The Gambia
15-Day Birding, Wildlife & Cultural Tour of The Gambia
A carefully paced 15-day tour from the Atlantic coast through the mangrove-lined River Gambia and into the eastern part of the country, balancing serious birding with rest, wildlife and Gambian culture. Around 300 species are possible depending on season.
Duration
15 days / 14 nights
Region
The Gambia
Group
Private tour, guided personally by Yaya
Accommodation
7 hotels, lodges & camps
Tour highlights
- Around 300 possible species across coastal wetlands, mangroves, rice fields, forest and savanna
- Boat excursions on Kotu Creek, the Halahein River, Tendaba's Tunku & Kissi Bolongs and the River Gambia
- Kiang West National Park and Tendaba, among the best inland birding in southern Gambia
- Northern Carmine Bee-eater colony and Egyptian Plover along the River Gambia near Janjanbureh
- Cultural visits to Banjul National Museum, Janjanbureh, Brikama Craft Market and Serekunda Market
- Farewell evening of traditional Gambian music, dance and cuisine
The adventure, day by day
Day 1Arrival in The Gambia
Banjul International Airport • Coastal areaOn arrival you'll be met by your experienced guide and transferred to Lemon Creek Hotel. Depending on arrival time and energy, we may take a gentle introductory bird walk around the hotel gardens and surrounding coastal woodland — a first taste of the country's common species and the pace of birding in The Gambia.
Long-tailed Glossy StarlingPurple StarlingWestern Plantain-eaterVillage WeaverBrown BabblerRed-billed HornbillSenegal CoucalPied CrowDinnerLemon Creek Hotel
Day 2Kotu Creek, Boat Trip & Banjul
Kotu Creek • Kotu Ponds • Cycle Track • Fajara Golf Course • Banjul National MuseumAn early start makes the most of peak bird activity around Kotu Creek, one of the most productive birding areas on the coast — open water, mudflats, reedbeds, woodland and mangrove in one compact site. A mangrove boat excursion gives a closer look at kingfishers, herons and waders, before an afternoon visit to the National Museum in Banjul for Gambian history and culture.
Black HeronGiant KingfisherBlue-breasted KingfisherMalachite KingfisherPied KingfisherPearl-spotted OwletAbyssinian RollerGreater Painted SnipeHamerkopAfrican Harrier-HawkAfrican JacanaSpur-winged LapwingGrey KestrelBreakfast, lunch and dinnerLemon Creek Hotel
Day 3Brufut Woods, Tanji Bird Reserve & Fishing Centre
Brufut Woods • Tanji Bird Reserve • Tanji Fishing CentreA morning in Brufut Woods, one of the most rewarding woodland sites on the coast, for turacos, barbets, cuckoos and sunbirds. In the afternoon, Tanji Bird Reserve and its coastal habitats are excellent for both residents and Palearctic migrants, before a visit to Tanji Fishing Centre — colourful boats, fishermen landing their catch, and large numbers of seabirds gathering around the shore.
Green TuracoViolet TuracoAfrican Pygmy KingfisherSplendid SunbirdCopper SunbirdLong-tailed NightjarBearded BarbetVieillot's BarbetRoyal TernOspreyWhimbrelBreakfast, lunch and dinnerLemon Creek Hotel
Day 4Kartong Wetlands & Halahein River
Kartong Wetlands • Halahein River • Kartong BeachKartong, in the far southwest, is one of the country's most important wetland and coastal birding sites. A morning walk covers pools, grassland and wetland habitat, followed by an afternoon boat trip along the Halahein River through mangrove and wetland habitat, with time to relax on Kartong Beach before returning.
Palm-nut VultureAfrican Fish EagleMalachite KingfisherBlue-breasted KingfisherGiant KingfisherWhite-faced Whistling DuckPurple SwamphenBlack CrakeGoliath HeronAfrican SpoonbillBreakfast, lunch and dinnerLemon Creek Hotel
Day 5Pirang Shrimp Farm, Bonto Forest & Bintang Bolong
Pirang Shrimp Farm • Bonto Forest • Bird photography hide • Bintang BolongHeading inland, the Pirang Shrimp Farm ponds attract numerous waterbirds and migrants, and Bonto Forest holds a distinctive set of forest specialities. An afternoon at a bird photography hide offers close, relaxed observation before continuing to the peaceful riverside surroundings of Bintang Bolong Lodge.
Black-faced FirefinchLittle Bee-eaterBlack StorkGreater FlamingoWhite-spotted FlufftailBlue MalkohaNorthern Red BishopBreakfast, lunch and dinnerBintang Bolong Lodge
Day 6–7Tendaba & Kiang West National Park
Tendaba • Tendaba rice fields • Kiang West National Park • Bateling Track • Tunku & Kissi BolongsTwo days covering some of the most exciting inland birding of the tour, from woodland and farmland to open savanna, wetlands and riverine habitat. Cooler early mornings are used for longer sessions in Kiang West and along the Bateling Track, with a boat trip through the waterways around Tendaba to explore mangrove and wetland habitat.
Abyssinian Ground HornbillBateleurWhite-backed Night HeronMangrove SunbirdTemminck's CourserBronze-winged CourserBrown-rumped BuntingLong-crested EagleLanner FalconBreakfast, lunch and dinnerTendaba Camp/Lodge
Day 8Tendaba to Kauren Lodge
Open country and agricultural land en route to Kauren LodgeA day of birding stops along the route east, through open country, agricultural land, dry woodland and savanna — a good opportunity for Egyptian Plover and a range of Sahelian specialities before settling in at Kauren Lodge.
