Bradt Guides Gambia

Description

Bradt Guides Gambia

Bradt Guides Gambia is the most comprehensive guide to The Gambia. With contrasting waterscapes of the choppy Atlantic Ocean and the more serene River Gambia the country is literally teeming with tropical birds and monkeys. Moreover, The Gambia is a beautiful country full of opportunities for adventurous travellers.

Small West African Country

The Gambia is a small West African country, bounded by Senegal, with a narrow Atlantic coastline. It is the smallest country on mainland Africa. It’s known for its diverse ecosystems around the central Gambia River. Abundant wildlife in its Kiang West National Park and Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve includes monkeys, leopards, hippos, hyenas and rare birds. The capital, Banjul, and nearby Serrekunda offer access to beautiful beaches.

The Gambia is a rather low-key Anglophone nation whose serpentine shape mimics the meandering course of the Gambia River for 300km inland of its tropical Atlantic coastline. This famously welcoming country is also one of the few in West Africa to boast a genuinely thriving tourist industry. This is thanks to its proximity to Europe and the plethora of beach resorts. It has resorts catering to all tastes and budgets. They line the 80km stretch of tropical coastline running from the capital Banjul to the remote southern border.

Gambia Perceptions

Perceptions of The Gambia are of the well-organised coastal resorts. However, the interior offers rich picking to moderately adventurous travellers. Justifiably popular with birdwatchers, the lush mangrove- and jungle-fringed river is home to many animals. These include crocodiles, hippos, chimpanzees and a variety of monkeys.

Historic attractions include the mysterious megalithic stone circles at Wassu and Ker Batch. You will also appreciate the fortified James Island and former slave-trading village of Juffereh. Furthermore, this is where Alex Haley traced his ancestry in the book and TV programme Roots. Moreover, these form part of the country’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

All in all, this is a safe, welcoming and decidedly tourist-friendly English-speaking country. It makes for an ideal short-stay introduction to the unique atmosphere of Africa.

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