How to visit Lake Retba: Senegal’s Pink Lake
Just outside the busy streets of Dakar lies one of the country’s most unusual natural sights: Lake Retba – better known as Senegal’s famous “Pink Lake.” For years, travellers have been drawn here to see its surreal colours, watch salt harvesters at work, and float in water that’s almost as salty as the Dead Sea.
The good news is that visiting Lake Retba is relatively easy if you know what to do. Many travellers join a guided day trip from Dakar, but it’s also perfectly possible to visit independently if you prefer a bit more flexibility and a lower price.
In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to visit Lake Retba, including how to get there, the best time to see the pink colour, what to do when you arrive, and whether it’s actually worth the trip.
About Lake Retba
Lake Retba, often called Lac Rose or the Pink Lake, is one of the most unique natural attractions in Senegal.
For many years, Lake Retba became famous for its striking pink colour and for the salt harvesting that takes place here. Workers wade into the lake, collecting thick layers of salt from the bottom and piling it into large white mounds along the shore – a process that has supported local livelihoods for decades.
The lake is also incredibly salty – in some areas reaching salt levels similar to the Dead Sea. This makes it super easy to float in the water.
While its colour has changed at times in recent years (see below), Lake Retba remains one of the most interesting places to visit near Dakar and a fascinating glimpse into a unique local industry.
Why is Lake Retba pink?
The lake used to be connected to the sea, but several years of drought allowed sand dunes to form, separating it from the Atlantic Ocean.
Not only did all the fish die out, but a type of algae called Dunaliella salina was allowed to grow – which causes the famous pink colour of Lake Retba.
This algae thrives in extremely salty environments and produces a reddish pigment to protect itself from intense sunlight. When conditions are right the water can turn shades of pink or reddish. This is particularly common during the dry season when the lake becomes saltier.
The colour varies depending on the season, sunlight, and salinity levels, so the lake can look slightly different each time you visit.
Where is Lake Retba
Lake Retba is located around 40km northeast of Dakar, making it one of the easiest day trips from the capital.
Despite being so close to the city, the area feels much quieter and more rural, with small villages and sandy tracks leading to the water. The nearest small town is Niaga (which I transited through on public transport).
The lake sits just inland from the Atlantic coast, separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of sand dunes.
How to get to Lake Retba
Getting to Lake Retba from Dakar is fairly straightforward from the capital. The journey usually takes around 1–2 hours, depending on traffic and your mode of transport.
For most people, a taxi or guided tour from Dakar is the simplest option, but here’s a breakdown of your options:
- Taxi from Dakar
- The easiest independent option is simply taking a taxi from Dakar. You can arrange a driver for a return trip with waiting time, which allows you to explore the lake at your own pace before heading back to the city.
- Prices vary depending on negotiation, but this option is generally affordable and gives you the most flexibility. Of course, it’s better if you can share a taxi to split the cost between more people.
- Either hail a yellow taxis or use Yango (the taxi hailing app) if it works. Most taxis I spoke to wanted upwards of 15,000 CFA (one-way).
- Public Transport
- It’s possible to reach the lake using local minibuses and shared taxis, but this option is slower and requires multiple changes (usually in Keur Massar). But it will give you an authentic experience at a much cheaper price!
- The #61 bus passes through Ngor and Ouakam and links with Keur Massar (costs 450). From here, you can take either the #311 or #73 buses which run too and from the lake. Bus stop at the lake is here.
- From Keur Massar, you can also take the ‘sept places’ which are 7-seat vehicles commonly used for public transport in Senegal. Between Keur Massar and Niaga, this cost 500. I got a sept place on the corner here. Then from the stop in Niaga you can walk to the lake.
- Of course you can combine public transport and taxi if easier.
- Drive Yourself
- If you have access to a car, driving is another straightforward way to reach the lake. The roads are mostly paved until the final section, where you’ll encounter sandy tracks near the shoreline (but completely fine in a normal car).
- Navigation is easy using Google Maps, and parking is available near the lake.
- There’s a toll road between Dakar town and the lake which makes things a bit quicker to avoid traffic.
- Join a Guided Tour
- Many travellers choose to join a Lake Retba tour from Dakar. These typically include transport, as well as a guide and extra activities. This is the most convenient option if you don’t want to deal with negotiating taxis or organising transport yourself.
- GetYourGuide and Viator are the most popular.
Best time to visit Lake Retba
You can visit Lake Retba year-round, but the best time to go is during the dry season (roughly November to June). During this period, the lake’s salt concentration is higher, which increases the chances of seeing the pink colour.
The colour can vary quite a lot depending on weather, sunlight, and salinity, so some days the lake may appear light pink, while on others it can look more orange or even greyish.
If you want the best photos, try to visit late morning or early afternoon, when the sun is high and the colours are more visible.
It’s also worth checking whether your visit falls during Ramadan. While the lake can still be visited, some local restaurants and services may operate more slowly during the daytime. I visited during Ramadan and only a couple of restaurants were operating.
What to do at Lake Retba
Even though Lake Retba isn’t huge, there are still a few interesting things to see and do once you arrive. I’ve listed them in order of the day, so you can do it bit by bit.
