"Gambia" Top 5 Page for this destination The Gambia by traveldave

The Gambia Travel Guide: 888 reviews and 1,408 photos

Gambia is a long, narrow English-speaking country which projects like a thorn from the Atlantic Ocean into the heart of French-speaking Senegal. It is becoming an increasingly popular vacation destination for Europeans seeking sunshine and warmth during the cold European winter.

The area that is now Gambia was originally settled by two different peoples who migrated from other parts of West Africa, the Wolof and Mandinka. Both languages are still spoken by their respective tribe members, in addition to English. The Wolof were the first to inhabit the area around the Gambia River, and the Mandinka came later, bringing Islam with them from what is now Mali.

In the 1400s, Europeans, led by Portugal, began exploring the West African coast. The Portuguese established trading posts along the coast, trading in gold, slaves, and other commodities. The Gambia River got its name from the Portuguese word cambio, which means "exchange" or "trade."

Eventually Gambia was colonized by the British. It became a protectorate in 1820, and a full British colony in 1886. Gambia was a small and unimportant part of the vast British Empire. Therefore, there was little investment in infrastructure or the economy. The only commodity the colony produced was peanuts. In 1965, Gambia became independent. And although peanuts are still an important part of the country's economy, tourism is becoming more important.

I went to Gambia as part of a two-week birdwatching trip to Gambia and Senegal. I visited the Banjul area, the Abuko Nature Reserve, Pirang Forest Park, Janjangbureh, Bansang, and Tendaba. Although birdwatching was the focus of my trip, I was still able to take some pictures of the local landscape and attractions.

Last visit to The Gambia: Jan 2007
Intro Updated Feb 17, 2007
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Reviews (18)

Fort Bullen Things to Do (4)

Fort Bullen was constructed by the British between 1820 and 1830 to protect the mouth of the Gambia River, and to... more travel advice

The Kapok Tree Off The Beaten Path (4)

Originally native to Central and South America, the kapok tree has been introduced to tropical Africa and Southeast... more travel advice

Local Agriculture Local Customs (1)

About 80 percent of Gambia's population relies on local agriculture. The land surrounding every village is made up of... more travel advice

Termite Mounds Off The Beaten Path (4)

Termite mounds are a common feature of the grassy savanna zone in Gambia, and elsewhere in Africa for that matter.... more travel advice

Restaurants (1)
Lamin Lodge
Warnings Or Dangers (2)
See All Potholes
Transportation (2)
See All The Banjul Ferry

Hotels (3)
See All Tendaba Camp
Favorites (1)
Banjul
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Travelogues (1)

Written Jan 1, 2007

1 photo

Map of Gambia

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Comments (9)

angiebabe Dec 22, 2010 at 4:02 AM Report Abuse

thanks for your information here - getting itchy feet and want to start seeing some more of Africa during the year ahead!
Paul2001 May 27, 2007 at 12:21 PM Report Abuse

Lots of info on Gambia that I knew nothing about. Birdwatching can take you to some fascinating places.
Bwana_Brown Mar 27, 2007 at 7:16 AM Report Abuse

Dave, this is an excellent page with lots of great details on The Gambia!! I really enjoyed your descriptions of the roads, ferries and life along the river - brought back old African memories. I hope you saw lots of birds!
matcrazy1 Mar 5, 2007 at 3:50 PM Report Abuse

Great page full of very useful info. I would like to see the Abuko Nature Reserve and Pirang Forest Park.
Hosell Feb 22, 2007 at 1:27 PM Report Abuse

Great to learn a bit more about your adventures in Africa! I love your page and pics,I like that Nature Reserve and Savanna! hope to visit this part of Africa (or others) someday too,it looks beautiful,even with those bad roads!
deecat Feb 10, 2007 at 5:04 PM Report Abuse

What a remarkable group of pages, Dave. I learned so much about the Gambia River, termite mounds, the savanna, the Kapob Tree, and the Nature reserve. Excellent warnings. Terrific hotel tips. Bravo.
Vulindlela Feb 10, 2007 at 4:20 PM Report Abuse

Glad to see you are back safe! Very impressive stuff on The Gambia.
Kuznetsov_Sergey Feb 10, 2007 at 12:04 AM Report Abuse

What an interesting and exotic (for me) place! Birdwatching in Gambia I guess worth making such a trip. I think you have a lot of photos of birds. Why don't you put them on your page? Thanks David for sharing!
irishgalmtl Dec 23, 2006 at 3:50 AM Report Abuse

Hello there Dave, Never heard of The Gambia before ...Thank u for your info...Donna :)