eSIM for Senegal

Viasimo's Senegal eSIM starts at $2.00 for 100 MB over 7 days, running on Free with 4G LTE where available. Plans last 1 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Works everywhere in Senegal

Dakar
Diourbel Region
Fatick
Kaffrine
Kaolack
Kedougou
Kolda

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$23.99

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$23.99

Going to more than one country? See regional plans

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Dial *#06# on your phone. If you see an EID number, your phone takes an eSIM. Most phones sold since 2019 do.

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Network

Which networks does the Senegal eSIM use?

Host networks: Free

Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them.

Data: 100 MB – 20 GB or unlimited
Validity: 1–180 days
Speed: 4G LTE
Hotspot / tethering: Supported on most devices
Activation: Automatic on arrival
Speed management: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
Top-ups: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
Text messages (SMS): Data only: use an app for verification codes
Connects via: Netherlands
Unused validity: 180 days before it must be installed

Setting up Buy, scan the QR code we email you, and switch on the travel line when you land. How it works

Choosing a plan

How much data do you need?

The allowances below are our sizing recommendations, not measurements. The plan beside each one is the cheapest option on this page that covers it.

Recommended data allowances matched to the plans sold for this destination
You are	Plan for	Cheapest plan that covers it
LightMaps, messaging and the occasional lookup	About 1 GB a week	$4.001 GB, 7 days
TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing	About 3 to 7 GB a week	$17.005 GB, 30 days
HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads	10 GB a week or more	$29.9910 GB, 30 days
Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync	20 GB a week or more	$52.99Unlimited, 7 days

Work it out from your own habits

What a week abroad costs

eSIM, local SIM or roaming?

Charged per day

Your carrier roaming

Queue and plastic

A SIM at the airport

$2.00

Viasimo, one bundle

Only the Viasimo figure is a price: it comes from today’s live catalog. The other two rows are directional, not quoted rates.

About this eSIM

The first hour in Senegal usually decides how the trip feels, and it happens on a motorway. Blaise Diagne International sits well outside Dakar, so you land, then travel, and an eSIM that is already working turns that stretch into a solved problem instead of a negotiation. Beyond the capital, Senegal's network follows the coast and the main roads closely, and lets go of you in the delta and the far east.

Getting online when you land

Do the installation at home while your connection is stable. The profile then waits, inert, until a Senegalese network appears.

At the airport, leave airplane mode, let the handset register, and confirm two settings if data does not start: roaming enabled on the travel line, and the travel line selected as the one carrying data. Nearly every reported eSIM failure is one of those two.

Have your accommodation address, in French, saved on the phone before you arrive, along with the name of the district. Dakar addresses often work better as a neighbourhood plus a landmark than as a street number, and being able to show a driver something written is more useful than describing it.

The networks you'll be on

Your device will roam onto Free, running 4G LTE. In Dakar, Thies, Saint-Louis and the coastal resort strip you can generally expect 4G and a connection that handles maps, messaging and calls over data without drama. Away from those centres the phone drops to 3G routinely, which still does the job for navigation and text but not for anything demanding.

With one operator carrying you, there is no second network to fall back on when signal is poor. The useful move is to force a rescan by cycling airplane mode rather than waiting for the phone to sort itself out, and to accept that a weak bar in a rural area is the ceiling rather than a temporary problem.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

Dakar is well covered across the peninsula, from Plateau and Medina out to Almadies, Ngor, Yoff and the university district, and the toll motorway east toward Diamniadio and the airport stays connected the whole way. The Petite Cote resorts at Saly, Somone and Mbour are solid. Saint-Louis holds up on both the island and the mainland, and the road north from Dakar keeps signal for most of its length. Touba, Thies, Kaolack and the other larger towns are served.

The gaps are worth taking seriously. The Sine Saloum delta is the clearest case: villages and lodges often have some signal, but once you are out on the water between mangrove channels it becomes unreliable and frequently disappears entirely. The same is true of the pirogue crossing to Gorée at points, and of boat trips in the Djoudj bird sanctuary. Niokolo Koba in the southeast is a large park with very little coverage inside it. Casamance is patchy away from Ziguinchor and Cap Skirring, and the long overland route down there passes through stretches with nothing. Lompoul and the dune country north of the capital are similar. Coverage in Senegal is a coastal and roadside phenomenon; the further you get from tarmac and towns, the less of it there is.

