The Gambia

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national dish, The Gambia

Introducing The Gambia

It’s easy to miss The Gambia on a map of mighty Africa. This tiny sliver of land is a mere 500km long and 50km wide, and, with the exception of an 80km shoreline, it’s entirely enveloped by Senegal. But beach-bound tourists have long known how to trace this oddly shaped country on the map. Its magnificent coast invites visitors to laze and linger, tempting with luxurious beach resorts and bustling fishing villages. But there’s more to Africa’s smallest country than sun and surf. Stunning nature reserves, such as Kiang West National Park and River Gambia National Park (also known as Baboon Island), and the historical slaving stations of St James Island and Jufureh offer peaceful pauses from the clamour of the nearby coast. And The Gambia’s vibrant culture is always there to be taken in by open-eyed visitors. Traditional wrestling matches regularly take place, the heaving markets of Banjul and Serekunda & the Atlantic Coast have you soaking up the atmosphere and sharpening your negotiation skills, and the striking performances of kora-strumming griots can be experienced during weddings, baptisms or public concerts.

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Bird-lovers will easily be seduced by this compact country. On a tour upriver, the cries of over 300 species will follow you as your pirogue (traditional canoe) charts a leisurely course through mangrove-lined wetlands and the island of Georgetown. Even if your ornithological skills don’t go beyond identifying an inner-city pigeon, you’ll be tempted to wield binoculars here, and can rely on an excellent network of trained guides to help you tell a pelican from a flamingo.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009

Tips & articles

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    28 September 2010

    This excerpt from Lonely Planet’s The Gambia & Senegal guide provides a selection of literature to get you in the mood...

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Recent posts

  1. BushShrike avatar
    RE: Harare (Zim) to Mali by road

    by BushShrike 13 September 2011

    Arrived the 10th of September in Bamako after some lengthy diversions in Cameroon due to rain. I'll try and get my blog back updated in…
  2. WanderinWilco avatar
    RE: What is your favorite country in Africa?

    by WanderinWilco 11 September 2011

    I only have experience of a couple of dozen African countries but living here I would put Sudan near the bottom of the heap. To qualify…
  3. Giora avatar
    RE: Senegal/Gambia

    by Giora 08 September 2011

    I have to agree with Kaz completely here, my two favorite regions in the area were also along the Senegal River and in Casamance. The…

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