December 2024: I recently visited The Gambia for the second time as part of a week-long trip to Mali, with the main goal of reaching Timbuktu. My first visit to The Gambia was entirely accidental—the result of a flat airplane tire that stranded me there overnight-Unexpected Country Stop Due to a Blown Airplane Tire in the Female Sex Tourist Hot Spot of the Gambia | Venture The Planet That unexpected stop introduced me to the country in a fleeting, unplanned way. This time, however, I decided to give The Gambia the attention it deserves by spending a few days exploring its attractions.
The Gambia is one of Africa’s smallest countries, a narrow sliver of land built around the Gambia River. Though Senegal and The Gambia share similar cultural and religious roots, their colonial histories diverge: Senegal was a French colony, while The Gambia was under British rule. Compared to Senegal, The Gambia feels more relaxed and less industrialized. In my experience, Gambian people are also exceptionally warm and welcoming. Aside from its Atlantic coastline, the country is surrounded by Senegal. Strategically situated along the Gambia River, the British strategically shaped the Gambia to provide control over the regional exportation of slaves from Africa’s interior to the Americas.
Traveling with a group of friends, we spent two nights and three days at a beach hotel in Banjul, The Gambia’s capital. The accommodations were comfortable and perfectly located for enjoying the ocean while serving as a convenient base for our explorations.
The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly hiring a houseboat to travel up the Gambia River to Kunta Kinteh Island. Formerly known as James Island, this historic site is deeply tied to the transatlantic slave trade. The island features the ruins of a British fort, once a hub for the capture and exportation of enslaved Africans. It is also famously linked to the story of Kunta Kinteh, the central figure of Alex Haley’s Roots, a book and miniseries I first encountered in high school. Visiting the island was both solemn and fascinating—a poignant reminder of humanity’s capacity for injustice and resilience.
The journey along the Gambia River added to the experience. Cruising past lush mangroves, vibrant birdlife, and scenes of daily life along the riverbanks, we felt immersed in the natural beauty and rhythm of the region. The peacefulness of the ride contrasted with the weight of the island’s history, making the visit even more meaningful.
Although brief, this visit allowed me to appreciate The Gambia beyond the unusual circumstances of my first encounter. It was a journey rich with history, camaraderie, and natural beauty—a fitting prelude to the rest of my adventures in West Africa.
Location of Kunta Kinteh island
Banjul Beaches
Courtesy of a friend I was traveling with, I had the opportunity to stay at the Coco Ocean Resort, one of the more luxurious hotels in Banjul, exuding a touch of colonial British aristocracy. The best part of the resort was its prime location right on Bijilo Beach.
The beach, facing directly west, offered spectacular sunset views best watched with a rum cocktail. The beach was also lively, with local boys running, doing push-ups, and working out to stay in shape. It was almost like an impromptu outdoor gym that would have made Arnold Schwarzenegger proud.
As I watched, I couldn’t help but notice a few older British women strolling hand-in-hand with young, fit Gambian men. It made me wonder if some of the men working out so diligently on the beach were motivated less by fitness and more by the opportunity to impress potential companions seeking local escorts.
Sunset on Bijilo Beach
Sunrise on Bijilo Beach
Wes joining a local workout group on Bijilo Beach
Down the beach, there was a wild stretch of protected forest where vervet monkeys roamed freely. Visitors could buy a few bananas from the reserve’s caretakers to feed them. Although we didn’t have enough money to hire a guide, it didn’t matter. It didn’t take long to spot a curious monkey intrigued by our bananas. However, the little rascal was rather selective—after a few bites, it lost interest and meandered back into the forest, leaving us amused and slightly baffled by its snobbish attitude.
Wild Vervet Monkey in the Bijilo Forest Reserve
Boat trip to Kunta Kinteh Island
Through a local fixer, I arranged a houseboat and crew for a day trip up the Gambia River to Kunta Kinteh Island, formerly known as Fort James. This fortified river island controlled trade from Africa’s interior for nearly 500 years—most infamously, the trade in enslaved people. Over the centuries, the fort changed hands multiple times, being controlled by the Portuguese, French, Swedish, and even Polish-Lithuanian forces, before ultimately falling under British rule.