What you'll actually use data for here

Getting around, first and constantly. Ride hailing operates in Dakar and is the simplest way to handle the city without haggling every trip. Outside it you are negotiating with drivers, and having a map open with your destination pinned changes that conversation completely.

Mobile money is the second thing. Payments by phone are widespread here, used for everything from transport to small purchases, and they need a connection. Cash still matters, but expect to be asked whether you can pay by phone.

Then the ordinary: WhatsApp, which is how guides, drivers, lodges and boat operators all communicate, French translation when your own runs out and Wolof begins, live checks on ferry timings to Gorée or the schedule for the regional train, photo uploads from Saint-Louis and the delta, and tide or weather information before a boat trip.

Before you fly

Verify the phone is unlocked and eSIM ready, install and label the profile at home, and keep your usual number switched on for bank codes with its data off.

Download offline maps covering Dakar, the coast road, the delta and anywhere in Casamance you plan to reach. This is the highest value preparation for Senegal, because the places where you most need directions are the same places where the network fades. Save lodge contacts and driver numbers to the device itself.

If your route continues into Gambia, Mauritania, Mali or Guinea, look at the covered country list on your plan before buying. The Gambia in particular sits inside Senegal geographically but is a separate country as far as your data is concerned, and an overland trip to Casamance may well cross it.

Unlimited runs at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continues slower.

Before you buy

Important to know

This is a data-only eSIM. It carries no calls or SMS on its own number.
Your existing number stays on your primary SIM, so calls and verification texts keep working.
Your phone must support eSIM, and some carrier-locked phones cannot install one.
Signal varies with location, terrain, congestion and your handset. Dense urban areas are consistently better served than remote ones.
The eSIM selects a host network automatically. You cannot pick or switch between them.
Unlimited plans run at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continue at a reduced speed. Read the fair usage policy

Looking for more information?

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM work in Senegal?

Yes. Your Senegal eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are Free. Coverage runs on 4G LTE. There is no 5G on our host network in Senegal yet.

Do I get 5G in Senegal?

No. Free do not yet offer 5G to visitors in Senegal, so your eSIM connects over 4G LTE or slower. Anyone claiming 5G for this destination is quoting a spec sheet, not the network you will actually get.

Has Senegal shut down the internet before?

Yes. The government cut mobile internet on all networks several times in 2023, during protests over the trial of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, and again in February 2024, when the presidential election was delayed. Your eSIM uses a Senegalese network, so it would be affected too. The cuts targeted mobile data, so a hotel with fixed-line wifi is your best fallback.

Can I pay Heetch drivers by card in Dakar?

Usually not. The US State Department says Heetch drivers in Dakar almost always ask for the fixed fare in cash. Carry small notes in CFA francs. Regulated orange taxis are also considered generally safe, but agree the price before setting off. Avoid motorbikes and the cars rapides minibuses.

Is Casamance safe to visit?

The US State Department rates Casamance Level 2, exercise increased caution, because of armed robbery and landmines. Stay on main roads, travel only in daylight and don't stray from well-used routes in rural or border areas. Download offline maps before you go, as signal can be patchy away from Ziguinchor and Cap Skirring.

Which mobile network is biggest in Senegal?

Orange, run by Sonatel, holds the majority of the market. Free is the second operator and has been gaining customers, and Expresso is third. Your eSIM uses Free's 4G/LTE network only, so if Orange has better coverage at a lodge in the Sine Saloum delta, use the lodge's wifi for anything heavy.

How much data do I need for 7 days in Senegal?

For 7 days in Senegal, Viasimo sells 100 MB for $2.00, 500 MB for $2.79, 1 GB for $4.00, and unlimited data for $52.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

Installing, keeping your number, topping up and hotspot work the same everywhere: see how it works →

Know before you go

Senegal: what to know before you land

Your eSIM in Senegal uses Free's 4G/LTE network. Orange, run by Sonatel, holds the majority of the market, and Expresso is the third operator. It helps to know that the government cut mobile internet several times during political unrest in 2023 and 2024, that the Heetch ride app usually expects cash, and that cards are rarely accepted outside big hotels.