Watch the Salt Harvesters
One of the most fascinating parts of visiting the lake is watching the salt harvesters at work. Men wade out into the water, dive down to the lakebed, and bring up heavy baskets of salt which are piled into large white mounds along the shore. It’s tough physical work and a major source of income for local communities.
The salt is then bottled up for various purposes.
Float in the Lake
Thanks to the lake’s extremely high salt content it’s super easy to float in the water. It’s like the lesser-known Dead Seaa!
Some visitors choose to take a short swim or float on the surface, though it’s important to avoid getting the salty water in your eyes.
I decided to avoid floating in Lake Retba simply because it didn’t look particularly appealing from the shore!
Take a Boat Ride
Local guides often offer short boat trips across the lake, which can be a nice way to see the salt harvesting up close and appreciate the scale of the lake.
If you go independently, people might approach you offering a boat ride. It’s up for negotiation. I paid 4000 (split between two), so definitely don’t pay more than this.
Grab lunch at Sel du Lac
This is one of several restaurants overlooking the lake, and probably the most developed.
It has a small tyre pier overlooking the lake. I enjoyed the Yassa Poulet here (a Senegalese specialty).
It’s also one of the only ones open during Ramadan.
Explore the Sand Dunes (ATV/Jeep)
Just beyond the lake are large sand dunes separating it from the Atlantic Ocean. Some tours include 4×4 drives, quad biking, or camel rides through these dunes, which can add a bit more adventure to your visit.
It’s an interesting and convenient addition to the lake, as it’ll help you understand how the pink colour formed. Plus Lake Retba used to be the endpoint of the Dakar rally ends!
If you’re visiting Lake Retba independently, quads are open for negotiation. I briefly negotiated and easily got down to a price of 15,000 CFA so you could probably get down further.
If you’re doing a half-day, you can miss this out. I’ve found plenty of other great dunes in West Africa – especially in Mauritania and Algeria!
How long to spend at Lake Retba
Most travellers spend 1-3 hours at Lake Retba, which is usually enough time to walk along the shoreline, watch the salt harvesting, take photos and grab some lunch.
Because the lake isn’t too far from Dakar, most travellers visit Lake Retba as a half-day (which is ideal). If you’re going via public transport or want extra activities, it can take a full day.
If you prefer a slower experience, there are also a few small lodges and camps near the lake where you can stay overnight. This gives you the chance to visit at different times of day when the colours and atmosphere change. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this as it’s pretty isolated and you’re better off spending more time in Dakar.
Tips for visiting Lake Retba
Here are a few things that are good to know before visiting Lake Retba:
- Scams at Lake Retba: Some women might come up to you, aggressively giving you bracelets and saying they’re free. Do not take them as they will then ask for money.
- Bring a drone: If you have a drone, the lake looks so much cooler from above and you can see the true extend of its pinkness!
- Understand the history: Whilst you can get a guide to tell you about the history of the lake, it’s nice to know why it’s pink beforehand.
- Negotiate prices: Negotiation is part of the culture here. Don’t agree the first price you’re offered for boat rides or quad-biking.
- Take it slow: It’s easy to look at the lake, say ‘cool’ and move on instantly. Take it slow, sit by the lake with some food and you’ll appreciate it more.
- High contrast sunglasses: Since the lake isn’t as vivid as it used to be, I found my sunglasses really helped bring out the colour.
- Avoid going with a tour: Tours are seriously overpriced in my opinion. They’ll help with everything which is great, but it’s perfectly do-able to visit Lake Retba independently.
FAQs
Is Lake Retba still pink?
After it lost its pinkish hue in late 2022 due to flooding, Lake Retba is now ‘nearly pink again’ (2026). Though I’d say it’s more of a rusty orange colour with tinges of pink.
Below is a picture with a somewhat accurate representation of how it was when I visited. At first, it looks largely orange, but as the light changes through the day you see more pink.
The higher elevation you go (i.e. with a drone) the clearer the pink is. Similarly, if you go out into the middle of the lake, it also appears slightly more pink.
Can you swim in Lake Retba?
Yes, you are able to swim in Lake Retba. It’s actually very easy given how buoyant you are because of the salt.
How much is Lake Retba?
There is no entry cost to Lake Retba – it’s free!
Is Lake Retba worth visiting?
After Lake Retba lost its colour and turned green in 2022, you might be wondering: is Lake Retba is worth it?
My answer is yes. Lake Retba is worth visiting – but not an enthusiastic yes.
While the lake isn’t always as bright pink as the photos you might see online, the experience is still fascinating. Watching the salt harvesters at work, seeing the piles of salt along the shoreline, and floating in the incredibly salty water all make for a unique visit. Particularly if you’re already spending time in Dakar.
It’s also one of the easiest day trips from Dakar, which means you don’t need to go far to experience something completely different from the city. That being said, the whole area feels pretty tired and forgotten about.
If you’re expecting a neon-pink lake, you might be slightly disappointed. But if you approach it as a unique cultural and natural site, Lake Retba is absolutely worth adding to your Senegal itinerary.
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