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up coming trip to gambia (1 Viewer)

binus1963

Well-known member
i've started looking into guides and up river trips to tendaba etc in april 2014 had one reply but to be honest the prices he's quoted too expensive, also e-mail address for tendaba does'nt work. question is does anyone know contact details for tendaba or similar and a good cheap guide and what sort of prices i can expect. compared to guides in goa and backwoods camp goa so far seem over priced. any help greatly appreciated. cheers trace.
 
I suggest to contact my friend Igor Festari with whom we went to Gambia in may. He should have the info you need
his email is
festari.igor 'AT' comune.novara.it
Gianluigi
 
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We have been to both Goa and The Gambia several times and you really can't compare prices between the two countries. There are more guides available in The Gambia than in Goa but the transport costs are much higher there which is what pushes the prices up. We have used Tijan the Birdman a couple of times but he let us down last time we went. JJ is very good. Chris Packham recommends Malick Suso . In March this year we plan to use Ebrima Barry. I would have preferred to use Modou Colley as he is a very nice man and a great birder but has recently let quite a few people down. Tendaba's e-mail never works!
 
Read a lot of posts about guides letting people down.
Although I wasn't trying to see as many lifers as posssible on my trips to Gambia,Goa,and other places around the world I just do my own thing.
There is enough information out there about birdwatching locations I find it more of a challenge to search for birds on my own.
Even without going out of my way to tick off as many species as possible I still have a life list of 674.
I bumped into one or two guides in Gambia and wasn't impressed.Sure they have to make a living but I can't see the fun in being dragged from location to location and having birds pointed out to me.I saw this happening at Abuko and Brufut Woods.The birdwatchers looked thoroughly bored to be honest.
Meanwhile I just went where I wanted when it suited me.My only outlay is buses,taxis,trains or shank's pony.
The guides seem to stick to regular well trodden paths.In Gambia I didn't see anyone at Tanji Forest reserve or the lagoon nor Sanyang which doesn't seem to be on anyone's itinerary.
I have found similar areas on my own in Tunisia[Sebkha Moknine],Cuba[ Playuela Beach Guillermo and Zona La Punta near Pilar Beach] and countless other locations where there are some wonderful birds and not a guide or birdwatcher in sight.
It does wonders for your identification skills too.
 
dear sir/madam,
am ismaila nyassi a birdwatching guide at kotu bridge. i would like to know how many nights you want to have in tendaba and how many coastal trips you may like.how many of you? then i can send you my itenary with a goog reasonable price as you need.

looking forward to hearing from you.

my email: [email protected]
contact: +220 7915501
 
I've used a number of Gambian guides over the years and have most recently explored new areas along the Casamance border with Ismaila Nyassi (contact details in previous post) as his family is from this area and he knows the maze of tracks through forest and scrub very well.

It's a little-visited region of the Gambia with many interesting birds (White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Spotted Thick-knee, Greyish and Spotted Eagle Owls, Red-headed Weaver, Bateleur etc.) and only 45 minutes drive from the tourist hotels on the coast. Ismaila spends time during the summer wet season looking for new species coming across the border from Southern Senegal.

I'm sure if you email him he can provide quotes for visiting Tendaba and other sites as well as birds likely to be seen at that time of year.
 
I see that Nyassiboy has posted a message. I got to know Ismaila Nyassi while I was there and had some wonderful trips with him.
Ismaila might be negotiable on prices (I can't speak for him). He is as good a guide as you could hope for and very easy.
We went to visit his village where a pair of Greyish Eagle Owls were roosting. We found them despite their perfect camoflage.

Try [email protected] if want to make contact.

You will have a great time in the Gambia.

Good luck,

Padraig.

PS the Red-billed hornbill by my name was snapped at the Senegambia Hotel.
 
thanks all

cheers for all the info i'm getting quoted around 500quid for two nights up river, as the holiday only cost 1100 i think we will be staying more local having not been before most of what we see will be new, also having been to backwoods goa recently picked up from hotel, guided all day, room and three meals all for 60quid a night for me and the better half. i think best bet is wait and see when we get there. again thanks for all your help.
 
It's a lot cheaper hiring guides in Goa compared with Gambia. Why not ask around when you get there and get a more competitive price ? You won't find it massively cheaper than you've been quoted from my experience, though.
 
Have a great time!
Where are you staying?
As its your first time you will probably find lots of lifers on your own,as I did.
There were over 50 species from the hotel grounds alone,many of which were life ticks!
 
Try Abdoulie Barry (30 year old ex-footballer nickname: Sedorf) with his almost new 4X4. I spent a week up river with him last month (January, 2014). He doesn't claim to be an official bird guide, but he knows all the birding hotspots, has very good eyes, his own bins and very good birding knowledge, plus he's great company. We had great fun shopping for lunch in small village markets up country. Very good for day trips too! Contact: [email protected] or Mobile: +220 9983413
 
Have a great time!
Where are you staying?
As its your first time you will probably find lots of lifers on your own,as I did.
There were over 50 species from the hotel grounds alone,many of which were life ticks!

stopping at kaloli beach club will be out and about on our own as we did in goa for the first few days like the idea of going up river but will have to wait and see.
 
I went to Gambia last November. I was due to go with Modou Colley but when we arrived, he said he was no longer available and we ended up going with one of his recommendations for £60 per person per day. I stayed at the Bakotu Hotel and for the rest of the week I went out with bird guide George Jadama. He is hotel's resident bird guide and very good... I would recommend him anyday!
 
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