Tourism

Tourism

When to go?

The best time to travel to Gambia is from November to May, when conditions are dry and relatively cool. However, around this same time of year the dry, dusty harmattan winds blow off the Sahara . December to February is the local trading season, assuming the rains come when they should, and everybody's a little more relaxed than usual, perhaps with a bit of extra money to spend, so the markets are at their liveliest. During the wet season (July to October), popular tourist areas are less crowded and cheaper, and the country still gets an average of five hours of sunlight per day. The only problem you're likely to notice is some smaller dirt roads washing away. The peak tourist season lasts from October through April, which coincides with the visits of the migratory birds.

Facts to the tourist:

Visas: Citizens of the member countries of ECOWAS, some Commonwealth countries, Scandinavian countries, Belgium , Germany , the Netherlands , and Spain do not need a visa/entry permit for a maximum of 28 days. There is a visa fee plus a processing fee for all other applicants.
Health risks: hepatitis, yellow fever, malaria (This is particularly bad up-country in the wet season). Hepatitis and yellow fever can be vaccinated easily before traveling. Malaria tablets can be taken during the trip or at least it is advisable to have standby tablets during the trip.

Time Zone: GMT/UTC +0
Dialling Code: 00220
Electricity: 230V ,50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

Events and public holidays:

The Islamic (or Hejira) calendar is a full 11 days shorter than the Gregorian (Western) calendar, so public holidays and festivals fall 11 days earlier each year.

In March then February for the next few years, Ras as-Sana is the Islamic celebration of the new year. Tabaksi (also called Eid al-Kebir ), an important two-day festival commemorating the moment when God substituted a ram for Abraham's son as he was about to slay him at God's command, will be in early February or late January for the next few years.

Eid al-Moulid celebrates the prophet Mohammed's birthday around May. Ramadan is celebrated during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (presently in October), commemorating the month when the Quran was revealed to Mohammed. Out of deference, Muslims take neither food nor water until after sunset each day. At the end of Ramadan (called Eid al-Fitr ), the fasting breaks amid much celebration.
Though not so important as it is in Senegal , Grand Magal (48 days after Ras as-Sana ) celebrates the return from exile of the founder of the Mouride Islamic Brotherhood.

On a secular note, the International Roots Festival is a new but highly publicized annual celebration aimed at getting Americans and Europeans of African descent back in touch with Africa . Festivities include displays of Gambian music, dance, art and craftwork, plus excursions to historical sites - including, of course, the Roots village of Jufureh - as well as seminars and educational workshops. The festival takes place in late June and/or early July.

Other Public Holidays:

1 January - New Year's Day

18 February - Independence Day

March or April - Good Friday, Easter Monday

1 May - Workers Day

June or July - Eid al-Moulid

22 July - Anniversary of the Second Republic

25 December - Christmas

Excursions and trips:

There are many different excursions designed to give the tourist a good feel of The Gambia. There are land-based tours, river trips, and mixed excursions. Many of the excursions are conducted in the coastal area but others take place upcountry. There are round-trips to neighboring Senegal .

Creek Tours / River Trips/ Fishing Trips

A peaceful and relaxing day out on the creeks or "bolongs" of the River Gambia. Most creek tours and fishing trips start off from Denton Bridge [ Banjul ] or Lamin Lodge, but local camps up country also organize such tours. You may also catch unlimited amount of fish as you want.

Bush and Beach Safari / South Gambia

Different operators have different names for this full day tour using 4-wheel drive Jeeps or ex-army trucks. Tourists are taken to a visit of small fishing villages and experience of life in the rural areas.

COASTAL LONGER DURATION
Bush and Beach Safari / South Gambia

Transport:

Green (Tourist) Taxis. These are painted green with a diamond sign and a serial number on the side. They are licensed by the Gambia Tourism Authority and dedicated to serving tourists and other visitors. They are normally parked outside the hotels in the resort areas.

Yellow and Green: These are mainly 4 passenger saloon cars painted in these colors and run a shared taxi service between short distances or park by the roadside for individual hire.

Collective (Bush) Taxi: The most common way of traveling in The Gambia is by Collective Taxis otherwise edlled 'Bush' Taxis. These are mainly 7 passenger saloon cars, vans and mini- buses and buses. They do not have a single color and they operate a shared service between both short and long distances.

Ferries: There are nearly a dozen ferry crossing points where people, livestock and vehicles cross the river. They range from the big steel ferry boats crisscrossing the 7-mile estuary ( Banjul - Barra) almost every 90 minutes to small wooden ferries upcountry which carry only three or four vehicles at a time.

Money:

Currency: Dalasi

Travellers to Gambia have a range of food and lodging options before them. If you're travelling on a tight budget, as little as 12 € per day is enough to get by (if you don't spend long in the Atlantic coast resorts), though upping the ante to 15-25 € can make the night's sleep and belly's fill sweeter. With 30-50 € per day at your disposal, you can stay in decent hotels, eat well and travel comfortably (whenever comfort is available), but if you really want to throw down, you can easily top 200 € a day and see how the royal half lives.
You can change money at banks and exchange bureaus in Banjul , Serekunda, The Senegambia Strip and some of the Atlantic coast resorts and many of the hotels and Logdes [sometime the rates vary according to where you change it. BazookaHOLIDAY recommends that you change your money in Serrekunda or other non tourist business areas for the best rates]

Upcountry, the only place with a bank is Basse Santa Su. Some banks charge a commission to cash travellers cheques, but those that don't have poorer rates, so you get about the same return regardless of which you choose. The exchange bureaus on the Atlantic coast usually offer slightly better rates than the banks and don't charge commission. You can draw cash with a Visa or MasterCard at some of the bigger banks, like Standard Chartered. Black market dealers offer around 5% better rates than the banks, but the inevitable risks make it seldom worthwhile to do business on the street.
Tipping for favors rendered is part of life for 'rich' foreigners in Gambia - and, West Africa being among the poorest places on the planet, all visitors are considered rich. If someone goes out of their way to help you find a hotel, for example, an appropriate cadeau ('gift,' or tip) might be enough money for a drink. A tip of 10% is appropriate in nicer hotels, restaurants and taxis. The 'gift' becomes a completely different matter when you have to pay to get something done, and this sort of bribe - often referred to as a 'dash' - is, again, a way of life in Gambia .