Day 1: Arrive Banjul — Beachside Welcome
Arrive Banjul. Transfer to the Senegambia Beach Hotel, Gambia’s premier coastal resort. Afternoon at leisure on the golden sand beach. Welcome dinner featuring domoda (Gambian peanut stew) and benachin (jollof rice). Overnight Senegambia Beach Hotel.
Day 2: Abuko Nature Reserve & Brikama
Morning: Abuko Nature Reserve, The Gambia’s oldest protected area (established 1968). Despite its small size (105 hectares), the reserve packs extraordinary wildlife density: green vervet monkeys, red colobus monkeys, monitor lizards, crocodiles at the central pool, and an animal orphanage. The walkways through gallery forest offer spectacular birding — over 270 species recorded. Afternoon: Brikama, Gambia’s second-largest town, famous for its woodcarving market. Watch artisans create masks, drums, and koras (21-string harp-lutes). Overnight Senegambia Beach Hotel.
Day 3: Kunta Kinteh Island — Roots Journey
Ferry across the Gambia River to Barra. Visit the Albreda Slavery Museum, then boat to Kunta Kinteh Island (UNESCO) — Fort James ruins. Walk the island, stand in the slave holding cells, process the history. Afternoon: visit Juffureh village, home of the Kinteh family. Meet Grandma Karafa Kinteh, who carries the oral history of her ancestor Kunta Kinteh’s capture and the family’s journey since. It’s an encounter that changes how you understand the trans-Atlantic slave trade — this is the human scale of history. Overnight Senegambia Beach Hotel.
Day 4: Batik Workshop & Tanji Fishing
Morning: visit a Batik factory for a hands-on workshop in Gambian textile art — create your own fabric using wax-resist dyeing techniques. Afternoon: Tanji Fishing Village, the most colorful fishing port in The Gambia. Watch the fleet of painted pirogues return with the catch, the beach erupting into organized chaos as fish are auctioned, smoked, and loaded onto trucks. Smokehouses line the beach, creating a dramatic, pungent atmosphere. Overnight Senegambia Beach Hotel.
Day 5: River Cruise & Mandingo Village
Full day on and around the Gambia River. Morning boat cruise through the creeks and mangroves — watch for dolphins (common here), pelicans, and fish eagles. Disembark at a Mandingo village for a cultural visit: traditional thatched compounds, groundnut farming, the village school, and a kora performance. Share lunch with the village community. Afternoon return cruise. Overnight Senegambia Beach Hotel.
Day 6: Banjul Markets & Free Afternoon
Morning: visit Albert Market in Banjul — the sensory overload of West African commerce: textiles, spices, crafts, and produce. Climb Arch 22 for city views. Afternoon at leisure — beach, pool, or optional excursion to Kartong, a traditional coastal village with a sacred crocodile pool. Farewell dinner at a top restaurant. Overnight Senegambia Beach Hotel.
Day 7: Departure
Morning beach time. Transfer to Banjul International Airport.