Emergency: 17 police
15 ambulance
18 fire
Plugs: CDEK 230V
Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)

Main airports

DSS Blaise Diagne International Airport

Apps worth having WhatsAppHeetchWaveOrange MoneyGoogle Maps

Mobile internet cuts during Senegal's 2023 and 2024 unrest

Senegal has a reputation as one of West Africa's more stable democracies, but its government has shown that it will switch off mobile data when politics boils over.

In 2023, mobile internet was cut on all networks several times during protests over the trial and imprisonment of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
In February 2024, it happened again during unrest after the presidential election was suspended and delayed.

Those shutdowns hit mobile data across every operator, so your eSIM on Free would have been affected just like a local SIM. The cuts were aimed at mobile data, so fixed-line connections were the main alternative. If you're travelling around an election or a tense political moment:

Check whether your hotel or guesthouse has a fixed-line wifi connection.
Keep tickets, bookings and maps saved offline, including the ferry or flight details for Casamance.
Agree with people at home what they should assume if you suddenly go quiet for a day or two.
Follow local news and avoid demonstrations.

Heetch, orange taxis and paying cash in CFA francs

From Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS), well outside Dakar, most visitors take a pre-booked transfer or a taxi. In the city, the US State Department considers Dakar's regulated orange taxis generally safe, as long as you agree the fare before you get in. It advises against motorbikes, the minibus cars rapides and other public transport.

Ride-hailing apps operate too. The State Department names Heetch, and notes that drivers almost always want the fixed fare paid in cash rather than by card through the app. Keep small notes ready.

That cash habit runs through the whole country. The currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF), and few businesses accept credit cards. ATMs in Dakar take foreign cards, but they aren't always reliable, so withdraw when you find one that works. Senegalese people pay each other by mobile money on their phones, through services such as Wave and Orange Money, but these need a local account and SIM.

Roads are poorly lit, overtaking can be reckless and you'll share them with livestock and carts. Avoid driving between towns after dark.

Casamance, landmines and the Atlantic riptides

Casamance, the green southern region around Ziguinchor and Cap Skirring, is rated Level 2: Exercise increased caution by the US State Department because of crime and landmines. Separatist groups are active and armed robbers sometimes stop travellers. Landmines and unexploded ordnance remain in rural and border areas, often unmarked.

If you go:

Stay on main roads and well-used routes, and heed warning signs.
Don't travel at night. US embassy staff may only use main roads in daylight there.
Download offline maps of the region beforehand, so you can keep to the main roads even where signal drops.
Send your route to someone before each journey.

The ocean is a bigger everyday risk than most people expect. Many people drown off Senegal's Atlantic coast every year, and riptides can form anywhere along it. Don't swim alone or at remote beaches, don't dive into water of unknown depth, and stay out if you're not used to strong currents.

Call 17 for police, 15 for an ambulance and 18 for fire. Save these, and your accommodation's number, before you head out.

Researched October 2026 · 3 sources

travel.state.gov Senegal International Travel Information (US State Department)
en.wikipedia.org Telecommunications in Senegal (Wikipedia)
en.wikipedia.org List of emergency telephone numbers (Wikipedia)

7-day itinerary

Seven days in Senegal: Dakar, Gorée, Saint-Louis, Djoudj and the Saloum Delta

A week along Senegal's Atlantic side with a hired driver: Dakar and Gorée Island, north to colonial Saint-Louis and the Djoudj bird sanctuary, then south to the mangrove channels of the Saloum Delta, finishing near the airport.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 3

When to go November to May is the dry season, and November to April is when migrant birds fill Djoudj and the Saloum; July to October brings heat, humidity and heavy rain, and some park access is limited.

Day 1 Dakar

Dakar: the Plateau, the Renaissance Monument and Ngor

Blaise Diagne International (DSS) is about 45 minutes to an hour from Dakar by the toll road; pre-book a transfer.

Explore the Plateau, Dakar's old colonial centre, around Place de l'Indépendance and the Kermel market. Visit the Théodore Monod Museum of African Art (IFAN) for masks and textiles. Take a taxi to the African Renaissance Monument on its hill above Ouakam for the city view, then spend the late afternoon on Ngor Island, a short pirogue ride from Ngor beach.

