The Gambia: The Most Underrated African Travel Destination
Welcome to The Gambia, the jewel in the crown of West Africa, and my new favourite travel destination! Lovingly nicknamed the ‘Smiling Coast of Africa’ due to its friendly people and welcoming atmosphere, The Gambia truly has it all – wildlife and birdwatching, adventure, culture, food, beaches, history… I could go on.
This massively slept-on country runs like a sliver through Senegal and is bisected by the majestic River Gambia. Around 1120km long, this river is the backbone of this small (the smallest in West Africa!) yet fascinating nation, highlighting its importance to the people who call The Gambia home. Not only is The Gambia teeming with incredible wildlife encounters (more on that later!), the country is perhaps currently best known among the twitcher community as an unbeatable birdwatching destination. Several UNESCO sights and a rich and complex history only add to its appeal and intrigue.
If you’re looking for a winter break destination like no other, allow me to introduce you to what I consider to be the most underrated African travel destination. Here are some of my tips, recommendations and know-how on everything you need to know when planning your visit…
‘The Gambia’ vs. ‘Gambia’
I found this distinction intriguing too, so I decided to research it. The country’s official name is The Republic of The Gambia, therefore the word ‘The’ is an important part of the country’s name and is capitalised and written formally.
The Significance Of The River Gambia
One thing that strikes you immediately when researching The Gambia is how the country is entirely dominated by its river, the River Gambia. The river is vital for the country, offering transportation and trade routes, opportunities to fish and agricultural benefits, as well as providing an all-important wildlife habitat.
The country’s population is closely tied to the river, with its banks being more densely populated, as well as defining the country’s unique shape. Communities that live along the river, such as certain ethnic groups, are able to tie their heritage and history to it. Historically, it also played a key role serving as a major trade route, offering easy access to the interior of West Africa. Sadly, it was also part of the transatlantic slave trade.
The River Gambia is truly a significant symbol for The Gambia and its people, and serves as a symbol of national unity. It’s probably likely that without it, the country as we know it today wouldn’t exist.
Experience The Gambia’s Wildlife
The Gambia is a wildlife paradise, but not in the way you might think. There are no ‘safaris’ here, but plenty to be in awe of if you’re after an untamed wildlife encounter.
You can spot wild hippos (a visit to River Gambia National Park is a must!), visit a chimpanzee rehabilitation island, see Nile crocodiles in wetland areas, and encounter green vervet and red colobus monkeys at Bijilo Monkey Park.
And with over 600 species, The Gambia is a bird lover’s paradise. We woke up to a symphony of birdsong every morning and watched hundreds of birds fly as the sun set in the evening, so you really don’t need to go searching for bird encounters… unless you want to! We booked a day through Malick Suso Gambian Bird Guide, an expert bird tour guide favoured by Chris Packham. Read all about our experience here for more details.
Gambian Cuisine
As someone who seeks out cultural experiences through her stomach no matter where I go, I thought I had to give The Gambia a shout-out when it comes to their cuisine. Gambian cuisine is flavourful, rich, well-seasoned and best enjoyed shared!
Think rice accompanied by stews, plenty of fish, peanut-based cooking. It combines indigenous West African traditions like one-pot meals, with ingredients such as fish and seafood sourced from the river and coastline, alongside flavours from its various ethnic groups like Mandinka and Wolof, as well as Islamic influences (there is no pork), trade and colonial influences, and its close links with Senegalese food.
With its climate being perfect for fruit and vegetables too, you will never go hungry here. Please go with an open mind and try as much as possible! If you want to learn more about what kinds of dishes to expect, check out my Gambian cuisines blog post here.
My Recommended Tours & Guides
Navigating The Gambia was made effortless with the help, expert care and guidance we received from our hand-chosen and thoroughly researched guides. We knew we wanted to experience an authentic side to The Gambia and go off the beaten track, so my list of recommended tours and guides reflects this.
Gambia Favourite Tours
We found Gambia Favourite Tours by accident when researching the best way to explore the River Gambia, when we came across their two-day tour. The itinerary sounded perfect, so we got in touch, got booked in, and the rest is history!
Across our two days with Malcolm (real name Lamin but goes by Malcolm), who owns the business, and his driver, a young lad called Yaya, we spent two glorious days travelling the length of the River Gambia and back again. It was an eye-opening and incredible experience that bonded us, and we now consider Malcolm a close personal friend. No matter what kind of itinerary or help you need while visiting The Gambia, I wouldn’t recommend anyone more. We only realised afterwards that, as well as his range of tours, he also does airport pick-ups and drop-offs – take note!
Malick Suso Gambian Bird Guide
We had the privilege of going birdwatching with a guide from Chris Packham’s award-winning birding expert, Malick Suso, and would highly recommend the experience.
Since Malick’s a busy man and we didn’t book far enough in advance, we toured with his son, a budding birder, and Essa, one of his trusted, highly skilled guides. And let me tell you – Essa was incredible! He nailed bird calls, knew the best spots, and used clever techniques to attract birds. We saw over 60 bird species in one day! They also offer half-day and tailored tours to focus on the species you’re most excited about. We visited in January, and the birdlife was absolutely thriving.
Arch Tours: South Senegal
It would be a lost opportunity to be in The Gambia and not venture over to Senegal when the two countries are so inexplicably and closely linked. In fact, it was echoed throughout our travels in The Gambia that everyone there has family in Senegal.
