, a twenty-minute crossing, and the island is easily seen in half a day. Here are the timetables, the 2026 ticket prices, how it works at the terminal and a tight itinerary so you miss nothing on Gorée before the boat back.
Gorée in half a day: is it enough?
For the essentials, yes. The island is less than a kilometre long, is entirely walkable and packs its major sites into a tiny area: the House of Slaves, the Castel that crowns the island, the historical museum in Fort d'Estrées, a few lanes lined with ochre houses and bougainvillea. In four hours on the island you see all of that without rushing, with time for lunch facing the sea.
If you have a full day and are coming by car from Dakar, Saly or the Petite Côte, our guide Gorée Island from Dakar by car and boat explains how to combine the crossing with other stops. Gorée also fits naturally into a two-day stay in Dakar, usually on the first afternoon.
The ferry: timetables, duration, boarding
The link is run by the ferries of the Port autonome de Dakar, departing from the maritime terminal next to the Port, a few minutes' walk from the Kermel market and the Plateau. The crossing takes about 20 minutes.
- ▸First departures from Dakar around 6:15 am, last returns from Gorée in the evening (around 8:00 pm on weekdays, later on Friday and Saturday).
- ▸A crossing roughly every 60 to 90 minutes; the service is boosted at weekends and on public holidays.
- ▸No booking: you buy your ticket at the maritime terminal counter just before departure.
- ▸Arrive 30 minutes early, especially at the weekend: the first ferry of the morning and the midday ones fill up fast.
- ▸An ID may be requested at purchase to set the fare according to your residency status.
The exact times vary slightly from one day to the next and are posted at the maritime terminal: photograph the departures board when you arrive, spotting straight away the time of the last return that suits you.
Ticket prices in 2026
The fare depends on residency status, and a municipal tax is added at the counter. The amounts below are ballpark figures noted during 2026: check the official display at the maritime terminal, as the scale is adjusted periodically.
| Passenger (return) | 2026 ballpark |
|---|---|
| Resident in Senegal, adult | around 1 500 FCFA |
| Resident in Africa (outside Senegal), adult | around 2 700 FCFA |
| Non-resident, adult | around 5 200 FCFA |
| Child | about half the adult fare |
| Municipal tax | 500 FCFA per person, at the counter |
The ticket is a return: keep it on you for boarding the way back. Bring cash, as the maritime terminal does not guarantee card payment.
What to see on the island
Gorée has no cars: everything is done on foot, on lanes of sand and cobbles. Here are the stops worth the detour in half a day.
- ▸The House of Slaves and its Door of No Return: the most visited place of memory. Modest entry fee (of the order of 500 FCFA for residents, 1 500 FCFA for non-residents, reduced student rate). Open Tuesday to Sunday, generally 10:30 am to 12:00 pm then 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm, Friday afternoon only, closed Monday.
- ▸The Castel: the island's high point, former batteries and cannons, a 360-degree view over Dakar and the Atlantic. A fifteen-minute walk up.
- ▸The Historical Museum of Gorée (IFAN), housed in Fort d'Estrées, to place the island within the history of Senegal and the Atlantic slave trade.
- ▸The Henriette Bathily Women's Museum and the artists' galleries scattered through the colonial houses.
- ▸The small beach near the landing stage and the restaurant terraces for lunch.
Bring water, a hat and good shoes: shade is scarce on the Castel and the cobbles are uneven. Local guides offer their services when the boat arrives; agree the price and the length before setting off with one of them.
Ready-made half-day itinerary
- 9:30 am, boarding in DakarTicket at the counter, ferry around 10:00 am. Arrival at Gorée around 10:20 am.
- 10:30 am, House of SlavesStart with the main site before the midday groups arrive.
- 11:30 am, lanes and museumsStroll towards the historical museum, the Place du Gouvernement, the art galleries.
- 12:30 pm, up to the CastelPanorama and batteries, then a gentle walk back down.
- 1:15 pm, lunch facing the seaGrilled fish or thiéboudienne on a terrace near the landing stage.
- 2:30 pm, ferry backBack in Dakar around 3:00 pm, the afternoon still ahead of you.
Getting to the terminal from Dakar
The maritime terminal is on the Plateau, at the edge of the port. From the Almadies or Ngor, allow 30 to 60 minutes depending on the time of day: leave early to catch the ferry you are aiming for. By taxi, ask for the Gorée landing stage or the maritime terminal. If you are staying far from the centre or travelling as a family, car hire with a driver in Dakar makes the drop-off at the port and the fixed-time pick-up simpler, without having to park a car in a dense neighbourhood.
Another easy half day to combine the next day: the African Renaissance Monument, at the other end of the Corniche. All our vehicle options are gathered on the car hire in Dakar page, and our complete guide to Dakar places Gorée within the wider stay.
Frequently asked questions
No. Tickets are sold only at the counter of the Dakar maritime terminal, just before departure. Arrive 30 minutes early at the weekend and during the holidays, when the crossings fill up.
Of the order of 1 500 FCFA for a resident in Senegal, 2 700 FCFA for a resident of another African country and 5 200 FCFA for a non-resident, plus a municipal tax of 500 FCFA per person. These amounts are indicative: the official scale is posted at the maritime terminal.
About 20 minutes quay to quay. Adding the wait and boarding, allow 45 minutes between buying the ticket and docking at Gorée.
Yes for the main sites: the House of Slaves, the Castel, the historical museum and a few lanes fit into three to four hours on the island, lunch included. A full day lets you add the other museums, a swim and a lunch without watching the clock.
No, the island is pedestrian and the only link is the ferry. The car is for reaching the terminal on the Plateau, then leaving it on the way back; on the island, everything is done on foot.
In short
Gorée is visited in half a day without frustration: the morning ferry from the Plateau maritime terminal, ticket at the counter, House of Slaves first, then the Castel and museums, lunch facing the sea and a return around 2:30 pm. Bring cash in FCFA, water and good shoes, and spot the time of the last boat that suits you as soon as you arrive.
Plan your Gorée getaway
Reach the terminal stress-free and string together the sights of Dakar at your own pace with a car, with or without a driver.
See the cars available in Dakar →