Gambia travel guides
Browse and explore the best travel guides in Gambia.
Gambia travel facts
The Gambia is mainland Africa's smallest country, a narrow ribbon of land following the River Gambia inland for 480 kilometres and surrounded on three sides by Senegal. It has built a reputation as Europe's most accessible winter-sun destination, roughly six hours from London with no significant time difference, and calls itself the Smiling Coast.
The Atlantic beaches around Kololi, Kotu and Cape Point carry most of the hotels, but the country rewards anyone who goes further. More than 500 bird species have been recorded here, which makes it one of the most productive birding destinations anywhere relative to its size, and Abuko Nature Reserve and Kotu Creek deliver kingfishers and bee-eaters within a short taxi ride of the resorts.
Upriver, boat trips reach Kunta Kinteh Island and the slavery museum at Albreda, both UNESCO-listed and central to the story that Alex Haley's Roots made famous, along with the ancient stone circles at Wassu and a chimpanzee rehabilitation project in River Gambia National Park. Costs are low by any measure, and English is the official language.
Capital
Banjul; Serekunda is the largest urban area
Population
~2.8 million
Area
11,300 km², mainland Africa's smallest country
Time Zone
GMT (UTC+0), no daylight saving
Currency
Gambian dalasi (GMD)
Languages
English is official; Mandinka, Wolof and Fula widely spoken
Main Airports
BJL (Banjul International, 25 km from the resort strip)
Visa
Visa-free for up to 90 days for Commonwealth, ECOWAS and several European nationalities; others apply in advance
Best For
Winter sun, beaches, birdwatching, river trips, heritage sites
Typical Cost Level
Budget
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Do you need a visa for Gambia?
Entry rules, stay length and passport validity by nationality.
Climate averages · 1991–2020
When is the best time to visit Gambia?
The best time to visit Gambia is between October and March, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
Best time · October–MarchRainfall
- Jan25°
- Feb28°
- Mar30°
- Apr32°
- May33°
- Jun31°
- Jul29°
- Aug28°
- Sep28°
- Oct29°
- Nov28°
- Dec25°
Latest travel guides
Gambia Destination FAQ
November to April is the dry season and the reason the country exists as a European winter-sun destination: warm, rainless days around 30C and cool evenings, with charter flights running from the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium. The rains arrive from June to October, when humidity climbs, some hotels close and prices fall sharply. Birdwatching is excellent throughout but peaks in the northern winter.
Citizens of Commonwealth and ECOWAS countries and a number of European states can enter without a visa for stays of up to 90 days, while other nationalities apply in advance at a Gambian mission. The eligible list is specific and has changed over the years, so confirm against an official source for your own passport rather than assuming. A yellow fever certificate may be requested if you are arriving from a country where the disease is present.
Exceptionally. More than 500 species have been recorded in a country smaller than Yorkshire, which makes it one of the most efficient birding destinations anywhere. Abuko Nature Reserve, Kotu Creek, the Tanji bird reserve and river trips upstream toward Tendaba deliver kingfishers, bee-eaters, hornbills and raptors within easy reach of the coastal hotels. Local guides are inexpensive, knowledgeable and easy to arrange.
The River Gambia runs the length of the country and boat trips are the best way to see it. Kunta Kinteh Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the associated slavery museum at Albreda give a sober account of the transatlantic trade. Further upriver, the chimpanzee rehabilitation project in River Gambia National Park and the stone circles at Wassu, also UNESCO-listed, reward the long drive. Serekunda market is the commercial heart of the country.
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