1

1/ arrive to Banjul (how many days it’s worth visiting Banjul area?)
***depending what you have seen in your life or your priorities, for me 1 day to eat and arrive and get the first ferry at 0700 the day after ( banjul to barra ) or the second between 0845 and 0915, Inch Allah

2/ head south to Casamance and spend there a few days (is anybody familiar with the current situation at the Gambia-Casamance border?)
***crossed it 4 days ago, no problem, lots of soldiers and police and no hassle. Spend 2 weeks walking between Guinea bissau and the Cap skirring-cachouane area walking and walking, only problem? are the bumsters and girls near club Med and kabrousse, but I would not call that a disturbance

3/ Go to Dakar from Casamance by ferry
***easy, twice a week for 15900 CFA a seat or 18900 bed in 8 person cabine if available

4/ After spending rest of my trip in North Senegal and go back to Banjul by grand taxi and boat from Barra

• • • Dakar to garage last town was 6000 by 7 place and 3500 by bus.

from garage in last town in Senegal you walk 1km or take donkey cart for 100 cfa to border, from border to barra I took yelly yelly for 25 dalasi = 0,4 €
big ferry 10 dalasi and you are in Banjul after 40 minutes, walk 1 km to the departure point of transport to other places

5/ Does anybody how is the visa situation in Gambia? I hold a passport of Spain and some web sites of the Gambian govertment say that I don’t need a visa, however, the Gambian FO’s web site says that I do. Should I get a multiple entry Gambian visa?
***if the GFO tells you to take a visa , take it .
I did not need a visa when I entered the first time and the immigration would hassle me to pay 6000 CFA, about 9 € which I refused, after 10 minutes they just let me enter for free. However, I was sure to need NO visa. 1/ arrive to Banjul (how many days it’s worth visiting Banjul area?)
***depending what you have seen in your life or your priorities, for me 1 day to eat and arrive: and get the first ferry at 07 the day after ( banjul to barra )

2/ head south to Casamance and spend there a few days (is anybody familiar with the current situation at the Gambia-Casamance border?)
***crossed it 4 days ago, no problem, lots of soldiers and police and no hassle.

3/ Go to Dakar from Casamance by ferry
***easy, twice a week for 15900 CFA seat or 18900 bed in 8 person cabine

4/ After spending rest of my trip in North Senegal and go back to Banjul by grand taxi and boat from Barra

• • • Dakar to garage last town was 6000 by 7 place and 3500 by bus.

from garage in last town in Senegal you walk 1km or take donkey cart for 100 cfa to border, from border to barra I took yelly yelly for 25 dalasi = 0,4 €
big ferry 10 dalasi and you are in Banjul after 40 minutes, walk 1 km to the departure point of transport to other places

5/ Does anybody how is the visa situation in Gambia? I hold a passport of Spain and some web sites of the Gambian govertment say that I don’t need a visa, however, the Gambian FO’s web site says that I do. Should I get a multiple entry Gambian visa?
***if the GFO tells you to take a visa , take it .
I did not need a visa when I entered the first time and the immigration would hassle me to pay 6000 CFA, about 9 € which I refused, after 10 minutes they just let me enter for free because I enterd already 2 times without a visa, I knew it. I do not want you to arrive there at these greedy guys without a visa when you need one. 1/ arrive to Banjul (how many days it’s worth visiting Banjul area?)
***depending what you have seen in your life or your priorities, for me 1 day to eat and arrive: and get the first ferry at 07 the day after ( banjul to barra )

2/ head south to Casamance and spend there a few days (is anybody familiar with the current situation at the Gambia-Casamance border?)
***crossed it 4 days ago, no problem, lots of soldiers and police and no hassle.

