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Accommodation options on our unique Discover the River
itineraries include the following carefully selected small Gambian hotels and river side lodges. They attract an interesting mix of
travellers with an independent spirit who seek a friendly, clean and comfortable stay away from the main tourist resorts.
Unless otherwise specified, coastal accommodation is on a B&B basis and up-country accommodation is full-board. Unlike most
adventure travel companies, we don't charge single supplements, except for coastal accommodation (typically £15 pppn).
At the coast, you can choose between Safari Garden, Paradise Inn Lodge, Farakunku Lodges, Footsteps Eco-lodge and Boboi
Beach Lodge (or any combination of these). Safari Garden is
the default choice for many of our clients and offers a friendly, welcoming atmosphere to begin your Gambia adventure holiday.
Hibiscus House (available at a surcharge) is in a similar, quiet
residential area, although the rooms are of a higher standard. If you're a keen nature lover and are happy to trade in some creature
comforts e.g. a swimming pool / hot showers in favour of a great river-side location with on-your-doorstep birding,
Paradise Inn Lodge is the place for you.
A new addition for 2009/10, you'll find the comfortable and secluded Farakunku Lodges
to be a haven of peace and tranquility with a warm, 'home-from-home' ambiance. A short distance further south,
Footsteps Eco-lodge is another little gem -
adjacent to some pleasant woodland and close to a beautiful, practically deserted beach. For simple, rustic accommodation
with miles of sandy beaches and great wildlife watching on your doorstep - why not spend some nights at
Madiyana Camp on Jinack Island on the northern border between Gambia
and Senegal, or 'chill-out' at Boboi Beach Lodge on The Gambia's
southern coast? For those of you seeking a special touch of luxury, we highly recommend a stay the beautiful beach-fronted
Sandele Bay Eco-retreat (supplements apply).
The highlight of your holiday, however, will undoubtedly be up-river Gambia. You'll love the peaceful relaxing atmosphere of
Bird Safari Camp
with its wonderful riverside setting, starlit night skies and amazing cacophony of bird song which simply has to be
experienced. It's also much loved by anglers as these waters are home to one of the most ferocious freshwater
predators - tiger fish. Just downstream, in the River Gambia National Park,
the Chimpanzee Project is home to over 80 chimpanzees and although you can no
longer stay here, there is every chance you'll see some of these fascinating primates (as well as baboons,
monkeys, hippos and several species of birds) as you sail up to
Bird Safari Camp onboard the Lady Hippo.
Tendaba Camp (half-way upriver), though quite basic,
provides a convenient base on the way up/down the river and is an outstanding location for birdwatching:
the creek boat trip (included in your Discover the River
itinerary) is a wonderful experience - well worth it, even if you wouldn't normally consider yourself
to be a "birdwatcher".
Coastal accommodation:
You can choose from the following small hotels/lodges at the coast:
Each of these accommodation options has its own special charm and none features in any mainstream package holiday brochures. They
attract an interesting mix of travellers with an independent spirit who seek a "friendly, clean and comfortable" base in a pleasant location with good
company.
Click on the logos for more information.
The following options are also available at a surcharge:
Safari Garden Hotel - View details(25 min from Banjul airport)
- Small and friendly - only 18 rooms
- Set in a quiet residential area, 10 minutes walk from the beach
- Swimming pool
- Good choice of local restaurants nearby
- Visit Gunjur fishing village, Tanje village museum or go shopping in the local markets
- Spend a day at Abuko nature reserve, Makasutu culture forest or visit James Island to retrace the history of the slave trade and how it was finally abolished
Chimpanzee Project - View details(180 miles inland)
- Africa's longest running chimpanzee rehabilitation project
- Over 80 chimps on 3 islands within the River Gambia National Park
- Access is restricted and you may not set foot on the islands
- Good chance of seeing the chimps as you sail up-river on the Lady Hippo to Bird Safari Camp
Paradise Inn Lodge, Tanji - View details
- Great place for birdwatchers
- Close to Tanji Bird Reserve and Brufut Woods
- Very relaxed, quiet place
Farakunku Lodges, Tujereng - View details
- 4 individual lodges i.e. maximum of 8 people at any one time
- Very quiet, secluded location
- Good birdwatching possibilites in the local area
- Close to Tanji Bird Reserve and Village Museum
- Free 10 minute car transfer service to the beach
- Free bicycle hire
Footsteps Eco-lodge, Gunjur - View details
- Located in the south of The Gambia, away from the main resorts
- 10 individual lodges with electricity supplied by solar power
- Naturally filtered plunge pool
- A 10 min drive or 45 min walk from an unspoilt beach
Boboi Beach Lodge, Kartong - View details
- 15 individual African-style huts
- Good birdwatching opportunities nearby e.g. Kartong sand mine, for European Spoonbill, Spotted Redshank, Painted Snipe etc.
