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Upcountry
With The Gambia's tourist sector mainly situated on the coast, and the transport infrastructure in The Gambia needing serious improvements, even the shortest trip upcountry will offer an adventure hard to forget.
Potholed and dirt roads, hours of waiting for ferries, and pure exhaustion and dehydration from the heat will await most trips to the rural parts of The Gambia.
However, serene mud-hut villages, an abundance of wildlife including hippos and baboons, silent nights under the thousands of stars, and a warm hospitality also await you in this part of real Africa.
There are a variety of upcountry excursions that can be organized, local transport is always available, or you can simply hire a car and driver and you are on your way.
There are two main highways running along side the River Gambia, one on the south, thus the south bank road, and one on the north, thus the north bank road.
Both are currently under construction and have been for several years, though the north bank road is now in a much better condition than the south bank road as it is near completion.
Depending on where you want to go depends on which route you would take, and also whether or not you want to wait for the ferry to get from Banjul to Barra on the north bank or from Farafenni to Soma on the south bank for example.
Below are some of the upcountry villages to visit or simply where you will pass through:
Berending
This is the first large village after Barra in the North Bank Division and it has a sacred crocodile pool, similar to that of the Katchikally Crocodile Pool. Watch the local Mandinka villagers do their washing in the pools nearby without any fear.
Juffureh
Situated on the banks of the River Gambia on the North Bank Division, this village is famous for its ancestry of Kunta Kinte of who author Alex Haley proudly assures his lineage from in his novel Roots. This village is often visited on organized excursions so be prepared for pushy villagers.
Farafenni
This large village in the eastern side of the North Bank Division has a colourful Sunday market due to the proximity of the Senegalese border which is only a few kilometres north from there. The market offers a large variety of unique textiles, fresh produce, and many other interesting items for sale in amongst the rickety wooden stalls and hordes of Gambians, Senegalese, Guineans, and Mauritanians.
Wassu
Home of the famous Wassu Stone Circles, and nearby are the Baboon Islands in the River Gambia National Park which has the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation centre and offers all-inclusive accommodations in a safari-camp style with a chance to view the chimpanzees.
Janjanbureh (Georgetown)
This small village on MacCarthy Island is popular with birdwatchers, and hippos may be spotted in the river on either side. Remnants of British colonial settlements are still visible. Watch out for the bumsters here though.
Various basic accommodations (called camps, though they are not actually tents but rather, small mud-hut style chalets) are available on the island at reasonable prices and most of the camps will have excursions set up for bird watching, river fishing trips, hippo spotting, etc. See the accommodations section for more information.
Bansang
A quiet village in the Central River Division, just after the ferry crossing from Janjanbureh, Bansang is known more for its hospital that has a few of the many Cuban volunteer doctors working in The Gambia.
Basse (Basse Santa Su)
A bustling village in the Upper River Division and a common stop for travellers going further to Senegal and Mali. Some basic accommodations are available as are a few decent eating places.
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Come during the off-season. This will help alleviate the issues due to the lack of tourists during the months of May to September such as unemployment for the tourist industry workers. During the off-season prices tend to be cheaper and you may find that you have the entire beach to yourself.
Go upcountry. The Kombos area sees most of the tourists while the rural communities are in most need of them financially.
Respect local culture and customs. Understand the history and culture of The Gambia, learn some phrases in the local languages, and dress appropriately in this Muslim nation.
Visit the local parks such as the Bijilo Forest Park, Abuko Nature Reserve, the Gambian Reptiles Farm, and other nature parks.The fees you pay (which are very reasonable) will contribute to the preservation, research, and upkeep of the local flora and fauna. Remember not to feed the animals, no matter how tempting it seems (locals will even provide the food for you but they shouldn't be).
Don't purchase items made from endangered species. Not only is it illegal to bring such items as skins, ivory, certain wooden products, coral, turtle shells, and bone home, but you can help stop illegal poaching by not adding to the demand.
Expect to pay different prices than local residents for services and items such as taxi fares and attraction fees. As a tourist you do have more wealth in relative terms.
Though litter is seen all over, do not participate in the act of littering yourself. As of June 2007, the Government of The Gambia has implemented a zero tolerance for littering and fines will be imposed on those that do.
Minimize your electricity consumption. There's no need to leave the fan/air-conditioner or lights on while you are out of your room for example. The same goes for your water consumption.
Don't encourage driving on the beaches. This greatly damages natural habitats for many species, especially the turtles who come to the beach to lay their eggs.
Back to Guide to Gambia Main Index
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