Ironically, while the fort was originally built as a staging point for enslaved individuals bound for the Americas, it was later repurposed by the British in the 19th century to enforce the abolition of slavery and prevent slaving ships from deporting people to the Americas.
Today, Kunta Kinteh Island—formally named Fort James Island but nicknamed after Kunta Kinteh by Jermaine Jackson, the brother of Michael Jackson, during a visit—is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It holds both historical and cultural significance, serving as the inspiration for Alex Haley’s book Roots. In middle school, I read the book and watched the accompanying series, which recounts the story of Kunta Kinteh, a Gambian ancestor of Haley who was captured, taken to Fort James, and eventually transported to the Americas. The story, passed down through oral traditions and infused with some fictional elements, brings the island’s tragic past into vivid focus.
Unfortunately, the island has eroded significantly over the centuries and is now just a fraction of its former size. The fort itself is abandoned and in ruins, but its history is still palpable. Walking through the crumbling remains, I saw weathered cannons and dungeon cells where defiant prisoners were once held. The fort’s ruins are set majestically among towering baobab trees, with the powerful Gambia River rushing past its shores.
Our time on the island was brief, as the changing tide threatened to leave us stranded. Nonetheless, the visit left a lasting impression—both as a stark reminder of humanity’s darker past and as a testament to the resilience of stories passed down through generations.
The boat we took up the Gambian River
Our boat up the Gambian River with lunch and cold beers
Kuntah Kinteh Island
Kuntah Kinteh Island
Ruined fort among baobab trees
Remaining canons on the island
All that remains of fort walls
My friends and I at the island
Old canons
Old canons
Fortress walls
Old canon
Dungeon
On our way back from Kunta Kinteh Island, we stopped at a small village across the river to visit a modest slavery museum. While the visit was interesting and informative, the highlight of the trip remained the island itself and the peaceful boat ride along the Gambia River.
The journey back was relaxing, and I enjoyed sitting back to take in the scenery. However, a moment of calm turned into brief alarm when the boat suddenly hit what we thought was a sandbar and became stuck in the middle of the river. The captain speculated that we might actually be lodged on a capsized boat submerged beneath the surface.
As I’ve often found in Africa, a bit of local ingenuity always finds a way to solve a problem. The captain instructed all passengers to move to the bow of the boat, shifting our weight forward. With careful maneuvering, he cranked the motor and used the boat’s momentum like a pendulum to dislodge us. After a few tense moments, the effort paid off, and we were freed, much to everyone’s relief.
On our final night in Gambia, we returned to our hotel just in time to enjoy a nice dinner of fresh local seafood. It was a perfect way to conclude our stay before the long and grueling journey that awaited us the following day.
Long Journey to Dakar from Banjul by River and Road
Unfortunately, there were no flights, so to ensure we reached Dakar in time for our flight to Bamako, Mali, the next morning, I had pre-arranged a taxi van for the trip. The journey began with a lively and crowded public ferry crossing over the Gambia River. From there, we navigated the complexities of the land border into Senegal before embarking on the final leg: a six-hour drive along narrow, lorry-choked roads.
The drive quickly became a test of patience. Our driver, easily frustrated and unfamiliar with directions, constantly relied on us to provide GPS guidance. However, he refused to operate the GPS on our phones himself, muttering, “I don’t know how to use that. Tell me where to go.” Despite our efforts to help, he stopped countless times along the way to ask for directions from random bystanders, whom he seemed to trust far more than the technology we were using. At one point, he even picked up a passerby to ride along and offer advice.
As we approached Dakar, the driver’s frustration boiled over. Just a few blocks from our hotel, he abruptly stopped the vehicle and announced, “There it is—you can walk from here.” Clearly ready to be rid of us, he left us no choice but to gather our things and make the final stretch on foot.
Despite the chaotic journey, I was immensely relieved to finally reach the airport hotel. It offered the nicest bed I would sleep on during the entire trip—a welcome luxury after such an exhausting day. Unfortunately, I could only savor it for a brief five hours before having to leave for the airport early the next morning.
Long drive to Dakar airport. Me in the middle, Jimmy-right, Evan-left, Wes in back