Gambia (1 Viewer)

Has anyone stayed at the Sheraton at Brufut Heights?
We are going next April and would appreciate any tips about local birdwatching.
Hoping to emulate our recent Holiday in South Goa when I managed to do most of my birdwatching on foot near the hotel thus not having to travel miles to see the birds.
Quite happy to pick up a few new lifers never having been to Gambia before.

Never been to the Sheraton but it has rather well-manicured gardens that are not quite so good for the birds as some of the other hotels.

It would be well worthwhile organising a few half day birding trips. Nearby Brufut Woods is very productive whilst trips to Faraba (for raptors) and Abuko (for forest birds) is also worth considering.

Stayed there in Dec 2008, report attached (pdf and word versions, take your pick!).

Tujering, to the south, was superb, and could be combined with Tanji for a great day out.

MSA said:

Stayed there in Dec 2008, report attached (pdf and word versions, take your pick!).

Tujering, to the south, was superb, and could be combined with Tanji for a great day out.

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Thanks for your replies!.
Any more useful info welcome.

The area outside The Sheraton is not good, busy main road, TAF development, no indigenous population. You can walk down south along the beach which will bring you into the Tanji reserve in about 20mins. Brufut woods on foot would take you through Ghana Town, you will get hassle. best to take a cab to the sites Steve says above

colcro said:

The area outside The Sheraton is not good, busy main road, TAF development, no indigenous population. You can walk down south along the beach which will bring you into the Tanji reserve in about 20mins. Brufut woods on foot would take you through Ghana Town, you will get hassle. best to take a cab to the sites Steve says above

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Cheers!
Don't mind getting taxis.
If I get a taxi to Tanji reserve where do I get dropped off?Is there an entrance fee.Is it easily walkable around the reserve?
Ditto Brufut Woods.
Not sure what TAF development means.
Thanks for your help.

Tanji reserve is accessible to all. Just take a taxi to the fishing village and walk North, no entrance fee, its an excellent site. Brufut similar but you have too pay a small fee. TAF developments is an area of toubab houses outside the Sheraton, right opposite in fact. holiday/time share type stuff.

colcro said:

Tanji reserve is accessible to all. Just take a taxi to the fishing village and walk North, no entrance fee, its an excellent site. Brufut similar but you have too pay a small fee. TAF developments is an area of toubab houses outside the Sheraton, right opposite in fact. holiday/time share type stuff.

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Thanks for the information.
How much is it roughly[in£'s ] for taxi one way to these places?
Am I right in thinking there are different coloured taxis charging different rates?
Thanks

There are two types of taxi, predominantly green ones, these are 'tourist taxis'. They are supposed to have insurance to cover their passengers. The others are mostly yellow 'local' taxis. These ones can't approach tourist hotels or areas such as Kotu and Senegambia. At the Sheraton you wont have any local taxis allowed in. You can get them if you walk out of the hotel to the road and within seconds one will stop offering you their services. At Senegambia you have to walk to the top of the strip and get them from the main road. At Kotu you have to walk out to beyond the birdguides office. For a 'local taxi' trip to Tanji from the Sheraton I wouldn't pay more than 75dl at the very most. Inevitably taxi drivers will try it on re the price especially for 'pinkies' i.e. newly arrived sunburnt tourists. There are too many taxis in The Gambia and you can really push the price down. If the price is stupid just say no and walk off 99% of the time they will come after you and agree to what you want to pay. Most drivers will wait for you while you go birding and take you home after, but whatever you do agree the price first. You have to be brutal about haggling otherwise they will sting you for sure.

I think I paid 600 dalasai or about £14 for a taxi trip from Kotu to Tanji but the driver stayed with me all day for that. Heading towards Tanji from the Sheraton he parked up on the main road about a mile before Tanji itself and we walked a few hundred yards to an inland lagoon which was very productive but most birds too distant for photography which is my main interest. We then drove in to the village and walked through the fishing huts to witness the Tern spectacle shown in my report above and after that I walked northwards as suggested but there is a river to cross and I don't know how deep it was. It only heads back to where I had already been so I didn't try. The river mouth though is very productive for photographic close ups !
Although dismissed by some it seems, the area around Kotu has some excellent birding in fact I have seen over 100 species around here. Every time we have been to Gambia this is where I have based myself and I now know all the places to go. Most won't be obvious if you just wander off on your own. A lot of the guides are based here and they will be falling over themselves to get your custom. As you are already there and they don't need transport you should be able to negotiate a very,very keen price. If they don't accept your offer they will spend the time sat on their backsides so you can dictate what you are willing to pay.
The area around the Sheraton doesn't look too good for birding. There were a few Kites in the palm trees, Hornbills and Starlings on the ground when our coach dropped off guests on the airport run.
I'm sure the Sheraton offers a high standard of hotel but it's a bit isolated hence lots of people book in "all inclusive" and probably don't even leave the area.
The Gambia is a fabulous holiday destination IMO and ticks so many boxes. It's comparable to South Goa in lots of ways but has the advantage of half the distance to get there, no VISA application hassle and better birding. Goa offers better eating out, and in North Goa shopping opportunities for those who need cheap glasses, dentistry etc.
I am sure you will enjoy yourself !
cheers Dave

