Gambia & Senegal Birding Safari — Self-Launched 10-Day Version

Fly into Banjul (BJL) and take a shared taxi or local bus the ~20 minutes to the Kotu/Fajara coast strip (expect D150–250 / ~£2–3). Settle into a guesthouse near Kotu Bridge, then walk the bridge and adjacent rice fields in the afternoon — one of the easiest introductions to Gambian birding, with pied kingfishers, pygmy kingfisher, Senegal thick-knee and dozens of waders. Optionally walk or negotiate a short boat trip to the Fajara golf course area for waterbirds. Book a freelance bird guide for tomorrow through the Gambia Bird Guides Association or your guesthouse (roughly £30–40/day shared).

🚌Shared taxi from Banjul airport to Kotu (~£2–3)

🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Kotu/Fajara, e.g. simple beach-strip guesthouse double (~£18–25)

• →Kotu Bridge and rice fields bird walk
• →Optional boat trip toward Fajara Golf Course wetlands
• →Arrange freelance bird guide for the trip

Head south on a gelly-gelly or shared minibus toward Binta and Mandinaba for early-morning forest-edge birding and photography, then on to Farasutu Forest and the cashew orchard with your guide — good for green turaco, violet turaco and woodland species. Stop at Bulock rice fields in the afternoon and take a local lunch. In the late afternoon continue toward Tendaba (shared transport, ~3–4 hours total), arriving in time for a short evening walk at the edge of Kiang West National Park.

🚌Gelly-gelly / shared minibus with guide, ~£8–12 per person for the day

🛏Tendaba Camp basic chalet or nearby guesthouse (~£20–30)

• →Dawn birding at Mandinaba
• →Farasutu Forest and cashew orchard birdwatching
• →Bulock rice fields
• →Evening bird walk toward Kiang West National Park

Early start at the Kaur wetlands and Panchang swamps — prime habitat for fish eagles, herons and kingfishers. Stop at the Wassu sandpit and the nearby Wassu Stone Circles (a UNESCO-listed site, small entry fee). Join a local boatman at Kuntaur for a river trip to look for hippos and chimpanzees (negotiate directly, ~£15–25 shared). Cross to Georgetown Island on the local ferry, then check into a riverside lodge in Janjangbureh.

🚌Shared minibus/ bush taxi Tendaba–Kuntaur–Georgetown plus local ferry (~£10–15)

🛏Riverside lodge in Janjangbureh/Georgetown (~£25–35)

• →Kaur wetlands and Panchang swamps birding
• →Wassu sandpit birding and Wassu Stone Circles
• →Kuntaur river boat trip for hippos and chimps
• →Local ferry to Georgetown Island

Morning birding at Bansang Quarry, a reliable spot for raptors and cliff-nesting species, plus a wander through Janjangbureh town with its colonial-era architecture and market. Then head south on bush taxis to the Gambia–Senegal border (Vélingara area). Have your passport and yellow fever certificate ready; border formalities at small crossings are usually straightforward. Continue by shared sept-place to Wassadou on the Gambia River, on the edge of Niokolo Koba National Park, and pitch up at a riverside camp.

🚌Bush taxi/ sept-place Georgetown–Vélingara–Wassadou (~£10–15)

🛏Wassadou riverside camp — basic tent/cabin or bring your own tent (~£10–18)

• →Bansang Quarry birding
• →Janjangbureh town walk
• →Gambia–Senegal border crossing
• →Settle into Wassadou riverside camp

Dawn birding at Goulombou on the fringe of Niokolo Koba National Park — one of the best areas for Basra reed warbler, Pel's fishing owl if lucky, and large raptor numbers. In the afternoon take a second boat trip on the Gambia River with a local pirogue operator to look for hippos, crocodiles and riverine birds. Note: Niokolo Koba's interior has had security restrictions in recent years — stay in the buffer zone and check current advice with your camp and the FCO before travelling.

🚌Local pirogue hire shared (~£8–12)

🛏Wassadou riverside camp (~£10–18)

• →Goulombou birding near Niokolo Koba NP
• →Gambia River pirogue trip
• →Village walk in Wassadou

Slow day around camp. Early visit to the famous vulture drinking pool — hooded, white-backed, white-headed and lappet-faced vultures come down to drink, with a hide available. Bird the camp grounds, nearby forest tracks and farmland on foot with your guide, then rest through the heat of the day. This is also the day to sort onward transport and confirm your return legs.

🚌Walking / local moto-taxi (~£3–5)

🛏Wassadou riverside camp (~£10–18)

• →Vulture drinking pool hide
• →Birding camp grounds and nearby forest
• →Farnland and savanna edge walks

Cross back into The Gambia at Vélingara and take shared transport north-east toward Janjangbureh, then a local taxi or motorbike the last stretch to the Kunkiling Forest Park area. Afternoon birding in the forest park for savanna woodland species and raptors. Camp or stay simple at a community camp near Kunkiling.

🚌Sept-place and shared taxi Wassadou–Janjangbureh–Kunkiling (~£12–18)

🛏Community camp / basic lodge near Kunkiling (~£10–18)

• →Border crossing back into The Gambia
• →Kunkiling Forest Park birding
• →River Gambia sunset views

Morning birding in savanna woodland, farmlands and riverine wetlands around Kunkiling — good for bee-eaters, rollers, sunbirds and shrikes. Take a local boat across to Georgetown Island and bird the south bank of the River Gambia with several roadside stops (Madinaumfally rice fields, woodland patches). Afternoon shared transport back to Tendaba for the night.

🚌Local boat plus shared minibus to Tendaba (~£10–15)

🛏Tendaba Camp chalet or nearby guesthouse (~£20–30)

• →Savanna woodland and farmland birding
• →River Gambia boat trip to Georgetown Island
• →Multiple birding stops on the south bank

Work your way back down the south bank toward the coast, stopping at the Raptor Bridge near Bajagar and any likely wetlands you spot. Have lunch at a community eco-lodge along the way (small entrance fee, cheap local food). Arrive back to the Kotu/Bakotu coast in the late afternoon and check into a beach-strip guesthouse near the Bakotu Hotel area for an easy final night.

🚌Shared minibus / gelly-gelly Tendaba–Kotu (~£6–10)

🛏Beach-strip guesthouse in Kotu/Fajara (~£18–25)

• →Raptor Bridge birding
• →Roadside wetland birding stops
• →Eco-lodge lunch stop
• →Coast region birding at dusk

Early start for Abuko Nature Reserve (small entry fee, ~£2–5) — a small but dense gallery forest with a good hide over a pool, reliable for African fish eagles, turacos and monkeys. Continue to Marakissa Woods and the Sifoe Forest area for a final birding push, with lunch at a riverside camp. Head back to Banjul/Kotu by early afternoon — plenty of time for an evening departure from BJL. If your flight is late at night, pay for one extra night at your guesthouse (not included).

🚌Local taxi/ shared taxi to Abuko and airport (~£10–15)

🛏Day room at guesthouse or departure (extra night optional ~£20)

• →Abuko Nature Reserve birding
• →Marakissa Woods and Sifoe Forest
• →Riverside camp lunch
• →Transfer to Banjul airport