Gambia & Senegal
Superb West African birdwatching

Friday 2 - Friday 16 December 2011 (15 days)
2012 dates to be confirmed

Join us for some wonderful tropical birding, with parrots, hornbills, rollers, bee-eaters, sunbirds, kingfishers, and more than a dozen species of heron - all only six hours away from the UK.

The Gambia is a small, narrow country running up the River Gambia and completely surrounded by Senegal or the sea. Yet there is a wide variety of habitats within just a few miles: estuary, mangrove swamp, riverine forest, marshland, and the edge of the West African Forest.

The Gambia makes an ideal introduction to African birdwatching coupled as it is with easy access from Britain, comfortable hotels on the coast, and a friendly welcome from the locals. Our trip also visits the fabulous Saloum Delta in Senegal. We spend the first week in Gambia on the coast, with the second week travelling into Senegal and up the River Gambia, to make up a fabulous fortnight's feast of African birding.

What birds we will find! Almost on arrival we will be watching Red-billed and Grey Hornbills, Senegal Coucal, Long-tailed Sunbird, Hooded Vulture and many more. The hotel grounds offer superb birding and our first morning's stroll should produce fine views of some spectacular species. And as usual, we shall be keeping an eye on the general wildlife of the area including some spectacular butterflies and reptiles, Nile Monitor Lizard, and monkeys such as Green Vervet and Red Colobus.

Accommodation
 On the coast we stay at the Senegambia Beach Hotel. This is one of the best hotels in the Gambia, set in its own large well-tended gardens, hosting an amazing variety of birds. It also has its own beach and, of course, swimming pool. It makes an excellent place for relaxing during the heat of the day and a safe place for independent early morning and evening birding. All rooms have private facilities and air conditioning. Accommodation at Keur Saloum is good, while accommodation 'upriver' in The Gambia is as outlined in the itinerary: it is generally basic but adequate with rooms in thatched huts or rondavels. All rooms have private facilities (shower & WC).

Walking
 Short walks of up to two miles over relatively flat terrain. Walking shoes or boots are needed to protect you from thorns.

Transport is by small coach with local driver. Please note that the roads can be rough and full of potholes - but we think the hard travelling is worth it get to birds like Egyptian Plover!

Leaders: Tim Earl & local guides



Price: £ 2,595

Single supp.: £ 315

Deposit: £ 300 per person

The prices are per person and includes return charter flights from Gatwick to The Gambia, accommodation as outlined, all meals, excursions as outlined above and the services of the leaders.

The price excludes holiday insurance, optional tips for the driver and local guide, drinks and other personal expenses.

Please note that there are options to upgrade to 'premier class' with extra leg-room on the flights (please enquire for cost).

Please note that it may be possible to fly to The Gambia from UK regional airports - please contact us for details.

Gambia & Senegal map

Outline Itinerary
Days 1-5 We fly from London Gatwick to Banjul, arriving in the afternoon, and transferring to our hotel on the coast. There may be some time for a little birdwatching in the excellent hotel grounds before dinner.

During the first week our excursions will include the famous Abuko rainforest reserve, while other trips will take us further south, to the Senegal border. Five nights Senegambia Hotel
Days 6-7 We take the ferry across to the North Bank. From here we drive north to Keur Saloum, a huge area of mangroves, freshwater pools and savannah where we stay for two nights at a lodge overlooking a large creek and its associated mangrove swamp. Two nights Keur Saloum, Senegal
Days 8-10 We head inland today via the excellent Kaur wetlands. Anywhere from here on we will start looking for one of the star birds of the area, the gloriously-patterned Egyptian Plover. We continue up to Bassé. Here stunningly beautiful Egyptian Plovers are most likely. Carmine and Red-throated Bee-eaters can be found. Three nights Baobolong Camp, Georgetown
Days 11-12 We drive back down river to the unique and colourful Tendaba Camp. Now under much improved new management, the experience of staying here is quite unforgettable. We shall be taking a trip across the Gambia River up one of the fantastic wild creeks with huge mangrove trees, providing some of the best birdwatching in the Gambia. Two nights Tendaba Camp
Days 13-14 We return to the coast, with stops for raptors and Crowned Cranes en route. Next day we visit an excellent new site with the possibility of White-faced Scops Owl and other forest birds, before returning for a final night at the Senegambia. Two nights Hotel Senegambia
Day 15 We have a relaxed final morning's birdwatching before going back to Yundum Airport in time for our afternoon flight home.

Click here for a full, printable itinerary