While most people head into Senegal to go on ‘safari’ at the Fathala Reserve – something I am not an advocate for personally – we were more interested in a cultural visit to the south. And boy, was it special. Arch Tours is the operator, but our guide (Dawda) and driver (Alfa) were incredible: personable, knowledgeable and able to navigate some sketchy road police inspections. The tour itself was a long day, but what we experienced was pure magic and remains one of my favourite travel days ever.
The Rooftop Boutique Hotel
One of the reasons we loved our stay at The Rooftop Boutique Hotel is because the owner (Urban) and his concierge (Abdou) were always on hand to help us get to where we wanted to go at a fair price. We didn’t need to pre-book anything – just discuss what we wanted to see or do, and Abdou was able to find a driver in no time.
Each of the recommendations above has its own dedicated blog post, so if you would like more details, be sure to check those out too.
The Beaches
While our main focus for visiting The Gambia was adventure, culture and wildlife, we did pay a visit to the local beach to check out what all the fuss was about. It has to be said that the beaches here are wonderful.
I didn’t love the incessant sales pitches from various stallholders as I tried to relax and enjoy the ocean views; however, I appreciate that people working in that area need to make a living. It’s my one gripe – sorry!
Serekunda Market
One of the best ways to throw yourself into local life has to be paying Serekunda Market a visit. This local market is the largest in the country, selling anything and everything you can imagine. Open daily, you’ll find thousands of vendors selling everything from fruit and veg to fashion items, souvenirs and snacks.
Expect crowds and narrow pathways – we acquired a local guide to show us around, teach us about various stalls, and help navigate the colour and chaos. It’s a must-visit for sure!
Planning Your Visit To The Gambia
Is The Gambia A Safe Country?
When it comes to safety, The Gambia is one of the most peaceful and stable countries in West Africa. It’s around 90% Muslim and 10% Christian, and the two religions co-exist harmoniously.
The Gambians are warm, generous, friendly, and genuinely curious to get to know you. The Gambia has a rich heart and gentle spirit that makes you feel right at home.
The vibe here is also pretty laid-back when it comes to dress. Personally, I prefer to dress modestly out of respect (linen trousers and covered shoulders, for example), but locals are generally not fussed about what tourists wear.
What Is The Best Time To Visit The Gambia?
November to May are considered the best months to visit The Gambia. We visited in January, which I would highly recommend as, while the weather was hot during this time, it was definitely bearable and perfect for wildlife spotting. Flights and accommodation prices were also cheaper during this time, which was a nice bonus.
June to October is the rainy season (or Green Season, where everything becomes lush and green!) and is therefore considered low season for tourism.
Where To Stay
As we flew to The Gambia with Tui, it became abundantly clear that most people landed and went straight off to stay in a Tui hotel located along Senegambia’s touristy strip by the beach. We, however, opted to stay at The Rooftop Boutique Hotel just across from the strip in a more residential area and loved our stay. If you’re looking for a unique stay, you can read all about it here – I would highly recommend it.
Flying From The UK
Another reason why I think The Gambia is an amazing travel destination option for Brits is that getting there is super easy and straightforward. Tui operates direct flights to the country’s capital, Banjul, between November and April, making it the perfect winter sun getaway (we paid around £400 return per person).
A Cash-Based Economy
The Gambia operates on a cash-based economy, so while it may seem excessive, trust me when I say bring plenty of cash with you, as pretty much nowhere takes card payments and cash machines are few and far between. There are, however, currency exchanges absolutely everywhere, and exchange rates are very fair, so your sterling or dollars can be exchanged on arrival.
The local currency, the dalasi, is a closed currency, so you can’t get it before you land.
At The Airport
Something to account for when budgeting for your trip to The Gambia is the £20 per person airport security fee when you arrive and depart. The fee is mandatory and can be paid in cash at kiosks before you go through immigration.
Road Checkpoints
Something you will come across when moving around the country is regular checkpoints set up along roads, where vehicles stop and are checked by officials in uniform. We were informed that these were put in place to prevent accidents and illegal activity.
We had no issues at checkpoints and found that if you smiled and said hello to those checking the vehicle, they were incredibly friendly and waved you on your way.
Did You Know That…
- Around 20% of the country’s income comes from tourism, with around 200,000 people employed in the sector
- The President of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, actually worked as a security guard in Argos in the UK
- One of the main local dialects in The Gambia is Mandinka. It is not written, only spoken. Schooling in The Gambia is conducted in English
- If you hear someone calling you “two bobs” (often heard as toubab or toubabou ), it’s a local term for a white/European person. The word dates back to the British colonial era and is thought to come from British slang for a two-shilling coin, “two bob”.
Summing Up My Life-Changing Experience In The Gambia
My experiences and interactions while travelling the length and breadth of The Gambia truly changed my life.
Something about this place blew my mind wide open. Witnessing the wonders of its landscape and nature, the warmth of its people, as well as the day-to-day struggles of a developing country, all muddled up with its great sense of community and oneness… it was eye-opening and transformative.
In fact, I still get teary-eyed now thinking about how humbling it was to meet people in markets or our beloved guides, for example, and be treated like family. The number of invitations we received to come to people’s family homes for dinner on our next visit was plentiful. I have never felt more at home or welcome.
The Gambia is up and coming – I am certain about that. It’s a proud country with so much to offer, and perhaps one of the easiest and most impactful ways it can be supported throughout its period of growth and development is through tourism and actively engaging with its communities and people. I hope this post gave you some insight into how incredible and authentic travel experiences are out there, just a six-hour flight away from London.
If you have any questions or would like further contact details for guides or other travel recommendations, please feel free to message me here or on my social media.
Until next time,
Lica xoxo
