The Gambia & Senegal

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latest updates:

  • 2009/03/09 - photos from traditional wrestling published
  • 2009/02/25 - photos from salt harvesting published
  • 2009/02/15 - photos from Casamance published
  • 2009/02/14 - photos from Senegambia published
  • 2009/02/11 - photos of Bedick tribe published
  • 2009/02/10 - back from the trip, short summary will be published soon.. when arriving on Oslo airport, it was -17°C, exactly 50 degrees difference between Banjul where I flew from.
  • 2009/01/26 - am off to The Gambia and Senegal..
  • 2009/01/23 - money exchanged
  • 2009/01/22 - plan getting more detailed, am in contact with potential guides
  • 2009/01/14 - got visa to Senegal, had a great chat with consul and got even quite detailed map (which I was searching for on the iNET for so long time) as a gift..
  • 2009/01/12 - starting on learning basic french/wolof phrases so i won't be totally lost :)
  • 2009/01/08 - i renewed vaccine for typhoid and meningitid A+C
  • 2009/01/07 - decision was made, tickets were bought
  • 2009/01/06 - found a cheap ticket to Banjul, The Gambia

Prerelease notes

Africa has charmed me many times before so when I saw an offer on tickets to Banjul, I did not hesitate and took the chance. It will not be for sure a tour without troubles, in Senegal the official language is French which I do not know at all and its difficult to find someone who speaks English but that is just another challenge :-)

Photos

Traditional Wrestling Fight, Traditional Wrestling, SenegalBiwol Bedick Woman, Bedick Tribe, SenegalWorking On Salt Field, Salt Harvesting, Senegal

More photos from Senegal and Gambia

Articles

Not any articles published yet. Check out list of articles which I published (mostly in czech language) recently.

Map of The Gambia and Senegal expedition

Plan

This is my first approximate itinerary:
  • Oslo -> Banjul
  • Banjul -> Karang -> Kaolack for traditional wrestling - laamb and salt harvesting
  • Kaolack -> Tambacounda -> Kedougou for trekking in villages of Bedick
  • Kedougou -> Casamance region in south west Senegal for local wrestling and landscape (Enampor, Edioungou, Kafountine)
  • Casamance -> Serekunda for beaches if still any time left
  • Banjul -> Oslo

Tips & tricks as per February 2009

  • 1 € is approximately 650CFA
  • sept taxis are little bit more expensive but much faster than miniuses
  • expect to pay for your backpack on both minibuses and sept taxis, for middle sized backpack you should pay around 1.000CFA
  • the road from Kaolack to Tambacounda is in very bad condition, count on spending 6 hours on the way
  • Casamance is relatively safe, the situation is the worst in the stretch between Ziguinchor and Diouloulou where you meet two to three pro-governmental soldiers every 1km. They are supposed to watch the safety but I've also heard from the locals that this is only a smart thing done by current president making the situation look like worse than it actually is.
Prices of transport (all for 7 passangers "bush taxi" if not statet otherwise):
  • Kaolack -> Tambacounda - 6.000CFA + 1.000CFA for backpack, 6 hours
  • Tambacounda -> Kedougou - 5.000CFA + 1.000CFA for backpack, 3.5 hours
  • Tambacounda -> Kolda - 5.000CFA + 1.000CFA for backpack, 3.5 hours
  • Kolda -> Ziguinchor - 4.000CFA + 1.000CFA for backpack, 3 hours
  • Ziguinchor -> Enampor - 600CFA + 200CFA for backpack, 30mins
  • Enampor -> Edioungou - 10.000CFA, pirogue, 3 hours
  • Oussouye -> Ziguinchor - 700CFA + 500CFA for backpack, minibus, 45min
  • Ziguinchor -> Kafountine - 2.500CFA + 500CFA for backpack, 1.5 hours
  • Kafountine -> Diouloulou - 600CFA + 300CFA for backpack, minibus, 45mins
  • Diouloulou -> Seleti - 400CFA
  • Seleti -> Birkama - 60DLS
  • Birkama -> Westfield, Serekunda - 13DLS + 2DLS for backpack
  • Westfield, Serekunda -> Fajara or Bakau - 5DLS
Prices of housing per night:
  • Kaolack -> Etoile du Sine - 15.000CFA, double, aircon, breakfast
  • Kedougou -> Chez Diao - 6.700CFA, bungalow, fan
  • Kolda -> Hotel Hobbe - 20.000CFA, bungalow, aircon, swimming pool, internet, breakfast
  • Oussouye -> campement Auberge du Routard - 3.000CFA + 2.500CFA for main dish
  • Kafountine -> campement on the beach near campement a la nature, owned by Ali and Dominique, 4.500CFA + 1.500CFA for main dish, probably the best place I've slept, bungalow, no electricity, 50m from the beach, great simple food
  • Fajara/Serekunda -> Hotel Si Soho - 500DLS, single, fan, breakfast