The Gambia

Co-authored by regional expert Sean Connolly and Philip Briggs, the world's foremost guidebook writer on Africa.

This comprehensive guide to mainland Africa's smallest country reveals all the practical information needed to explore The Gambia with confidence. From recently opened restaurants and hotels to new roads and bridges that make travel easier than ever, this edition integrates the latest developments. Whether you're interested in ecolodges and camps, festivals, music workshops, or birdwatching—The Gambia is particularly popular with first-time birders to Africa—this guide delivers detailed coverage alongside advice for exploring both the popular coastal resorts and the relatively undeveloped interior. It's equally valuable for organised holiday visitors and independent travellers, and even includes excursions into neighbouring Senegal.

Small in size but rich in character, The Gambia offers perhaps the closest English-speaking 'winter sun' destination from Europe. Known affectionately as the 'Smiling Coast', it boasts an 80km stretch of tropical coastline running from the capital Banjul to the remote southern border, lined with beach resorts catering to all tastes and budgets. The lush mangrove- and jungle-fringed River Gambia is home to crocodiles, hippos, rehabilitated chimpanzees and various monkeys, making it justifiably popular with birdwatchers.

For moderately adventurous travellers, The Gambia offers rich heritage tourism: mysterious megalithic stone circles at Wassu and Ker Batch, fortified Kunta Kinteh (James) Island, and the former slave-trading village of Juffureh—the heart of novelist Alex Haley's Roots country and part of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Enhance your visit further by exploring colourful local markets, witnessing kankurang spirit masquerades, joining a kayak cruise from the river port of Janjanbureh, or learning about The Gambia's inspiring journey towards democracy and reconciliation at Memory House. Safe, welcoming and tourist-friendly, this is the perfect introduction to West Africa's unique atmosphere.