Top Things to Do in Gambia | Best Places to Visit for Tourists

Gambia, a small country in western Africa, is often overlooked. But it is a cheap yet great destination for vacation. This is a coast that is inside another country, Senegal. You will have various things to do in Gambia with less crowds.

The Gambia River, which splits lives and the country into two distinct sections, west side beaches and east side wildlife or nature, make this small but interesting country a travel-worthy place to visit.

This article highlights the must see places in Gambia and fun activities to do there, along with local sim and how to stay connected online to have an unforgettable trip. With our SimCorner's reliable eSIM and traditional SIM card options, you will be provided with high-speed data available everywhere in the country, and without any hidden roaming fees. So read further to know about everything in more detail.

Banjul

It is a tiny capital city of the small country Gambia. It has a size of only 6 sq km. The city used to be a trade center for slave exchange, done by the Britishers in 1816. Later after 1965, when Gambia gained independence, this same city became the country’s capital city. Now the city has a vibrant chaotic vibe, where people are busy in the markets or just shouting while boring tasks.

Banjul is one of the popular tourist spots in Gambia due to its lively nature. You may not find many things to do here but definitely it is still worth a visit.

It is a cheap city so you will find cheap foods, and everything to buy for yourself or for taking back home. You can have cheap taxi rides too to explore the city. Surely visit the Albert Market, which is famous for selling batik cloth, spices, fruits, gold. You can also visit their national museum, and ‘Arch 22’ which is their highest monument of 50 meters. You can go on the top to take some panoramic photos.

Sir David Attenborough talked about this market in BBC Life in the Gambia

"Banjul market is the beating heart of Gambia - a riot of color, sound and scent where Africa's entrepreneurial spirit thrives daily."

Bijilo Beach

This is a beach located at the Southwest coast and 20 km from the south of the capital, Banjul. The Beach has golden sands which attracts tourists. At sunset, this beach and the sand becomes very stunning and aesthetic. There is a forest park neighbouring the beach, which has colobus monkeys and nature trails. This is an ideal place for nature and adventure lovers.

As the beach is on the Atlantic ocean, you can swim on it, do water sports like little surfing, and do any other sorts of beach activities like playing volleyball, making golden sand castles etc. All these include “Gambia activities to do” with kids. You can do paid horse riding at the beach too. Riding during sunsets makes the time romantic and memorable.

Then you can visit the neighbouring park, and walk around to see monkeys for free. You can also use this park to have your daily routined walk as it takes 1 hr to walk the trails. So from this one place, you can do several things from your “things to do in Gambia” list.

Best time to visit here is during December to March because you will get the maximum sun. But be prepared with sunscreens to avoid unwanted tans. But otherwise you can come here Year-round.

Tendaba Wetland Reserve

Located at the eastern side of the country, Tendaba is a mangrove lying on the Gambia River’s south bank. This is a top spot to see migration of birds at their peak times. So you can see several and different around 300+ species of birds. It is at a remote place so not many people visit here, but the area is definitely worth visiting for its natural beauty and wilderness.

Activities to do are quite adventurous. You can do paid boat safari at dawn, walk on the boardwalk, and spot around 50 birds per hour. All these will feel surreal so be ready with your cameras. This is why it is among top Gambia tourist attractions.

For more thrilling views and experience, stay at Tendaba Camp, which is a paid camping program. By staying overnight, you can stargaze if the sky is clear and can hear owls calling from the surroundings. Bring binoculars to see them closely.

Usually the best time to visit here is between November to April for dry paths during walking, but come between November to March for seeing the peak bird migration. As it is a remote place, keep appropriate first aids and food supplies with you, because you will not easily find them nearby. Do not be irritated or afraid by the noisy birds.

Makasutu Forest

This forest is actually a sacred forest believed by villagers around the forest. It is located at the west coast, 25 km south from the capital. This place is famous for getting first hand experience about the Gambia culture and traditions. Those who are looking for things to do in Gambia to know their cultural life, visiting here is a must. Once you come here, you will see people are very welcoming, and that you will feel part of the society doing their fun activities with them. Try to speak in their local language, and have their local foods to blend in more.

As it is a mangrove area, you can do a paid kayaking session. For a more fun and thrilling experience, feed the crocodiles in the river. With the local villagers of Mandinka village, you can do friendly wrestling matches and other indoor and outdoor games and sports. It is a safe place to even spend your nights here.

Kiang West National Park

This park is a natural reserve for animals. Located 2 hr east of the capital, the park is both a mangrove and savanna. This can be considered as the best Gambia primate viewing. You can get to see natural, and not trained Red colobus monkeys and chimps here, which are usually rare in Gambia. It is one of the Gambia bucket list destinations who like thrilling experiences.

There are several things to do in Gambia and many you can do here. You need to trek a lot in this park. You will have guided and paid monkey treks. You can boat and explore and have some quiet time at the Gambia River.

But the thrilling scene will come at night, when you will spot some hyenas around you. You can spend your nights there, by paying for remote camps. You can walk and explore the park using the walking trails. You will find more monkeys at dawn.

Best time to come here is during December to April. As you will walk a lot here, so wear proper shoes. Keep any emergency kits.

