Isle de Gorée

A twenty-minute ferry ride from the dock in Dakar, Gorée Island was first settled by Portuguese merchants in the 15th century. It was the center of the slave trade from this part of West Africa for three hundred years. The symbolically famous "Door of No Return" in the 18th century Maison des Esclaves (Slave House) is a point of pilgrimage for African Americans. The peaceful island has colonial brick buildings from the Portuguese, Dutch, English, and French eras, and hosts an artists' colony.

Goree Island seaside of Goree Island beach on Goree island buildings alley view from the top of Goree Island slavery memorial aerial view building details building details woman selling fruit building on cliffold cannon artist living under old cannon

cliff woman walking down alley drum maker alley steps from beach woman restaurant menu slavery memorial "door of no return" in the Slave House Museum

birds  Red-billed queleas, Quelea quelea

hawk hawk Yellow-billed kite, Milvus aegyptius

Traditional musicians, one playing a 21-string kora, a cross between a harp and a lute. The belly of the Kora is a large gourd (calabash) and the head is cowhide.

drummer and kora player fingering the kora kora player drummer drummer

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Last modified 12 April 2026