Gambia Birding Tours

During the three centuries of the transatlantic slave trade, it is thought that as many as three million people were transported from The Gambia and the surrounding region to colonies across the world. In 1807 the British Empire abolished the slave trade but failed in doing this in The Gambia until 1906.

The geography of the Gambia is dominated by The Gambia River which flows down the spine of the country. The surrounding land is flat and a mixture of savanna, forest-savanna, and mangroves. The Gambia is only 31 miles (50 kilometers) wide at its widest point and as such the climate is consistent across the country. The tropical climate brings rain between June and November along with high temperatures. From November until May the climate is dry, and temperatures are lower.

The Gambia’s bird list is currently 620 species (following International Ornithological Congress (IOC) taxonomy v11.1 in May 2021), an incredible total for such a small country. There are obviously far too many species to list here but some of the many highlight species from our The Gambia: Gateway to Africa tour include Egyptian Plover (a most-wanted bird for many world birders and a monotypic family), African Paradise Flycatcher, African Pygmy Goose, Hamerkop (another monotypic family), Guinea Turaco, Violet Turaco, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Oriole Warbler, White-spotted Flufftail, African Finfoot, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Martial Eagle, African Fish Eagle, Bateleur, Red-necked Falcon, Marabou Stork, Pygmy Sunbird, Exclamatory Paradise Whydah, Black Crowned Crane, Long-tailed Nightjar, Blue Malkoha, Green-headed Sunbird, White-crested Helmetshrike, Splendid Starling, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Pel’s Fishing Owl, African Wood Owl, Greyish Eagle-Owl, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, White-backed Night Heron, Spotted Honeyguide, Bronze-winged Courser, Red-throated Bee-eater, Four-banded Sandgrouse, Stone Partridge, and much more. We will also come across a wide range of Western Palearctic migrants during our Gambia birding tour including many passerines, shorebirds (waders), herons, bitterns, egrets, birds of prey, and swifts. It promises to be a wonderful birding experience.

This Gambia birding tour is designed to be the perfect introduction to African birding. We will be staying in the famous Senegambia Beach Hotel during our time on the coast which offers all the facilities of the best hotels in Europe. With the bonus of around 230 species of birds recorded in the hotel grounds and immediate area, it also allows for excellent photo opportunities. When we travel upriver, we will stay in comfortable and safe eco-lodges with the birds again on our doorstep, and while on our journey we make use of safe and comfortable vehicles.