TRAVEL EXPERIENCE IN GAMBIA

The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa located in West Africa. In Middle-Africa we propose Gambia as an African destination for beginners. Its small size, easily reachable from any European main airport, safety, and the possibility to combine a bit of adventure tourism along the Gambia River with some beach relaxation on the Gambia Coast, makes The Gambia an interesting choice for people who want easy vacations with a touch of African reality. In the last 15 years many holiday resorts have been built along the Gambia seashore as a cheaper alternative to Caribbean destinations. The Gambia enjoys constant sunshine and barely fluctuating high daytime temperatures all year round. The rainy season is between July and October, when humidity is high and short rainstorms are more prominent in the evenings. Despite being related to a sun and beach destination, the Gambian interior offers an interesting combination of natural parks, where fauna can be observed, with interesting rural life. Along the Gambia River Middle-Africa organizes cultural and natural safaris for those ones willing to introduce themselves to Black Africa.



TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS OF GAMBIA

Banjul is the capital of Gambia, and an interesting place to start exploring the country. In Middle-Africa we always take our clients to the market areas, where the popular beat of the city can be felt. The bustling heart of Banjul is Albert Market and its surrounding roads, a great place to start leisurely walking and shopping for local crafts, batiks, silver jewellery clothes, shoes, fruits and vegetables, and household goods. To understand the British colonial past of The Gambia we propose visiting the War Memorial & Fountain, near MacCarthy Square, erected to commemorate the coronation of Britain's King George VI in 1937. MacCarthy Square has a colonial atmosphere, with pleasant 19th-century architecture. The skyline of Banjul is also graced by the twin minarets of the King Fahad Mosque and the State House, built by the Portuguese. Other places worth visiting are the National Museum of the Gambia and the July 22 Arch. Standing high at 35m it offers great views over the city and coastal areas.

Oyster Creek is the centre of an area of creeks and waterways which can be visited from Banjul. This area is part of the Tanbi Wetlands.

Jinack Island is known as Paradise Island and is located off the north bank of the estuary of The Gambia River, separated from the mainland by the Niji Bolon and is part of the National Park of Niumi which is a marine protected delta area and is aiming to be an eco-tourist holiday destination. The island itself has over 11 kilometres of unspoilt, fairly shallow beaches which are often visited by dolphins.

Brikama, 45min from Banjul, is one of Gambia´s largest cities and the ideal base to explore the coast and the Gambiás rural interior. The main tourist attraction of the town is the Brikama Craft Market and 'factory' which produces and sells hundreds of teak wood carvings, batiks, djembe drums, masks and other souvenirs. 5km from Brikama you find Makasutu Cultural Forest, a lush green wilderness fed by a tributary of the Gambia River called the Mandina Bolon. It is a private eco-tourist reserve which is open to the public for full or half-day cultural guided eco-tours of the forest. There are a variety of eco-systems within the Makasutu protected wilderness area namely: savannah, mangroves, a dense mature tropical forest, Guinea woodland and semi-wooded grassland. Part of the itinerary for day trippers is a chance to enjoy some Diola traditional tribal dancing, drumming and singing.

Gambia River is a major tourist attraction and the dominant feature running through the heart of the country. The river ecology is divided into two different zones, estuarine and freshwater, which in turn largely determine the peripheral vegetation pattern. Salt water sneaks in some 150km upstream, as far as Kantaur in the dry season (November to June). In the lower estuary, mangroves dominate the riverside, with extensive reed belts in the in-between zone, while where the water is fresh, the banks are lined with gallery forest. Up river, the water wildlife is more interesting where you can see crocodiles, dolphins and hippos. The main feature along the river is the incredible variety of birds and most of the bird trips are boat trips along the creeks of The Gambia at dawn or dusk.

Gambia River National Park is one of Gambia´s most interesting protected areas since it hosts an important population of wild chimpanzees (introduced on the Baboon Islands in 1979 as part of a chimpanzee reintroduction program). Gambia River National Park is near Georgetown, 306km/6h from Banjul and 2h from Kolda in Senegal.

The island of Janjangbureh lies about 300 km up river. The port town on  Janjangbureh is called Georgetown and is located in the northern part. It was founded in 1823 when Kolli, the King of Kataba, signed a treaty with Alexander Grant ceding the island to the British Government. The area is now one of the top ecotourism destinations in Gambia as many areas are covered in tropical forest and the island's water front is ideal for fishing and wildlife spotting where you can see crocodiles and hippos. You can still view many buildings from the colonial period dating back to the 19th century such the old slave market, the commissioner's residence, the local market, and the  post office.

Wassu Circles of standing stones have now been identified as burial grounds more than 1200 years old.

James Island. An excursion inspired by Alex Haley's bestseller and movie Roots. You can go there on cruise up the centre of the wide Gambia River, towards the former French trading post of Albreda and the village of Juffureh. Visit the setting of Roots, an old slave trade station.

Tribal villages. Though The Gambia does not offer the ethnic diversity of other West African nations, we recommend exploring the small villages of the interior to get to know real Gambia. There are 8 main ethnic groups in Gambia living side by side with a minimum of inter-tribal friction, each preserving its own language, music, cultural traditions and even caste systems though there is an increasing amount of cultural interaction and fusion. The single largest ethnic group in Gambia is the Mandinga an agricultural people with hereditary nobility. %u2028The Wolofs are very prominent in the capital city of Banjul and are prominent in the Senegambia region. The people called the Creoles or Akus, are Christians who are descendants of freed slaves who first came to The Gambia in 1787 from Sierra Leone and who rank among the bureaucratic elite as well a being prominent in the private professional classes. The Diola people are predominantly organized around the cultivation of rice and are mainly based in the Foni district. Theirs is a uniquely segmentary society with no tradition of having a paramount chief. Their traditional location in swamps and deep forests meant that they were among the last people to be converted to Islam. The Fulanis or Peuls are mainly engaged in herding of cattle and running their ubiquitous small corner shops. They are generally of lighter skin than other Gambians. The Serahule people are involved mainly in farming, trade and property development. They can be found in their largest numbers in the Basse region and speak in a number of dialects including Azer and Kinbakka. The other ethnic groups are the Serer who are predominantly involved in fisheries have customs and a language which bear considerable similarities to the Wolof. Then there are the Tukulor who share strong ties with the Fulani's culture, history and traditions and are mainly engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry.

Bao Bolon Wetland Reserve consists of mixed patched of thick forest and swamp most noteworthy for its migratory birds but also home to dugongs, otters, hogs, antelope, & hippos.

Abuko Nature Reserve is situated outside the village of Lamin in the Kombo North District, 25km from Banjul. At 105 hectares it is one of the smallest protected areas in Africa, but it still offers a good introduction to the Gambian wildlife. For instance there's monkeys, crocodiles and some 300 species of birds.

Kachikally Crocodile Pool is a popular site where one can observe hundreds of West African Nile Crocodiles.

Basse Santa Su is the major trading centre for the upper reaches of the Gambia River. Handsome trading houses built at the turn of the century can be seen there. By the riverside at Perai Tenda can be found a multitude of abandoned shops formerly operated by European, Gambian and Lebanese merchants in the days when up-river commerce offered substantial profits for private traders.



ORGANISING YOUR TRIP TO GAMBIA

Middle-Africa organises travel tours to every corner of Gambia all year around. Please feel free to contact us at any time.