- Close to the southern border with Senegal where you can take a boat trip up the Allahein River
- Go fishing on the practically deserted beach, or pick up a bodyboard (available on site) and surf the waves!
Madiyana Camp, Jinack - View details
- Located in the Niumi National Park, on The Gambia's northern border with Senegal
- Simple collection of raffia huts: basic, but beautiful
- 11 km of deserted beaches
- Outstanding wildlife - many species of protected birds and animals
- Optional two days / one night trip for £60 pp from your coastal accommodation
Bird Safari Camp (300km inland) - View details
- Beautiful secluded location on the banks of a freshwater river island
- Near to the Gambia River National Park
- African-style round huts or safari tents, restaurant & swimming pool
- Djembe tuition, local cooking trip, village visit, dance and music
- Fishing trips - catch an African Tiger fish
- Discover Gambian rural life and the ancient Wasu stone circles
- 12 metre swimming pool
- Romantic moonlit dinners
MacCarthy Island
Hibiscus House, Brufut - View details
- 7 private garden rooms
- Swimming pool & jacuzzi
- Holistic treatments - £25 per session
- Supplement from £15 pppn
Sandele Eco-retreat, Kartong - View details
- Located at the southern tip of The Gambia, well away from the tourist resorts
- Superb food & drink
- Stunning architecture; ecologically built and operated
- Miles of deserted beaches
- A special touch of class and comfort
- HB supplement inc. transfers: £55 pppn (or £75 for single occupancy)
- FB supplement inc. transfers: £65 pppn (or £85 for single occupancy)
Bintang Creek (80km inland)
- Join the "Safari Queen" up-river from Bintang (Hidden Gambia bookings only)
- Relaxing 3 hour trip to Tendaba Camp
- Cooked lunch onboard
- See bottlenose dolphins and osprey
- N.B. Brand new boat with WC, shower (foot pump) and adjustable seating so you can lie down & relax
BaoBolong Wetland Reserve (155km inland)
- The Gambia's largest protected area, this is a Ramsar site of international importance for birdlife
- Situated across the river from Tendaba Camp
- Explore the mangrove creeks on board a small boat
- Impressive enough to excite even the non-birdwatcher!
Kau-ur Wetlands (160km inland)
- A small area of swamp land on the north bank between Tendaba Camp
and Kuntaur that keeps its water throughout most of the dry season
- Excellent spot for viewing Egyptian Plover (June - Feb)
- Other birds may include Purple Swamphen, Greater Painted Snipe and Malachite Kingfisher
Kuntaur Jetty (260km inland)
- Join the "Lady Hippo" up-river from Kuntaur (Hidden Gambia bookings only)
- 4 hour trip through the River Gambia National Park
- Lunch buffet onboard
- See hippos, monkeys, baboons & plenty of birds
- Option of spending a night onboard at Bird Safari Camp. Bedding & mosquito nets supplied - limited numbers only
Baboon Islands (River Gambia National Park)
- Upriver from Kuntaur and downstream from Bird Safari Camp
- Freshwater habitat - see hippos, monkeys, crocs & plenty of birds.
- Sail past the highly protected islands where chimpanzees are being reintroduced to the wild.
 
Bansang Quarry (310km inland)
- Only 10Km from Bird Safari Camp, this spot
is famous for its breeding colony of Red-Throated Bee-Eaters.
- These brightly coloured birds
can be seen throughout the year, often in large numbers. They are particularly active during the
rainy season when they excavate their own burrows in the softened banks of the quarry.
- You can visit Bansang Quarry as part of your Discover the River trip on your way back from
Basse
Basse (360km inland)
- A small trading town on the banks of the Gambia River, 66km inland along a good tarmac road from Bird Safari Camp
- Between June - February you may spot the gloriously patterned Egyptian Plover (aka. Crocodile Bird). Carmine Bee-Eaters can also be seen here throughout the year
- Explore the bustling market and have lunch at Traditions, a small craft shop overlooking the river
- Return to Bird Safari Camp via Bansang Quarry
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Safari Garden (B&B), Fajara
Paradise Inn Lodge (B&B), Tanji
Farakunku Lodges (B&B), Tujereng
Footsteps Eco-lodge (B&B), Gunjur 
Boboi Beach Lodge (B&B), Kartong
Hibiscus House (B&B), Brufut 
Sandele Eco-retreat, Kartong
Bird Safari Camp (FB), MacCarthy Island
Tendaba Camp (FB), Kwinella
Madiyana Camp (FB), Jinack Island
