Start the adventure
The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa and without doubt the best choice for travellers who want to step into the heart of West Africa for the first time.
The country has everything the African continent has to offer in one place: bustling city markets, ethnic groups and remote villages inland. You can also enjoy endless, almost empty beaches with dreamy sunsets, and spot hippos and chimpanzees.
Included / Not included
- Shared-room accommodation.
- Private transport throughout the trip.
- Driver and local guide.
- Fuel.
- Airport transfers.
- Booking fees and route design.
- Advice before and during the trip.
- Full board.
- Excursions mentioned in the itinerary.
- Return flights (Spain-Banjul)
- Visits, activities and/or entrance fees not listed as included
- Lion walk at Fathala (this activity costs €40 per person)
- Drinks of any kind
- Travel insurance
- Personal extras such as snacks, laundry, phone, internet, first-aid kit...
- Special or unspecified diets
- Tips and souvenirs
- Single room (+€100)
- Entry and exit visa (€40 in total, payable in cash at the airport)
- Any other item or service not listed as included
- Extra costs arising from unforeseeable events beyond the reasonable control and due diligence of the expedition organiser
Map
Itinerary
Travel day.
Pick-up and welcome at Banjul airport.
Direct transfer to the Sanyang Beach accommodation.
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 get to know The Gambia a little better, visiting villages of different ethnic groups (Fula, Mandinka, Jola…).
Depending on our arrival time, we have lunch on the road or at the accommodation.
In the afternoon we take a ride in a traditional boat, crossing the River Gambia and its tributaries to reach Bao Bolon Wetland Reserve.
We have the chance to spot a huge variety of birds and, with a bit of luck, 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
We leave in the morning for Brikama, the second-largest town in The Gambia, to visit its wood craft market, where you can buy traditional souvenirs and watch the carvers at work.
We stop at Lamin Lodge, a wooden restaurant built over the water where the monkeys steal the show and, with luck, we may see how oysters are harvested and preserved.
We continue to Tanji, the largest fishing village in the country, stopping for lunch on the way.
Tanji is a unique experience that lets us see African life and the daily work of local people, enjoy the arrival of the fishermen and watch the fish-smoking process.
After Tanji we arrive at our accommodation in Sanyang to enjoy the beach.
Accommodation: Eco Lodge Sanyang Beach or similar
After breakfast, we set off for Banjul, the capital of The Gambia. After visiting Albert Market, a market with a colonial past selling clothes, food, crafts and souvenirs, we climb “Arch 22”, a monument commemorating the coup of 22 July 1994.
After lunch, we head for Serekunda, the largest town in The Gambia, just 3 km from the coastal resorts. It combines the typical features of a city with the bustle of everyday Gambian life. We visit the town’s traditional market and then return to the vehicle to go to a factory where traditional batik is made.
After some shopping, we return to our accommodation in Sanyang to carry on enjoying the beach.
Accommodation: Eco Lodge Sanyang Beach or similar
Ten kilometres from the border between The Gambia and Senegal lies the
Fathala Reserve.
We cross the River Gambia by ferry from Banjul to
Barra, which is an adventure in itself.
Fathala nature reserve is made up of hectares of wild terrain where
giraffes, gazelles, giant tortoises, zebras, antelopes (impala and
derby eland), rhinos, warthogs, ostriches, crocodiles, hyenas and buffalo live together,
and we go on a safari in search of the species that
live there.
The main attraction is the walk with lions, a brother and sister
pair who were raised at Fathala and so know and
respect the men who guide us.
After the tour, we head to our accommodation. Eco Lodge Sanyang Beach or similar
Free morning to enjoy the lovely beach and the surroundings of the accommodation. We can take a walk to the spot where the fishermen gather and smoke their fish in Sanyang.
Transfer to the airport.
