Gambia

GAMBIAN Visa: It's 25.000CFA from the embassy in dakar and they will insist you can't get one on the border... but I walked into the border guards building with a big smile and told them I'd get a visa on the border for 350 dalasi (6600CFA). The guy looked a bit surprised and asked me who had told me that, and after a bit of a mental panic I told them the gambian embassy in Brussels. In any case I got the visa for 350 dalasi on the spot so it is possible to get a visa (at the Karang crossing in any case) for those who need one.

Gambia and Senegal are about the only two countries in the region where you need no visa whatsoever and can cross the border as many times as you please... if you're German that is (but not French!)... don't know about other nationalities but it can't be that bad.

Loads of women changing money on the border and they are very temperamental, it's easy to get them slinging abuse at each other and competing to offer you better rates.... The women moneychangers at the border looked really hot (they missed their profession?), but they were obviously ripping me off. Sometimes I can't be bothered to listen to the hard sell. I decided to just keep walking and see what is on the other side. Voila, a branch of some bona fide Gambian bank, where a shy friendly clerk did a smooth and honest money exchange.


I remember paying about 50-60 euros for the multiple entry Guinean visa in Banjul, Gambia so it sounds about right to me. I got my SL visa in Banjul, too (instant service), but there shouldn't be any problems in getting it in Conakry. The price might put you off, though: it's a steep us$100 (it should be the same price for everyone and everywhere), but I still considered my visit there well worth it. State of the roads is generally good - colonel qadhafi was in Gambia when I was there so we had to take a bunch of bumpy backroads to get to Brikama and the section between Kaolack and the Gambian border is a bit touch and go but it generally goes pretty quick.

I would recommend to go up to Georgetown on the Northroad because the Southroad is in very bad condition. The northern route should be tar road most of the way until Wassu. They were working on it in April and if the rainy season does not ruin it it should be a good new road. Probably I can tell you more when I am there in October. On the way to Georgetown you can visit the Wassu stone circle (Unesco World Heritage) and James Island (Unesco World Heritage). Georgetown is a nice little town. From there you can arrange boat trips to see hippos and monkeys. There are boat trips to Georgetown, but these are very touristic and can be arranged in the larger hotels in Senegambia area or Banjul.

Banjul to Georgetown costs about 160-190 GMD when taking 7-seater and minibus including 1 large bag. There are 7-seater between Barra and Farafeni. I did travel from Banjul to Georgetown and on into Senegal with no problems. The only thing is the buses are really slow, 100km takes about 3 hours as the roads are so bad. Also be aware that if you are going to small places, it is better to travel in the mornings as there may be no buses in the afternoons and the buses leave when they are full. Cant remember costs but it wasnt expensive.

In The Gambia, it is very easy to travel around by yourself. There is numerous public (and cheap) transport in the whole coastal area (southbank) up to Brikama.

I have made a trip upcountry towards Georgetown / Bansang and this was also not a big problem. Be aware, that the road on the southbank is very bad and therefore the transport is slow. Moreover, many drivers nowadays don't like to take this route anymore, because the road is so bad. The roads on the northbank have no asphalt (all gravel roads). You can make a nice trip all the way to Georgetown (or Bansang) and even further to Basse (never been there). There are enough cheap places to sleep upcountry. I never made any reservation, this was no problem. I would advise you to buy the LP Gambia /Senegal and also the Bradt (Gambia) is very useful.

I think its a good idea to get out and do your own thing eve if you are on one of these packages. upcountry accomodation is pretty cheap, though also not of very high quality as the Butchers shops which seem to double as the local hostels dont lok at all appealing.You can make sort trips by minibus but for longer trips it will generally be better to go by "bush taxi" (a larger car which collects 3-4 people together to do a longer trip. We went to southern Sensgal via this route without any problems. We enjoyed the atmosphere there beter than on the coast in Gambia which attracts some "fun the sun " British package tourist types and the associated Gambian "Bumsters" who are a bit of a pain.

The northern road is in much better condition than southern route and the bushtaxis leave more often. You have to go by ferry from Banjul to Barra. There you can get a 7-seater or a minibus to Farafeni. In Farafenni you have to go across town to the other garage and there you can take a minibus to Panjang or Ka-ur. From there you can go on by minibus to Wassu. The Wassu stone circle are some kilometres out of town, so you have get a Taxi or walk. Perhaps it's easier to get a taxi in Ka-ur as it has a bigger garage and more traffic. From Wassu there are minibusses to Georgetown. You have to cross the River by ferry or small boat.

From Banjul to Georgetown the trip will take about one day, I was on the way from 8am to 6pm, but I did not visit the Wassu stone circles that day. My way back took about 13 hours if I remember correctly. One way costs about 160-190 Dalasi including 1 large bag. The trip was made in April this year during very good weather (>40 Celcius).

I dont know the way up to Basse, but it took several people I met some hours with a chartered minibus

Be aware that public transport to more remote areas can be few. This can even be the case east of Brikama (mainly because of the terrible condition of the road). So just must be prepared to wait quite a long time before you have transport, must be aware of fluctuating prizes e.g. Now and then I hear from people who waited >1 day for transport to the east (=upcountry).

When I travelled to the east, I did Kotu (coast) - Soma in one day and Soma -Georgetow the other day. I arrived in Georgetown at around 2PM. I returned from Georgetown - Kotu in one long day (6.30 AM - 7.30 PM), but had luck in Soma being able to pick up transport to Serekunda. You can also stop halfway in Soma (or Farafenni) and sleep there for the night.

Go south from The Gambia, into Casamance. There are some lovely villages and nice people, lots to see and do. I would recommend you to go into the Casamance and not to Saint Louis, because its too far for that short trip. Ziquinchor should be a nice town and Cap Skiring has nice beaches.

I do recommend unreservedly is the Safari Garden Hotel in Banjul. Again, its not the cheapest place in town, but the woman who runs it (British, long term resident) is great, and is very keen to use the hotel to promote local industry and eco concerns. She is also extremely knowledgable about the rest of Gambia and is a great source of info for good things to do there. The hotel has a gorgous pool and a great restaurant and a lovely tropical garden, and if you're looking for a place to chill out and regain some travelling energy after a while on the road, its perfect. They have a website, which you should be able to find if you fancy it.