Sofia Almeida
Our least-traveled are the Western Africa countries by Western solo travelers. But, as it always happens, people who travel through the region return with very different views on it than what is suggested to them by advertisements. In 2026, we outline for you the experiences of several big trips Senegal, Ghana and Cabo Verde by solo travelers.
Why some travelers are going now
Improved infrastructure in the gateway cities (Dakar, Accra, Praia) of Western Africa and better connections by flights from Western Europe to these cities have in practice stabilized. Western African solo travel is favorable in terms of cost: A week in Senegal for example can cost half the price of a comparable week in Western Europe. Cultural depth is real: There is the music, the religious tradition, the colonial history and the daily life of the people. And that is what most guidebooks on traveling do not want to tell you. So pick wisely.
Safety realities, not the stereotype
Most of Western Africa is very safe for tourists compared to other parts of the world, similar to other parts of South America. For example, petty theft can occur, but violent crime against tourists is very rare in Senegal, Ghana, Cabo Verde and parts of Cote d’Ivoire. Other areas of Western Africa, such as the Sahel countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger), have serious security issues. Reports from solo women travelers vary by country. For example, Ghana is reported to be very safe for solo women, while Senegal is considered somewhat harder, but still doable with preparation.
The countries with the easiest entry
Many Western African Countries serve as great starting points for the solo traveler. The author can attest to the fact that a very appropriate starting point for most would be Senegal. With the many cities and a great amount of wonderful venues for cultural exchange in terms of music, and religious practice for example, it is the best for newly arriving solo travelers to really immerse themselves in the Senegalese culture. For English-speaking Western solo travelers, however, the most recommended starting point would be Ghana. The tourist infrastructure of this Western African country is very developed and it is a great starting point for solo travelers. Another alternative, although very different from the other two previously-mentioned countries, is Cabo Verde. The Island Nation’s tourist infrastructure is more or less identical to that of the Portuguese Atlantic Islands, the Azores, for example. In short, for the solo traveler who is seeking to experience the culture of Africa without jumping into the deep end, as it were, Cabo Verde is a great place to get acclimated.
Trip styles that work
A common stereotype of tourists in this part of the world is that they get a local guide. In fact, having a guide for even part of the time is vastly different to the rest of your trip, not because the region is unstable for tourists, but the local will actually translate the cultural practices for you, that’s a different trip. The type of trips that work really well in the region are really long in the points that have good infrastructure to begin with. For example, a week in Dakar followed by a week in Praia is far more beneficial to you then zipping all over the countries in a short period of time. The ways that travelers get hooked are engagement with local music and local food culture, those two practice’s are part of everyday life here, and are pretty accessible to western outsiders.
What to know before going
There are also some things to be aware of regarding vaccinations and currency and cash. In general the vaccinations needed for traveling to Western Africa are more than to many other parts of the world and some of them have to be given before arriving in the country (e.g. yellow fever). Regarding currency and cash, it’s more like in many parts of Asia than in Europe: there is no credit card payment in most shops, restaurants, bars and also hotels, so you have to bring cash with you. Also ATMs are only working in capital cities, so you have to have enough cash with you when arriving in a country. If you are a first-time solo traveler, you should better not plan a trip to Western Africa. Even if the safety is not a big problem in most countries, there are a lot of cultural differences and the support infrastructure is not as good as in major tourist destinations.
What I would tell a first-time solo traveler
Accept that some days will be lonely – but that will be an element of the experience and teach you what you had and what you really wanted. Choose your first trip – to a country which is easiest to travel around (Japan, Portugal, Spain, Mexico, Vietnam…. ) and not the trip of a lifetime that will also be operationally difficult. Go with less of an itinerary than you think you need (I always say 2 cities and a ‘buffer’ day a week is a great number for a first solo trip – so in a 14 day trip to Western Africa for example, Dakar for a week and then Praia for a week would be great) – the less you pack in, the better your experience will be.
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