Tour Overview
| Duration | 10 Days / 9 Nights |
|---|---|
| Country | The Gambia — The Smiling Coast |
| Price From | $2,495 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Private / Cultural & Nature |
| Data Source | Across Africa Tours — 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Arrive Banjul
Welcome to The Smiling Coast! Airport transfer to your beachfront hotel. Afternoon at leisure on the golden sands of Kotu Beach. Welcome dinner with domoda (groundnut stew) and benachin (Jollof rice). Overnight near Kotu.
Day 2: Banjul & Bakau
Morning tour of Banjul: Arch 22, the National Museum, and Albert Market for colorful batik fabrics. Afternoon in Bakau: visit the sacred Kachikally Crocodile Pool — touch a crocodile for good luck (they’re surprisingly docile). Walk through the Bakau fishing village to watch the catch come in. Overnight near Kotu.
Day 3: Kunta Kinteh Island & Juffureh
Boat cruise on the Gambia River to Kunta Kinteh Island (UNESCO). Explore the ruins of the 17th-century British slave fort. Continue to Juffureh village, the ancestral home of Kunta Kinteh as told in Alex Haley’s “Roots.” Meet descendants of the Kinteh family and experience traditional Mandinka hospitality. Overnight near Kotu.
Day 4: Makasutu Culture Forest
Full-day Makasutu. Morning canoe safari through the mangrove creeks — spot baboons, monitor lizards, and exotic birds. Afternoon guided nature walk through palm forest and savanna. Visit a local village for a kora performance and drumming workshop. Sunset boat cruise with drinks. Overnight in Makasutu eco-lodge.
Day 5: Tanji & Brufut
Early morning at Tanji Fish Market — the colorful arrival of the fishing fleet with pirogues, smoking ovens, and the chaos of the auction. Visit the Tanji Bird Reserve, a Ramsar wetland site home to terns, gulls, and migratory birds. Afternoon at Brufut’s Sacred Grove. Overnight near Kotu.
Day 6: River Gambia National Park
Full-day excursion to River Gambia National Park (Baboon Islands). Boat safari through the river’s five islands looking for the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project’s 100+ chimpanzees living wild. Also spot hippos, crocodiles, and abundant birdlife. Picnic lunch on a sandbank. Overnight at a riverside camp near Janjanbureh.
Day 7: Janjanbureh & Wassu Stone Circles
Visit Janjanbureh (Georgetown), a colonial-era town on MacCarthy Island. Explore the old colonial buildings and the former slave house. Continue to Wassu to see the mysterious Senegambian Stone Circles (UNESCO) — megalithic monuments dating from the 3rd century BC to the 16th century AD, older and more numerous than Stonehenge. Overnight near Janjanbureh.
Day 8: Upriver to Basse
Drive further upriver to Basse Santa Su, the easternmost major town. Visit the bustling Basse Market where traders from Senegal, Guinea, and Mali converge. Walk through the Fulladu East district with traditional round huts. Overnight in Basse.
Day 9: Return to the Coast
Scenic drive back to the coast. Afternoon free for beach time, optional fishing trip, or last souvenir shopping for Gambian batik and wood carvings. Farewell dinner with live music at a beachside restaurant. Overnight near Kotu.
Day 10: Depart Banjul
Morning at leisure. Transfer to Banjul International Airport.
Inclusions
- 9 nights (beach hotel, eco-lodge, riverside camp)
- Daily breakfast + 5 dinners
- All transportation (4×4 and boat)
- Expert local English-speaking guide
- Kunta Kinteh Island boat trip
- Makasutu canoe safari
- River Gambia National Park boat safari
- Kachikally Crocodile Pool
- Wassu Stone Circles entry
Why The Gambia
- Kunta Kinteh Island: walk where “Roots” began
- River Gambia hippo & chimp safaris
- Kachikally Crocodile Pool: a sacred site like no other
- Wassu Stone Circles: pre-historic megaliths older than Stonehenge
- The Smiling Coast: genuinely the warmest welcome in West Africa
- Compact and safe — Africa’s smallest country, big on experiences