Serrekunda Market

This is a market located 15 km from the south of Banjul. This is Gambia’s biggest craft market. Here, you will find their traditional clothes, wood carvings, and most importantly cheapest souvenirs to buy in West Africa. Buying gifts from tourist spots can be expensive, but not in Gambia tourism places. This fact will keep your Gambia experiences memorable.

People here usually buy drums, baskets, and jewelry. But you need to bargain a lot otherwise the sellers will scam you by keeping high prices. So walk and explore different shops first before buying anything. Visit here during weekdays to avoid crowds. Weekends will be full of crowds so be aware of pickpockets too.

Paradise Beach Club

As the name suggests, it is a beach club that sits right on Kotu Beach, 25km south of Banjul. This is famous for being the country's top party spot where beach sand meets non-stop music and cultural and social events like DJ sessions, fire dancers, etc. Here you will have a mixed crowd of both tourists and locals.

It is a chaotic environment but yet vibrant with golden sunsets, parties, and cheap beers. This is why it is one of the popular Gambia tourist attractions. Out of things to do in Gambia, visiting here should be on your list too.

You can play beach volleyballs or footballs with the locals or go for paid jet ski sessions rentals. On the weekends, you will have Thursday foam parties or Friday DJ nights. There you can watch fire shows at sunset, and dance the whole night with the music. For a little more fun, you can try paddleboarding in the calm waves.

Go there between December to April for a dry season and sunny weather. That is their peak party time, so you will get huge crowds. Try to avoid June to October for rains. Always arrive there early and book your hotels in advance or else you will miss out because of the crowds.

Fathala Wildlife Reserve

It lies just across the Senegal border, but you can easily go there through various ways. This is a popular spot for being Europe's closest authentic African safari experience. You will see free-roaming giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and warthogs everywhere. It is a good place to have a day trip and so fit in your “Gambia travel guide” itinerary.

This safari is one of the intense things to do in Gambia. It will be very tiring, but a fun activity. You can start exploring the area with a 3-hour open-truck game drive that will go through the savanna. Then you can spot 30+ animals, and even hand-feed some of them from a platform. If you are brave enough, walk along the antelope trails with tour guides, enjoy picnics under baobab trees, and find hyenas at dusk.

Visit here during December to April during the dry season as that is when animals can be seen at a peak. Start the trip early in the mornings to avoid crowds later and for cooler temperatures. Keep some food with you for feeding the animals. Don't forget your cameras and sunscreen! Though everything is safe, still keep some distance with the wild animals.

Stay Connected During Your Adventures at top spots in Gambia

Because you will be travelling in many parks and have safaris of the country, getting mobile networks can get a bit interrupted. But, with our SimCorner's eSIM or regular SIM cards, we will ensure you with fast, constant, and high speed reliable data. To get activated, you will need an initial WIFI or network just, and then you can start exploring the country. Also, we will be notifying you of the peak animal seasons, give you local travel tips, beach party updates, translator apps, maps for finding paths when you get lost inside the chaotic market in the capital etc.

You can instantly share your pictures to your mates through our relatable data connection.

So no need to worry about getting isolated in this small yet vibrant country. We are always with you. Other local sims will scam you with high prices, and charge you with roaming fees. Their data will be slow too. But with SimCorner, you do not need to worry about any of these issues.

Things to do in Gambia: FAQs

Do I need any paperwork for Gambia tourist attractions?

Yes, you must need yellow fever vaccine for all Gambia tourist attractions entries along with vaccines for other issues like hepatitis A/B, typhoid, etc. You can keep malaria pills or sprays for rainforest spots or parks. You can enjoy a Visa-free 90 days of tour for most citizens of the USA or EU or UK. People from other countries just need a visa, but no other restrictions for visiting Gambia.

Is English enough in Gambia tourist spots?

Yes, everyone in the country knows at least basic English, so you do not need to worry about the language barrier. The hotel staff, tour guides, and others know proper English. But still if there is an issue then you can use our SimCorner’s service for using translation apps. It is good to learn some basic Mandinka, their official language, for interacting with the locals.

Are Gambia best places safe for family travel?

Yes, it is a safe country for everyone, even for solo female travellers. The locals are very welcoming towards visitors, and overall there are low crime rates in the country. Beach areas are always patrolled. So without any worries, come here with your friends and family. Still stay alert of petty theft crimes, and to walk alone at nights in the remote dark places.

What to pack for the Gambia best places trip?

Bring lightweight and short sleeves clothes as Gambia is not a very cold country. You need to walk and hike too in some places so wear comfortable shoes. Keep sunscreen, water bottles, insect sprays. For very remote areas, you can keep anti-malaria medicines. Since Gambia is cheap, so no need to bring huge cash either. You can work well, travel easily to Gambia’s best places with less cash on hand.

How can I stay connected in Gambia tourist spots?

Our SimCorner has both eSIMs or physical SIM cards options, offering smooth, fast, and high and constant reliable data. All these are perfect for staying online in Gambia journey. No need to pay any roaming charge or other hidden fees like other local sims. Also get easy and fast activation even from the airport.