In PRACTICE

-Either you are traveling in Gambia and plan to be in the Kuntaur/Janjanbureh area. Just contact "Smiley" in advance via his email or whatsapp and arrange for specific tours.

-Or  you are sunbathing on the coast ( Kotu, Kololi,...) and want to see more. Book the full 2-day tour with a driver picking you up at your hotel or at the Banjul Airport. After 4-4.5 hours of driving on a smooth paved road, you will then be able to see chimpanzees and hippos, spot many bird species during several hours of birdwatching and visit the circles of stones in Wassu (Activities 1-3 below). You stay overnight in a simple but clean and well-located guesthouse located in Kuntaur on the river banks (Kairoh Garden,   see https://kairohgarden.com/).

Price: 500 Euros for 2 people, 2 days all inclusive. 50 euros per additional person up to 4. Contact Smiley for larger groups.

 

                   ACTIVITIES

1) Discover the chimpanzees colony thriving in Baboon Island National Park

(see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Gambia_National_Park)

Practically: Embark on the 6-8 seats boat for a 3-4 hour trip on the Gambia river heading to Baboon island. On the way, you'll see at close distance colorful birds such as 3 species of kingfishers, rollers, hornbills, palmnut vultures and more. In the National Park, you will see chimpanzees at close distance (10-20 m). Chances are you will also encounter groups of hippos.

Note: Entrance to the park and drinking water are included in the price

           Best time to view the chimps is around 3-4 p.m.!

Price: 35 euros or 2450 GMD for one person plus 17.5 Euros (1250 GMD) for each person extra.

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2) Walk at a slow pace in the local rice fields or wooden areas and discover the amazing birds populating the area.
Typical target species are: long-tailed and great cormoran,  darter, finfoot, herons, egrets, storks, hornbills, 3-4 species of kingfishers (malachite, blue-breasted, pied, giant), several species of bee-eaters and rollers, palmnut vulture, fishing eagle, African scoops owl... and many more

Practically: Start for 3 hours around 9 a.m. or 4 p.m. for a slow walk with your binocculars. Smiley will spot dozens of beautiful species that you will have time to see and photograph. Wear comfortable shoes or sandals and bring sunscreen and hat if sensitive to sunburns.

Multiple locations can be explored in different 2 hour tours

Price: 10 euros (700 GMD) per person plus 5 euros (350 GMD) for each person extra.

Includes price for crossing the river and drinking water.

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3) Visit the "Stonehenge of Africa " i.e., the Stones Circles of Wassu and Wassu market

(see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegambian_stone_circles)

Practically: Use you own car/bicycle or embark on a donkey-pulled cart to go to Wassu (2.5 km). Meet there a local guide who will explain in great detail the history of this site and will guide you in the small museum describing the discovery and archeological investigations

Note: Entrance to the site and drinking water are included

Price: 12 euros (800 GMD) per person plus 6 euros(400 GMD) per additional person .

                 Price also includes the donkey cart

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4) Excursion to Janjanbureh (former local capital  under the name of Georgetown)

(see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janjanbureh)

Visit the local market and Kankuran cultural museum (https://www.facebook.com/p/Janjanbureh-cultural-museum-100054622411606/). Discover the local history of slave trade by visiting the freedom tree and the historical wooden slavehouse.

Practically:  Visit can be arranged by hiring a local taxi or via a 4 hours boat trip that will again allow you to see many birds

Price: Boat trip: 100 Euros  for up to 8 people.

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6) Camp in a safe village site and discover the local culture

Practically: If you are travelling with your own vehicle (car, motorhome, bicycle) and camping, Smiley will provide a safe camping site in his village of Tuba Demba, about 8 km from Kuntaur across the river (there is a small boat crossing for passenger and bicyles/motos but not for cars. By car you must arrive via Kudang. Currently the place has "local" toilets and shower but devlopment is planned.

Price: free for now. Leave a tip at the end if you appreciated.

5) Visit the cliff of the Gambia river where the last elephant of Gambia was killed years ago. The name of this elephant was Samaa bi konko.

Practically: you travel by boat upstream/ on the river for about 4 hours with Captain Smiley or by land for about 6-7 hours. You can then climb on the cliff from where you have a magnificent view of the river. You discover a lot of the local fauna on the way including the free ranging colony of chimpanzees in baboon island, hippos, different speces of monkeys (red colobus, baboons) and many bird species.

Price: 10,000 GMD or 125 Euros for up to 8 people.

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