3/ Go to Dakar from Casamance by ferry
***easy, twice a week for 15900 CFA seat or 18900 bed in 8 person cabine

4/ After spending rest of my trip in North Senegal and go back to Banjul by grand taxi and boat from Barra

• • • Dakar to garage last town was 6000 by 7 place and 3500 by bus.

from garage in last town in Senegal you walk 1km or take donkey cart for 100 cfa to border, from border to barra I took yelly yelly for 25 dalasi = 0,4 €
big ferry 10 dalasi and you are in Banjul after 40 minutes, walk 1 km to the departure point of transport to other places

5/ Does anybody how is the visa situation in Gambia? I hold a passport of Spain and some web sites of the Gambian govertment say that I don’t need a visa, however, the Gambian FO’s web site says that I do. Should I get a multiple entry Gambian visa?
***if the GFO tells you to take a visa , take it .
I did not need a visa when I entered the first time and the immigration would hassle me to pay 6000 CFA, about 9 € which I refused, after 10 minutes they just let me enter for free.
I do not want you to arrive there at these greedy guys without a visa when you need one. I know many french living in Casamance who just take the boat to Dakar to avoid all these visa expenses and hassle ! By the way check the visa situation for Senegal, a visa requierement is coming ...
ENJOY

2

Savan - it sounds like you've done a lot of walking in the area. Is that true? I've done a number of long distance walks in other countries over the years (i.e. walking 25-30 km/ day for a number of weeks. Walking as a way of getting around), is it feasible/enjoyable in Senegal and Gambia and that general area? Ever done much there?

3

well in the Cap skirring area- with a beautiful beach, if you walk from the club med towards Guinea bissau on the beach it is about 10-12 km, return more than enough for me.
Cap skirring -Diembering is about 12 on a red earth road, and diembering to cachouane is about 9. In the last case you walk alone through savanne vegetation, one crossing through mangrove thigh high sea water at most, it was 38 degrees. That needs some better preparation as I had and ideally a travel companion. Walking in Senegal/gambia is easy, nobody bothers you but walking mostly along a road is not nice, but hot and dusty.
A substantial part of my walking is done between good hitchhiking spots, but this are not nice walks, a backpack, noisy cars, pollution and dust, but I have to do it.

4

Ortique,

1/ arrive to Banjul (how many days it’s worth visiting Banjul area?)
Take a Taxi to Lamin, Abuko Park, Lamin Lodge, African Zoo Restaurant and Bar, or go to Kololi and the Strip.
1st is Cheap, 2nd is Tourist area much more expensive.
Rooms from 300 Dalasi a Night... about £6.00 some with Breakfast.

2/ head south to Casamance and spend there a few days (is anybody familiar with the current situation at the Gambia-Casamance border?)
As Savan said, "no problem, lots of soldiers and police and no hassle. "

3/ Go to Dakar from Casamance by ferry
Lot Cheaper, going back through The Gambia..!

4/ After spending rest of my trip in North Senegal and go back to Banjul by grand taxi and boat from Barra
Again As Savan said.

5/ Does anybody how is the visa situation in Gambia? I hold a passport of Spain and some web sites of the Gambian government say that I don’t need a visa, however, the Gambian FO’s web site says that I do. Should I get a multiple entry Gambian visa?
Again As Savan said.

Enjoy..!!!
Rich,,,,,,,

5

Hello

in response to ARJ Wilson:

I've done a fair bit of walking around the Casamance (my home) and am developing a trek between the Gambia and Guinea Bissau borders - both on foot and canoe. There's a bit of info here http://thelittlebaobab.com/trekking-tours/the-casa-trek/ and I'm happy to give any further advice (routes, where to stay and so on).
You'll find plenty of info on the blogs as well, accessible through my site.

Simon

6

I got back from The Gambia / Senegal last weekend. I travel with an EU passport and didn't need an advance visa for either country. There's more info about my trip, getting around and pictures on my blog: www.indianajo.com

Tip: the 'Bumsters' in The Gambia can be a hassle - if you want to avoid them on the beach, walk in the shallow water as many of them don't want to get their trainers wet :)