The Gambia

The Gambia The country of The Gambia—a coastal strip along the river of the same name—extends like a long tongue 400 km into Senegal, while its western coast is washed by the Atlantic. It is the smallest country in mainland Africa. Languages: English, Wolof, Mandinka, and several other local languages. Currency: the dalasi. The River Republic The Gambia is a paradise for ornithologists. Pelicans, numerous herons, kingfishers, waders, and fish eagles live in the river estuary... Flamingos can be found about 30 kilometres from the river entrance. A couple of decades ago, elephants and giraffes could still be found here. Now the country’s largest animal is the hippopotamus. They are protected from excessive noise and people. Tiny Gambia has seven national parks and a president who cares about the environment. A presidential decree banned the use of plastic bags in markets and shops. Cloth bags are used instead. Thanks to this measure, the country is many times cleaner than neighbouring Senegal. We read that almost half of Gambian children die before reaching the age of five from malaria, diarrhoea, and sleeping sickness carried by tsetse flies... Gambians laugh when they hear this claim :). We may be the first Russians to venture here with children. Village children take a lively interest in the newcomers 🙂 . More fascinating stories about The Gambia + beautiful photos—in our features: The Kingdom of Crocodiles and... Flamingos. Sailing Through The Gambia The Kingdom of Crocodiles and... Flamingos What instructions are children given in the mangrove wilderness, what did the crocodile have for lunch, and why do Gambian fishermen visit yachts at two in the morning? Lady Mary lives among white herons and pink flamingos. James Island. Sailing Through The Gambia The water remains salty for 100 kilometres upstream in The Gambia. Strong winds and high waves near the estuary dispel any suspicion that this is actually a river rather than the sea, and let us sail along enjoying the ocean swell. Only towards the end of the day did it begin to feel as though we really were on a river and not in the ocean. Twenty miles from the estuary, in the middle of the river, stands a half-ruined fort that was once the coveted key to controlling the river entrance. 5+1 Facts About The Gambia How to avoid contracting Ebola in Africa. Crime and the police in The Gambia. Where you can touch a live crocodile and keep all your limbs. What people eat and how the drinking-water problem is dealt with. The Amusing Side of the Lamin Lodge Anchorage. The Frenchman 🙂 Guests, hosts, and the national question: whom you might meet at an anchorage in The Gambia. Why sailors get sent to the local prison and how they get out again. Plus—“the antics of our little town.” The Flora and Fauna of The Gambia. People, Animals, and Fallen Baobabs Africa as it really is. What grows here, who lives here, what surprises us, and how travellers and circumnavigators’ children spend their leisure time. Lamin Lodge. Baba Yaga’s Tower. Sailing Through The Gambia African architectural peculiarities, travelling salesmen, and our first African friend. Oh, and also how to chase monkeys away from the table properly. Clearing into The Gambia by Yacht How to behave if you arrive in The Gambia by yacht without a visa. How much it costs to buy off customs, and what boundless faith in human honesty goes for in Banjul. Sailing from Senegal to The Gambia The end of our voyage down the Saloum, a night near the ocean entrance, and Noah’s Ark. Across the Ocean—to The Gambia, Sunken Ships, Big Dolphins, and Half-Dead—at the Entrance to the Gambian Capital. Sunset on the River Gambia