The Gambia - guides & prices (1 Viewer)

[leonardo_simon]

I’ll be visiting The Gambia this week.
Can anyone here recommend a good guide /guiding company
also what are the usual prices please per day etc?

I plan to arrange a guide when I get there

thanks

 

[Farnboro John]

I’ll be visiting The Gambia this week.
Can anyone here recommend a good guide /guiding company
also what are the usual prices please per day etc?

I plan to arrange a guide when I get there

thanks

I would contact the Gambia Bird Guide Association whose premises are right by the Kotu bridge. Illustration below may help.

Cheers

John

 

[jwreeves]

Visited for the first time in November, didn’t have a full guided day in coastal region so not sure on full day costs, but teaming up with a mate visiting at same time, 4 pre arranged half days in coastal region cost £45 each, and an extra half day to farasuto arranged there cost £50 each. Probably full price halved? A full day upriver cost £135 each for 3 people

 

[leonardo_simon]

Hello - just got back and had a great time. We did some half days in the coastal region (leaving Kotu @06;30 returning about 14:00hrs) which we negotiated to £35 per person for two people with a guide + driver. (Plus we gave the driver a 200 Dalasi tip).

We took a guide from the Kotu Bridge (that photo above must have been taken ages ago, as that sign is now in poor condition) who was great at showing us the birds and knew some good spots.

We also did a full day on one occasion (returning to hotel about 6pm) but it got too hot in the afternoon, didn’t see much after 1pm…so felt that the half days worked a lot better. Especially with family commitments too!

Also, we spent a few days unguided walking around the Kotu area (mainly the golf course) which was excellent, very little hassle and it was fun finding stuff on our own. Patch birding! I teamed up with another person that I met at the hotel, despite going out with my non-birding family. Worked extremely well as a family holiday - they were happy by the pool and horse riding on the beach…

 

[Farnboro John]

Hello - just got back and had a great time. We did some half days in the coastal region (leaving Kotu @06;30 returning about 14:00hrs) which we negotiated to £35 per person for two people with a guide + driver. (Plus we gave the driver a 200 Dalasi tip).

We took a guide from the Kotu Bridge (that photo above must have been taken ages ago, as that sign is now in poor condition) who was great at showing us the birds and knew some good spots.

We also did a full day on one occasion (returning to hotel about 6pm) but it got too hot in the afternoon, didn’t see much after 1pm…so felt that the half days worked a lot better. Especially with family commitments too!

Also, we spent a few days unguided walking around the Kotu area (mainly the golf course) which was excellent, very little hassle and it was fun finding stuff on our own. Patch birding! I teamed up with another person that I met at the hotel, despite going out with my non-birding family. Worked extremely well as a family holiday - they were happy by the pool and horse riding on the beach…

January 2020, just before the start of the pandemic. Tropical sunlight will fade colours rapidly. Always the chance of human abuse as well.

John

 

[leonardo_simon]

Just faded in sunlight I think