Lake Retba (Lac Rose) Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Lake Retba (Lac Rose). Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• 2-day tour Lac rose- desert of Lompoul
• Senegal private tour 8 days 7 nights-minimum 2 people to book it
• Senegal and Gambia 8 days 7 nights trip. Minimum 2 pax to book
• Private 10-Days Parks and Bassari Country Tour
• Senegal experience. 4 nights 5 days overnight trip

There’s no cost to see Lake Retba, or Lac Rose, but most people visit with guided tours. Prices for tours can run anywhere from US$100 to US$300 per person, but what you pay depends on the tour duration and how many destinations are included.

The best time to visit Lake Retba is during the dry season in Senegal, which typically runs from around October until May. This is not only because you'll enjoy your experience more if it's not raining, but also because sunny conditions tend to bring out the lake's rosy hues better than overcast skies.

Lake Retba is roughly 23 miles (37 kilometers) from Dakar and it takes about an hour to drive, depending on traffic. The easiest way to get there is by joining a tour that includes transportation; most tours arrange hotel pickup. Alternatively, hire a taxi, but make sure you pay the driver to wait there and take you back.

The saline waters of Lake Retba get their color because of a type of algae called dunaliella salina, which is present to varying degrees. The color can be intensified or minimized depending on the time of day and weather conditions, and can even look red when a certain level of sunlight is hitting the lake.

Yes, visiting Lake Retba is worth it, especially if you’re a photographer or if you’ve never floated in saline bodies of water before (such as the Dead Sea). It’s fun to float in the water and the pink lake makes a great backdrop for photos.