The Gambia

Understand

The Gambia essentially consists of the flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills — the highest point is just 53 m above sea level, and it is less than 50 km across at its widest point.

Climate Tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May); Natural hazards : drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years).

History

Before the arrival of the Europeans, oral traditions preserved most of The Gambia's history. The Wassu Stone Circles are thought to be evidence of early settlement; however, not much is known about them. The territory of present-day The Gambia became part of the Mali Empire in the 14th century. Historically, culturally, and linguistically tied to Senegal, The Gambia was split from its neighbour in the 18th century by European powers. Most of the region was taken over by France, but a narrow piece of land around The Gambia River was ceded to Great Britain. This small area eventually became The Gambia. The Gambia gained its independence from the UK on 18 February 1965. A constitution was written on 24 April 1970, before being suspended in July 1994 and subsequently rewritten and approved by national referendum on 8 August 1996. It was re-established in January 1997. The Gambia formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned political activity, but a new 1996 constitution and presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. Elections have continued ever since, but with government intimidation and detention of opposition leaders, they aren't completely democratic. After r

See

Abuko Nature Reserve outside the village of Lamin near Yundum, offers a good introduction to the Gambian wildlife. For instance there's monkeys, crocodiles and some 300 species of birds Bijilo Forest Park at Kokoli, has birds and monkeys. You can bribe the animals with peanuts for better photos. Makasutu Culture Forest in Brikama, is a 1000-ha reserve of mangroves, palm groves and savannahs with baboons, monkeys, birds and monitor lizards. Sanyang Beach, north of Gunjur, is one of the most beautiful beaches in Gambia. Public transport leaves from Serekunda and Brikama regularly, and private taxis can also be hired for day trips.

Do

At Kachikally Sacred Crocodile Pool in Bakau you can touch West African Nile Crocodiles. Four Wheel Drive Adventure. Very popular tours visiting schools, country homes, and distilleries. "Roots" tour to Kunta Kinteh Island. 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. Views of the river bank are distant. Visit the setting of Roots, an old slave trade station. Tourists are overwhelmed by locals who appear only when the boat arrives, and disappear when the boat leaves. Locals are persistent in begging for money and thrusting craft items under tourists noses. Locals insist on being paid to appear in photos. Or you go by car, e.g. with the official tourist guides on the small roads on the North Bank and sail in a piro

Getting there

The Gambia is becoming a popular vacation destination for Northern Europeans. Therefore, many charter and holiday operators offer reasonable airfare and accommodation if desired.

Visa Tourists from ECOWAS, Commonwealth countries and other countries not listed below, or tourists from all nations arriving in The Gambia on a charter flight may enter visa-free for up to 90 days. ECOWAS nationals may also enter with passport or Biometric ID card. Nationals of Egypt, Austria, France, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan need a visa to enter unless they are travelling as tourists on a charter flight. Nationals of Kenya, Namibia, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, Myanmar, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay may enter The Gambia visa-free for up to 90 days on the condition that they obtain an entry clearance from the Gambian Immigration prior to travel, unless they are travelling as tourists on a charter flight. Nationals of Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Libya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Bahamas, Haiti, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen, Timor-Leste, Indone

Getting around

By bus The Gambia Transportation Service Company operates buses that circulate around the main highways. There isn't a fixed schedule per se and the bus stops frequently as it makes it way across the country. Buses are generally not air conditioned and do not have bathrooms on board, so prepare accordingly. The first bus that leaves from Barra and heads east along the north side of the River Gambia tends to depart between 7-9AM, when 'enough' passengers get on. There is a 10-20 minute break at Farafenni before the bus continues it journey. Buses are parked next to the ferry entrance in Barra.

By taxi

There are two types of cabs: green ones (tourist cabs) and yellow ones (regular cabs). Green cabs are expensive and the price is regardless of the number of passengers. Although there is no vehicle testing system in The Gambia, these taxis must have basics such as seat belts and working indicators. Yellow taxis are much cheaper and the price depends on the number of persons in the cab. They are used mainly by locals, and in many tourist areas they are prohibited from picking up tourists. Often it is worth it to walk a little to get a yellow taxi. Motorcycle taxis are also frequently available in the country. Try to negotiate the price beforehand and note that having luggage may also add to the cost, though you probably don't want to be carrying much luggage if you are using a motorcycle anyway.

By car A 4WD is recommended if you plan to rent a car, since the roads often are in bad condition and only a minority is paved.

By bike You can rent a bike from pretty much anyone that owns one at a negotiated rate. Cycling on major roads can be risky, as motorist safety is unreliable, some roads are not well-maintained, sand and steep shoulders cause road haza