Gambia and Casamance

Travel day.

Pick-up and welcome at Banjul airport.

Direct transfer to the accommodation in Sanyang Beach.

Accommodation: Eco Lodge Sanyang Beach or similar

We leave early for Tendaba, about 140 km away. On the way we make a few stops to learn a little more about The Gambia, visiting villages of different ethnic groups (Fula, Mandinka, Jola…).

Depending on our arrival time, we have lunch on the way or at the accommodation.

In the afternoon we take a traditional boat trip across the River Gambia and its tributaries to Bao Bolon Wetland Reserve.

We have the chance to spot a huge variety of birds and, if we are lucky, the odd crocodile.

Accommodation: Tendaba Camp or similar

We leave Tendaba early, heading for Soma (in central Gambia, on the south bank), crossing the River Gambia by the Senegambia Bridge to reach Farafenni, where we stop to see its market.

We continue to Wassu, where we visit the stone burial circles, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

Back on the road, we have lunch on the way to Kuntaur, where we take a boat to cruise River Gambia National Park, where we may spot chimpanzees (3 of the Baboon Islands are home to these primates thanks to the conservation project under way there). During the crossing we may also see hippos, birds and baboons.

We carry on to Janjangbureh Island, crossing the river on the local ferry.

Accommodation: GTHI or similar.

After breakfast, we stroll around Janjanbureh, the first capital of The Gambia, and learn about its history as a slave trading centre.

After the walk, we head back towards the south of the country, passing through Soma, where we stop at the local market. We then continue towards Kassagne, having lunch on the way before reaching the hotel.

After that, we continue to Kassagne, where the afternoon is free to enjoy the surroundings of the accommodation, and you can try activities such as taking a boat or kayak through the mangroves (depending on the season), swimming in the creek, walking among monkeys and more.

Accommodation: Abcas Creek Lodge

After breakfast we set off for the Casamance (southern Senegal). We cross the border between The Gambia and Senegal, where we complete the customs formalities to enter the country.

We continue to Ziguinchor, where we have lunch.

After lunch we head for Seleki, where we spend the night. In the afternoon we visit the village accompanied by a local guide.

Accommodation: Solidarity camp

After breakfast we set off on a boat trip along the tributaries of the Casamance towards Eloubaline.

In Eloubaline a local guide will show us the village, its streets, its sacred places and the fetishes that protect the village in the traditional animist culture. We will also visit the impluvium houses, designed to collect rainwater.

After the visit we return to the boat bound for Edioungou, where our driver will be waiting for us, and we head to Mlomp, a village whose inhabitants are mostly animist and which is famous for its architecture and its two-storey adobe houses, unique in West Africa. We will visit the local Mlomp museum, housed in an impluvium house, where we will be shown the different instruments and tools the Diola people use in their daily lives.

After visiting Mlomp we continue to Elinkine (a fishing village), where we board a canoe to Carabane island.

When we arrive on the island, lunch will be waiting for us, and once we have recovered our energy we will explore the island, admiring its ruined colonial houses, the school, its Breton-style church and the curious Catholic cemetery along the beach.

Accommodation: Camp Chez Bouba or similar

The day begins with a canoe trip towards the mouth of the river. With a bit of luck, we may see dolphins along the way.

We pass through the fishing village of Diogué, where people of several African nationalities (Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, etc.) live side by side. Because of its geographic position, Diogué was the departure point for the most significant irregular emigration from the south of the country. Weather permitting, we may swap Diogué for Hitou.

We take a one-hour walk through rice paddies to earn our lunch: today we eat with a Diola family. After lunch and a good time together, we return to the canoe and head for Capskiring, where we can enjoy the pool and the beautiful beach.

Accommodation: Hotel Maya or similar

We set off in the morning for Boucotte to visit the Diola culture museum and keep discovering the culture of this area. After the museum, we visit its craft market.

After the market, we have lunch at a local restaurant and head for Ziguinchor, the capital of southern Senegal, where we stay overnight.

If possible, we stop at Oussouye for an audience with the King.

Accommodation: Le Perroquet or similar

We leave early in the morning, as it is a long drive, for Brikama, the second-largest city in The Gambia, to visit its wood craft market. Here you can buy traditional souvenirs and watch the woodcarvers at work.

After lunch, we continue to Tanji, the largest fishing village in the country. It is a unique experience that takes us into the African way of life and the daily work of local people, with the arrival of the fishermen and the fish-smoking process.

We then head to our accommodation in Sanyang.

Accommodation: Eco Lodge Sanyang Beach or similar

Free morning to finish enjoying the lovely beach and the surroundings of the accommodation.

Transfer to the airport.