Cheap Car Rentals in Dakar (DKR)

Ile de Goree (or Goree Island in English)

Goree Island in Dakar was once an overrated and infamous junction of trans-Atlantic slave trade for the Americas. It was renamed Ile de Goree (literally implying Goree Island in English) by the Dutch forces as a token of their victory over their Portuguese counterparts in late 17th century. A star attraction here is the ‘House of Slaves’ museum that tells the saddening tale of those hapless souls who were forced into slavery. One can explore this island in an hour or two and then relax on the beach.

The House of Slaves (Maison des Esclaves)

Maison des Esclaves (or the House of Slaves) is a museum and memorial to the 17th century trans-Atlantic slave trade of Goree Island. It lies about 1.8 miles away from the city of Dakar in Senegal. The house-turned museum was opened in 1962 and was curated until 2009, and is said to symbolize the exit point of the slaves from Africa to the Americas. It is best known for its miserable identity called the ‘Door of No Return’ from where arguably millions of enslaved Africans left the seashores, only to never come back again. One can still see the basement cells where the slaves were kept and the iron shackles that were used to bind them.

Le Monument de la Renaissance Africaine (or African Renaissance Monument)

The African Renaissance Monument is a 49-meter tall bronze statue located on top of one of the two hills outside Dakar. This colossal structure stands overlooking the Atlantic Ocean from the hill. Built in 2010, the African Renaissance Monument in Dakar glorifies the end of slavery, human trafficking in trans-Atlantic region and Senegal’s independence from French rule in 1977. This colossal monument also heralds the fact that contrary to colonial perception, Africans are not an inferior race.

Musee Theodore Monod d'Art Africain (or the Théodore Monod African Art Museum)

The Theodore Monod African Art Museum is one of Senegal's best museums and one of the oldest art museums in West Africa. It is also considered one of the most prestigious centers for the study of African culture because of its vivid collection of over 9000 objects related to African art and culture. Some major highlights in the Theodore Monod African Art Museum include masks, fabrics, musical instruments and agricultural tools. It also holds several contemporary art exhibitions.