colcro said:

There are two types of taxi, predominantly green ones, these are 'tourist taxis'. They are supposed to have insurance to cover their passengers. The others are mostly yellow 'local' taxis. These ones can't approach tourist hotels or areas such as Kotu and Senegambia. At the Sheraton you wont have any local taxis allowed in. You can get them if you walk out of the hotel to the road and within seconds one will stop offering you their services. At Senegambia you have to walk to the top of the strip and get them from the main road. At Kotu you have to walk out to beyond the birdguides office. For a 'local taxi' trip to Tanji from the Sheraton I wouldn't pay more than 75dl at the very most. Inevitably taxi drivers will try it on re the price especially for 'pinkies' i.e. newly arrived sunburnt tourists. There are too many taxis in The Gambia and you can really push the price down. If the price is stupid just say no and walk off 99% of the time they will come after you and agree to what you want to pay. Most drivers will wait for you while you go birding and take you home after, but whatever you do agree the price first. You have to be brutal about haggling otherwise they will sting you for sure.

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Cheers.You have been very helpful.
Thanks
Mark

colcro said:

Most drivers will wait for you while you go birding and take you home after, but whatever you do agree the price first. You have to be brutal about haggling otherwise they will sting you for sure.

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Should have mentioned this too. What Colin says is most important.

I fell out big time with my guide because of not doing precisely that. I had been out with him a couple of times the year before and on this occasion when I asked for a price he just said pay me what you think is fair. Don't accept this. At the end of the day I gave him what I had paid the previous year plus a very large tip of about 25% which cleaned me out of Dalasai. He told me that would only cover the cost of the driver who happened to be a very well known guide who has his own transport ( most guides don't have their own). Falling for this ploy I gave him a £20 note, all I had as it happened but felt aggrieved as I had been conned on two levels.
The trip I had asked for which was Pirang and the Bush track was changed during the course of the journey when it was declared that Pirang was inaccessible so we would spend more time at the bush track. This suited the driver who lives in the area so he cleared off whilst we spent a fairly fruitless day wandering around seeing very little. I am afraid this soured my opinion of guides and that was further added to when another one , who happened to have his own car, pleaded with me to let him take me to Abuko instead of going by taxi as I told him was my intention. He said he'd do it for the same price of 600 dalasai. I agreed but when I got in the car the next day I reaffirmed that the agreed price was 600. His reply was "How about 1000 and I'll throw in a bit of guiding" I couldn't be bothered to argue and off we went. He walked with me to the cafe and then slept for the 3 hours I was in the photographic hide.
Depending on what your priority is guides can be useful or they can be a waste of money.
cheers Dave

Thanks for your replies folks!
I have copied the info which I will print off before I reply.
Don't mind using taxis but will avoid guides if possible.
Usually get away with a good guide book,some homework before I go and a rapid learning curve.
Has stood me well in the past.
To be honest I would have gone back to Goa again this year if I could have faced up to the stress of getting a visa.
Goa was hassle free holiday,seeing loads of lifers plus wonderful peaceful quiet beaches,fields and woodlands.
I would recommend Goa to any birdwatcher who wants all of the above[except for the visa]
Cheers
Mark

pratincol said:

Thanks for your replies folks!
I have copied the info which I will print off before I reply.
Don't mind using taxis but will avoid guides if possible.
Usually get away with a good guide book,some homework before I go and a rapid learning curve.
Has stood me well in the past.
To be honest I would have gone back to Goa again this year if I could have faced up to the stress of getting a visa.
Goa was hassle free holiday,seeing loads of lifers plus wonderful peaceful quiet beaches,fields and woodlands.
I would recommend Goa to any birdwatcher who wants all of the above[except for the visa]
Cheers
Mark

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2 weeks for a visa from post to return just minor hassle with photo size.
tony