Kaolack Market

Kaolack sits at the junction of the roads south to the Gambia and east to Mali, in the middle of the groundnut basin, and its market is one of the biggest covered markets in the region: a dense grid of stalls under roofing covering several hectares, selling cloth, grain, spices, hardware, livestock and everything else the region trades. It is a working wholesale and retail market rather than a craft one, and very few foreign visitors pass through it.

What you actually see

• The covered halls - hectares of stalls under continuous roofing.
• The cloth section - bazin, wax print and embroidery, one of the largest concentrations in the country.
• The groundnut trade - the crop that built the town, still traded in bulk here.
• The crossroads traffic - goods moving between Dakar, the Gambia and Mali.

When to go

November to March is the cool dry season and the only comfortable time; Kaolack is one of the hottest towns in Senegal. Mornings are best. Market days draw the whole region in.

Honest expectations

The heat and the crowding are serious and the market is disorienting. It is a working market, not a visitor attraction, and there is no tourist infrastructure. Pickpocketing is a practical concern in the crush.

Nearby

The Saloum Delta is west, Touba is north, and the Gambian border is south.