Egyptian PloverExclamatory Paradise WhydahAfrican Crowned CraneKittlitz's PloverCollared PratincoleSudan Golden SparrowCut-throat FinchBreakfast, lunch and dinnerKauren Lodge
Day 9–10Janjanbureh & Bansang
Janjanbureh (McCarthy Island) • River Gambia • BansangTwo days at the heart of the country, exploring Janjanbureh and surrounding woodland, farmland, riverine habitat and wetlands, with hippos and other wildlife possible along the river. One of the highlights is searching for Northern Carmine Bee-eater colonies, alongside a visit to Janjanbureh for its colonial-era history.
African FinfootStone PartridgeNorthern Carmine Bee-eaterBlue-breasted KingfisherBruce's Green PigeonBroad-billed RollerGrey-headed BushshrikeVerreaux's Eagle-OwlFour-banded SandgrouseBreakfast, lunch and dinnerRiverside Lodge, Bansang area- Day 11
Jahally Rice Fields & Kudang
Jahally Rice Fields • KudangAn important wetland and agricultural landscape, with the rice fields and surrounding vegetation attracting a mixture of waterbirds, grassland species, seed-eaters and migrants, before continuing towards Kudang with further birding stops en route.
African CrakeQuail FinchBar-breasted FirefinchBlack CoucalMarabou StorkBreakfast, lunch and dinnerKakuba Lodge - Day 12
Janjanbureh to Coastal Gambia via Jahally, Dalaba & Brikama
Jahally Rice Fields • Dalaba Wetlands • Brikama Craft MarketThe journey back towards the coast is broken up with birding at the Jahally Rice Fields and Dalaba Wetlands, then a stop at Brikama Craft Market for traditional Gambian handicrafts, wood carvings and locally made souvenirs, meeting local craftspeople along the way.
African Pygmy GooseBlack-winged StiltSquacco HeronYellow-billed StorkPurple HeronBreakfast, lunch and dinnerLemon Creek Hotel 
Day 13Marakissa, Darsilami Wetlands & Serekunda Market
Marakissa • Darsilami Wetlands • Serekunda MarketA relaxed-paced morning exploring wetland, woodland and agricultural habitat around Marakissa and Darsilami, followed by an afternoon at Serekunda Market — one of the busiest markets in The Gambia — for an authentic look at everyday Gambian life.
Beautiful SunbirdSplendid SunbirdDwarf BitternGiant KingfisherOriole WarblerWahlberg's EaglePurple Glossy StarlingBreakfast, lunch and dinnerLemon Creek Hotel- Day 14
Farasutu Forest & Farewell Cultural Evening
Farasutu ForestA final major birding morning at Farasutu Forest, listening for calls and searching carefully for less conspicuous forest and woodland species. The afternoon is free for the beach, shopping or relaxation, before a farewell Gambian dinner with traditional music and dance.
Green TuracoGreyish Eagle-OwlYellow-crowned GonolekBlack-crowned TchagraAfrican Grey WoodpeckerBearded BarbetVieillot's BarbetSnowy-crowned Robin-ChatBreakfast, lunch and dinnerLemon Creek Hotel 
Day 15Final Birding & Departure
Kotu Creek or an alternative nearby siteA flexible final morning, revisiting Kotu Creek or another nearby hotspot to search for anything missed earlier in the tour, before returning to the hotel for refreshments and transfer to Banjul International Airport for your onward flight.
White-backed Night HeronGrey-headed KingfisherLittle Bee-eaterGreater Painted SnipeAfrican Harrier-HawkBlue-bellied RollerPearl-spotted OwletBreakfast, lunchDay room until departure, where applicable
Photo gallery
A few of the species you have a real chance of finding on this tour — photographed by Yaya in the field.
Where you'll stay
A mix of coastal hotels and riverside lodges and camps along the route, chosen for comfort and location rather than luxury.
Key sites on this tour
Western Region, coastal Gambia, near Brufut village (a short drive from the Kotu/Kololi/Senegambia resort area)
Brufut Woods (also known as Brufut Forest or the Brufut Woods Nature Trail) is a small community-managed patch of coastal woodland and forest on the edge of Brufut village, easily reached from the coastal resort area. It's one of the best-known sites in the country for owls and for the Long-tailed Nightjar, and is popular with visiting birders for its mix of dense forest, open woodland, scrub and grassy clearings along a network of trails.
West Coast Region, Atlantic coast of The Gambia
Tanji River (Karinti) Bird Reserve, gazetted in 1993, is widely regarded as the richest single site for bird species in The Gambia. It combines coastal lagoons, mangrove, and dune scrub woodland with the offshore Bijol Islands, which hold The Gambia's only breeding seabird colonies.
Kombo South, far south-western Gambia, near the Senegal border
Kartong Bird Observatory is West Africa's only permanent bird ringing/research station, sited on the edge of Kartong village beside a reed-fringed former sand-mine pool that holds water most of the year. Ringers here have logged an estimated 260-350 species (counts vary by source) and run an internationally recognised migration-monitoring programme alongside guided birding and boat trips on the Halahin River.
Lower River Region
Kiang West is The Gambia's largest national park, spanning savanna woodland, tidal mudflats and mangrove creeks along the south bank of the Gambia River. It's renowned among birders for exceptional raptor diversity and is a stronghold for species rarely seen elsewhere in the country.
Pricing
£1,910 per person
International flights are not included. For private groups, this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your pace, interests and accommodation preferences — see what's included or ask Yaya for a custom quote.
Want this tour tailored to your group?
Dates, pace, target species and accommodation can all be adjusted — tell Yaya what matters most to you and he'll build the trip around it.