Official Business in Dakar
Good day. October 20th came around and it was official business time in Dakar. That’s why we went there. Dakar is a big place. There’s a lot to see, but you can only see so much in every town. So we do what we need to do and move on. This time we needed to find the embassy for Guinea, which is the country after Guinea Bissau. It seemed like the best place to get a visa for it.
Finding the Guinea Embassy
We located an address and made our way there, only to find out that it was the old address for the embassy. They had since moved about half an hour away, close to the Africa Monument in Dakar. We got new directions and made our way there. Upon arrival, we had to sign in—a common one-line entry in a big book with your name, passport number, and purpose. Once signed in, we were allowed to enter, explaining that we were there to get a visa for Guinea.
Waiting and Meeting Fellow Travelers
There were about ten people ahead of us, and we arrived before 10 o’clock. We waited patiently, unsure of how the order was determined. During this time, we met a man named Daniel, from Hungary but living in France. He works as a tour guide in Dakar, offering bicycle tours, and also leads tours in France. This time, he had a group from Hungary and was planning to travel to Ivory Coast. He had applied for a Guinea visa electronically three weeks prior, paid the fee, and received acknowledgment—but never got the visa.
Finally Getting the Visa
After a reasonable waiting period, we were called in and sent to an upstairs office where all the paperwork was filled out by one person on a computer. The ambassador happened to stop by and acknowledged us. Eventually, we paid the required fee and received a letter-sized piece of paper as the visa. The official even sent a WhatsApp copy to our phones. We were happy to have everything sorted and left the embassy satisfied.
The Carnet de Passage and Customs Challenge
Our next task was to handle the Carnet de Passage. When we entered the country, we were given seven days to reach Dakar and have it processed at a customs office. The challenge was finding the correct office since there were multiple in the city. We picked one and paid 1,000 CFA to park, only to learn it was the wrong office. We were redirected to Independence Square, where there was another customs office, and hoped for better luck there.
It wasn’t far, but parking there cost 5,000 CFA per hour. The building was huge, with no obvious signage, so we had to ask for directions. We eventually reached the fourth floor—only to find they were on break. After the break ended, we learned it was the wrong office again. This time, though, we were given the correct address.
Meeting Overlanders on the Same Path
While waiting, we met three other travelers who benefited from the information we had gathered. They were part of a group of six with three vehicles from Exoverlander.com, currently doing the Africa portion of their journey. Their plan was to drive through Guinea to reach Ivory Coast, skipping Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, and Liberia altogether. Later, we learned they managed to get electronic visas instead of physical ones. Different people, different approaches—patience is always key.
Success at the Right Customs Office
Eventually, we all arrived at the correct customs office. We got there around 2:45 p.m., only to find they were on break until 3:30. Once they reopened, I got in line first and found someone upstairs who could finally process what I needed. It felt great to get everything done and over with.
Leaving Dakar and Returning to Mbour
We decided not to pursue a visa for Guinea Bissau in Dakar and instead leave town. We drove to Mbour, where we had been before, but this time found a much nicer hotel—right on the beach with palm trees and easy access to dinner. It wasn’t ideal for swimming, as there were many rocks in the water, but it was a beautiful place to relax after a long day of errands. The roads were bumpy, but the peaceful setting made up for it. We enjoyed dinner at the hotel and wrapped up a productive and satisfying day.
Closing Thoughts
It turned out to be a really beautiful day in a good place. Bureaucratic adventures aside, it was another memorable chapter of the journey. Thank you for coming along. We’ll catch you next time.
