Dakar - Post Report Question and Answers
What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Olive oil in bulk always useful. - Oct 2024
Lipton iced tea mix. Kids snacks like fruit roll-ups and peanut butter cheese crackers. Stuff is available here, it's just very expensive - Apr 2022
I cannot think of anything. You really can get anything you want in Dakar. - Jul 2020
There’s not much you can’t find locally, unless you just really need a certain brand. I think there’s talk of Dakar becoming a non-consumables shipment post. - Dec 2019
I stocked up on black beans, petite diced tomatoes, chicken stock, sweetened condensed milk, glass-jar items, beer, and corn tortillas. - Dec 2018
I wish I had brought more ingredients for baked goods, e.g., flour, sugar, vanilla extract ($18) etc. You will find that a lot of ingredients aren't sold here, so you will definitely learn to cook from scratch if you don't already know how. Also, bring lots of toilet paper! The toilet paper sold here has a perfume smell to it, which is not good for women. I purchased 10 packages of a 20-roll sets (200 rolls). This has lasted me so far with a family of five. I should have just purchased 20 of them. - Dec 2018
I was glad I shipped pet food and some packaged products. But honestly everything is available, there is even a self-styled "American Food Store" with American products. - Jun 2017
You can pretty much get everything here. You just have to pay a lot for it. - Apr 2016
Lots of sunscreen, insect repellent, ingredients to make Mexican food, and soap/detergent. The local dishwashing soap was very thin and not what we are use to. We also ordered paper towels since the local stuff wouldn't hold up. There are now 3 "American Stores" in town that carry many items from Costco. They are expensive, but it's nice that comfort items from home are there and you don't have to wait for a week to come through the mail! - Aug 2014
Laundry detergent, stain remover, febreze, insect control products, some cosmetics, shoes (available but either poor quality and cheap, or decent quality and expensive). Kids' toys and birthday present items. Ziplocs (keeping the humidity out of your stuff is an ongoing battle). Bring all your computer and camera equipment with you; it's expensive to get it here. - Apr 2014
Any consumables you want/can. You will save yourself a ton of money and will have better quality. - Jun 2013
Hair conditioner and peanut butter. Yes to all. Taxis are usually never more than $6. - Mar 2013
Anything with protein, since meat is really expensive. - Oct 2012
Liquids, laundry detergent, cleaning products, peanut butter, paper products, and printer ink! - Mar 2012
Car parts, sun screen, whole meal flour and anything that you like that is imported. A pity you can't import cheese as the choice here is limited and super expensive. - Aug 2011
Canned soup, peanut butter, paper products. Anything you really like - because its unlikely you can get exactly the same thing in Dakar. Chocolates, cakes, and pastries are VERY good here - but expensive - Jan 2011
Peanut butter, yellow mustard (neither exist here). - Feb 2010
Paper products, dog food, U.S. products that aren't available here.(French products are available.) - Feb 2010
Liquids (not allowed in Embassy mail). - Jan 2010
Liquids from the US. Everything here is imported from France. - May 2009
