Updated
July 8, 2001
Wildlife Trips and Tours
It's hot, it's dusty and the roads are bumpy, you feel as if you're on safari even if its just a day out - but you can fill a day or two with great opportunities to get close to nature.
Most wildlife tours will cost between £20 & £30 per person
GTS members can be as flexible as they like with car trips for up to 3/4 people at £40 a day.
Comments on this page email please
Sadly there is now very little LARGE wildlife left in The Gambia, there are some Hippos up river and a variety of antelopes and some warthogs, but to compensate there are several types of monkeys , baboons and a fantastically rich and varied variety of birds and butterflies, lizards camelions - and from the sea, the creeks and the river a profusion of amazing fish and at the rivers mouth some dolphins.
However, it is difficult to travel anywhere without seeing wildlife of some sort in its natural habitat of exotic plants and trees, often these encounters are quite unplanned and unexpected and all the more exciting and interesting for that reason.
There are places where yiou can increase your chances of seeing wildlife, there are a number of nature reserves and also local spots where you can rely on a wildlife show.
The closest wildlife reserve to Gambia's main holiday resort of Kololi is the Bijilo Forest Park which has a large number of monkeys and a wide variety of birds. Also in Kololi there are te grounds of the Senegambia Hotel, which has large and very tame monitor lizards round the gardens and every morning a dispaly of vultures who swoop in to be fed on the hotel scraps, providing a fantastic opportunity to take photographs.
Moving away from Kololi, a little north up the coast, (2km) Kotu stream joins the Atlantic the banks on the south are popular for bird watching and those on the north bank are part of The Gambia's only golf course also a good bird watching venue, the bridge over kotu stream has become the unofficial point for anyone looking for a bird watching guide.
Furher still up the coast (4Km) between Fajara and Cape Point there is the little port of Bakau. It has a long pierand the port has what seems a constant buzz of activity as heavily laden boats come close to the shore to be unloaded by hand in large baskets carried on peoples heads to the market ashore. The pier is very popular with line fishermen, so ther is generally some activity around this beautiful spot nestling beneath the dark red lacerite cliffs that provide the dramatic backdrop here.
Walking distance from the port (left at the top of the road from the port) are the old municipal botanical gardens from colonial days. They are tucked away on the left just passed the the road junction with 'Old Cape Road' after the small but very interesting little craft market under the trees.
The botanical gardens are a quite place to see botanical specimens and also to spot a few birds. Also in Bakau, but along a series of back streets there is one of Gambia's 3 sacred crocodile pools, this one the easiest to reach and so the most commercial around the streets that lead to it.
Leaving Bakau down 'Old Cape Road' takes you between lagoons and mud flats and offers some wide vista views and excellent opportunities to see wading birds if the tide is right, it also provides a short cut to the main dual carriage way to Banjul and Denton bridge. The alternative route from Bakau is to take Cape Road from the large supermarket opposite the African Village hotel, about half way down this road are the gardens used by most local people to provide fresh vegetables for their own use and maybe a little surplus for sale. They are wonderfully peaceful and tended mainly by the local women, you will definitely need a local guide or risk being told to go away.
Which ever way you get to Denton Bridge, the old bridge is a favoured haunt of fishermen line fishing, the locals know the best times and oten in the shallows you will see fishermen wading into the water and throwing their round nets out infrontof them. I spent a hour or two here one day watchingthe diving comorants and the fishermen. On the far side of the road there is denton boat yard you can arrange reasonably priced boat trips from here, but it is best to make arrangement for the next day rather than risk just turning up anf going.
Back through Serrekunda and heading South towards Lamin and the airport you pass through Faji Kunda, May's village and a trip to the balong from here often provides good bird watching and a great place for a paddle. Back on the main road you will pass Abuko cattle market before arriving at Abuko Nature reserve, where you will see monkeys while taking a jungle walk, through the ravine that carries the Lamin river down to the Gambia river. The reserve has antelope, crocodiles, hyenas, and a very wid variety of birds.
Not much further down the road you come to Lamin village, the German built lodge on the creek is a favourite place for bird watchers but also for coach loads of tourists and the two do not blend well together. If you really want a bird watching trip arrange it privately, the big tours are often spoilt by noisy visitors just out for a laugh on a boat. not the operators fault, but a victim of its own success.
Boats leave Lamin Lodge and arrive here from Banjul and Denton bridge, some guides will arrange a trip down river from here after a trip to Abuko and meet you at denton to take you back to your hotel.
The other way of making the day into a round trip after you visit to Lamin is to take the new road from the airport towards the coast via Brufut or Tanji. Here you can see traditional fishing boats, drying and smoking of fish a wide range of shells are usually for sale as well as the passability 0f a short camel ride at Tanji Camel Safari. Tanji has the newest of Gambia's nature reserves a bird sanctury, most visitors are keen watchers and arrive early and spend the whole day in the reserve or take off by boat to Bililo Islands to see the puffins and other sea birds.
If the tide is right, many operators will bring you back along the beach, ofering quite a new experience of the Atlantic shoreline.
On of the problems with any wildlife sight seeing trip, is that the best times are early mornings and late afternoon and you just can't be everywhere at those times. To avoid the crowds don't go early to Lamin Lodge, without checking the expected numbers before you visit.
Seing dolphinsis on of those treats that just happens. There are special dolphin trips but often you still don't see them. The only time I saw dolphins it was on a 3d ferry ride to Barra from Banjul and 3 or 4 just swam round the ferry entertaining the tourists to the puzzlement of the locals. All the boat trip are great there is just something about water and in the Gambian heat the cool river breezes are most refreshing BUT be prepared for disappointment if its dolphins near Banjul or hippos near Georgetown, bith are elusive and nothing can be guaranteed.
A little further afield is the private Makusuto Lodge and Bantang Bolang a methodist run forestry project both a little way out of Brikama, but easily doable in a day, as long as you make an early start.
Tendaba camp, is also a favourite if you fancy a night away, it is very close to Kiang West National Park.
Some explorers will take a real safari up river, where you may see warthogs, baboons, hippos and a variety of antelope and even more splendid and brightly coloured birds. Georgetown island is a possability, where the Bird Safari Camp is situated, beautiful secluded an ideal paradise for birds, but expensive if you are travelling independantly but want a boat trip to see hippos - boat trip costs are shared by the number of people so £60 between 10 isn't too bad but for 1 or 2 is a lot - consider an operator tour at £75 pp for 3 days 2 nights if you want all the extras. GTS special prioces are fine if you want a quiet stay.
In Gambia anything is possible, just ask!!!
5 Top
