Traveling in Gambia

As Africa’s smallest country, Gambia was a place that I intended to treat more as a stopover on my road trip from Senegal to Guinea-Bissau. To say I knew little about this country before my arrival would be an understatement, I knew absolutely nothing about Gambia. My first day in Senegal was a bit draining with my lack of French skills, so by the time I arrived to Gambia I was relieved to find English being spoken. The nation’s borders are basically the Gambian river along with its banks. These provide diverse ecosystems that are a haven for wildlife, some interesting towns. Perhaps most important, I didn’t realize until my arrival that Gambia was the home of Kunta Kinte, a character from the famous novel Roots, written by Alex Haley in 1976.

Banjul

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The capital of Gambia is a small city located along the Atlantic ocean. For most a simple day trip will be all they need to visit Banjul, and can use this time to go to the city’s market, visit the national assembly, and the famous Arch 22 museum and memorial.

Gambia River Basin

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The Gambia River Basin is a large swamp of land that includes all the natural areas of the country. The mouth of the Gambia river into the Atlantic is home to sharks and dolphins, while inland you can find crocodiles, spitting cobras, to hippos and hyenas deeper into the country. This haven of wildlife is made up of multiple ecosystems such as tropical forests and mangrove swamps, and can offer some true adventure to anyone willing to explore.