Signal Free's 4G is strong across Dakar; it is 4G only, but quick enough for maps and video calls.
Day 2 Dakar

Gorée Island

About 20 minutes by ferry from Dakar; check the timetable at the terminal.

Take the ferry from the Dakar port to Gorée, the small car-free island that was a centre of the Atlantic slave trade and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the House of Slaves and its Door of No Return, walk the lanes of pastel colonial houses and bougainvillea, and climb to the Castel for views back to the city. Return to Dakar for the evening.

Signal 4G holds on the short crossing and on Gorée, which is close enough to Dakar to share its coverage.
Day 3 Saint-Louis

Lac Rose and the road to Saint-Louis

About an hour from Dakar to Lac Rose, then 4 to 5 hours to Saint-Louis.

Leave Dakar early for Lac Rose, or Lake Retba, where salt collectors work the shallow water, which turns pink in the dry season. Walk to the dunes between the lake and the ocean. Then drive north along the main road via Thiès and Louga to Saint-Louis. Arrive in time to cross the Faidherbe Bridge onto the island at sunset.

Signal 4G around Lac Rose and in the towns along the N2; expect shorter weak spots between Louga and Saint-Louis.
Day 4 Saint-Louis

Saint-Louis island and Guet Ndar

Walk the grid of streets on Saint-Louis island, the former capital of French West Africa and a UNESCO site, with its balconied colonial houses, the governor's palace and the cathedral. Cross the small bridge to the Langue de Barbarie spit and walk through Guet Ndar, the fishing quarter, where hundreds of painted pirogues line the beach. Take a horse-drawn calèche tour in the late afternoon.

Signal 4G across Saint-Louis island and Guet Ndar; near the river your phone may briefly pick up a Mauritanian network across the border.
Day 5 Saint-Louis

Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary

About 1.5 hours each way by road from Saint-Louis, partly on track.

Drive to Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary in the Senegal River delta, one of the world's great wetland bird reserves and a UNESCO site. Take a pirogue through the channels to see white pelican colonies, flamingos, herons and spoonbills, at their most numerous from November to April. Return to Saint-Louis for the evening, or visit the Langue de Barbarie National Park for its terns instead.

Signal Signal fades after the last villages, and inside Djoudj coverage is weak or absent; the park lies on the Mauritanian border, so watch for roaming onto a foreign network.
Day 6 Saloum Delta (Palmarin or Ndangane)

South to the Saloum Delta

About 5 to 6 hours by road from Saint-Louis.

Make the long drive south, bypassing Dakar, to the Petite Côte. Stop at Joal-Fadiouth, where a long wooden footbridge leads to an island built on shells, with a shell-covered cemetery shared by Christians and Muslims. Continue to Palmarin or Ndangane at the edge of the Saloum Delta and watch sunset over the lagoons and baobabs.

Signal 4G on the main roads and in Joal-Fadiouth; around Palmarin and Ndangane coverage is patchier.
Day 7 Saloum Delta (Palmarin or Ndangane)

Pirogue through the mangroves and back to the airport

About 1.5 to 2 hours by road from the delta to Blaise Diagne International.

Take a morning pirogue trip through the Saloum Delta's mangrove channels, a UNESCO site of more than 200 islands and ancient shell middens. Stop at a fishing village and look for pelicans, herons and kingfishers. Return to land and drive to Blaise Diagne airport for an evening flight, or stay on for more time on the water.

Signal Signal comes and goes in the mangrove channels and on the islands; 4G is reliable again on the road to the airport.

Staying connected on this route

Senegal cut mobile internet during unrest in 2023 and 2024; save tickets, bookings and maps offline, especially around elections.
Your eSIM uses Free only; if Orange has signal where you do not, use your guesthouse wifi.
Carry CFA francs in small notes for Heetch, taxis and pirogue trips; card acceptance is rare outside big hotels.
Near the Senegal River border, check your phone is on a Senegalese network.

Itinerary sources · 4

whc.unesco.org Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (UNESCO)
whc.unesco.org Saloum Delta (UNESCO)
gov.uk Senegal regional risks (GOV.UK)
travel.state.gov Senegal International Travel Information (US State Department)

Where this comes from

Information and verification

Each block below says what was checked and when. Anything we cannot date, we do not claim.

Prices and plans: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in.; Verified October 30, 2026
Host networks: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM.; Verified October 30, 2026