Experience the best of The Gambia’s birdlife on this 7-day guided birding adventure, designed to showcase the country’s most iconic habitats — from lush coastal forests to tranquil river wetlands and open savannas.

Your journey begins at Kotu Creek and Fajara Golf Course, home to dazzling forest species such as Turacos, Kingfishers, and Sunbirds. Explore the famous Kotu Creek and Fajara Golf Course, where mangroves and rice fields teem with waders, bee-eaters, and herons. Continue to Marakissa Woods, all bursting with colourful rollers, hornbills, and woodland species.

Travelling upriver, visit Marakissa Woods and Bintang Bolong, where raptors, barbets, and honeyguides await. A boat trip from Georgetown offers a peaceful encounter with African Finfoot, Fish Eagle, and Swamp Flycatcher along the River Gambia. On the North Bank, search for rare treasures like Egyptian Plover and Carmine Bee-eater.

Each day blends exciting birdwatching with scenic landscapes, comfortable lodges, and expert guiding. With more than 300 species possible, this week-long tour is the perfect introduction to the incredible diversity and beauty of The Gambia’s birdlife.

This itinerary combines coastal, woodland, and wetland habitats to maximize your chances of spotting a wide variety of bird species.

Arrive in Banjul, the capital city of The Gambia and check into your hotel or lodge.

In the evening – A brief orientation and welcome dinner, with an introduction to the birding opportunities in the area.

Start the birding adventure with a morning visit to Kotu Creek, one of The Gambia’s most famous birding locations. The area’s mix of mangroves, rice fields, and tidal mudflats provides perfect conditions for both resident and migratory birds. As the morning light spreads across the wetlands, watch for Critically Endangered Hooded Vulture flying overhead, Green Woodhoopoe, Common Bulbul, Long-tailed Glossy Starling, Western Red-billed Hornbill, Black-winged Stilt, African Jacana, Double-spurred Spurfowl, Speckled Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Vinaceous Dove, Western Plantain-eater, Green Turacos, White-shouldered Black Tit, and the elusive Greater Painted Snipe. The water’s edge often hosts White-faced Whistling Ducks, Little Grebe, Violet Turaco, Red-billed Firefinch, Common Ringed Plover, and Curlew Sandpiper. Along the creek’s banks, photographers can enjoy close views of Blue-breasted Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Pied Crow, Grey Kestrel, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Yellow-crowned Gonolek, Little and African Palm Swift, and Wire-tailed Swallow, Black-headed Lapwing, Black Heron, Spur-winged and Wattled Lapwing, Greenshank, Redshank, Black-crowned Night Heron and Caspian Tern, Grey-hooded Gull, Reed Cormorant and African Sacred Ibis, Black, Striated and Black-headed Heron and Hamerkop, among others — a true feast for the eye.

After lunch, head to the nearby Fajara Golf Course, a surprisingly rich birding site with open grasslands, ponds, and scattered trees. Here, look out for the colorful Blue-bellied Roller, Senegal Parrot, and Rose-ringed Parakeet, while the marshy edges may reveal Woodland patches host Pearl-spotted Owlet, Grey Woodpecker, Variable, Pygmy Sunbird, and Beautiful Sunbirds, Northern Puffback, White-crested Helmetshrike, Northern Crombec, Senegal Eremomela, and Northern Black Flycatcher. By late afternoon, as the sun begins to set, this serene site offers beautiful lighting and exceptional photography opportunities — a perfect end to your first day of birding in The Gambia.

The day begins early at Brufut Woods, a peaceful community-managed forest of tall mahoganies and sandy clearings where bird activity is lively at first light. Here, birders can expect to see Green Turaco gliding between fruiting trees, Lesser Honeyguide, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Olive-naped Weaver, Bearded Barbets and Yellow-crowned Gonoleks calling loudly from the canopy, and perhaps a Long-tailed Nightjar roosting quietly on the ground. Other species include African Grey Hornbill, Western Red-billed Hornbill, Chestnut-bellied Starling, Swallow-tailed bee-eater, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Northern Grey-headed sparrow, Black Scimitarbill, Greater Honeyguide, Fanti Sawwing, Pied-winged Swallow, Fork-tailed Drongo, Lavender Waxbill, Piapiac, Brown Babbler, Woodland Kingfisher, Blackcap Babbler, Broad-billed Roller, Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike, Brown Snake Eagle, Lizard Buzzard, Gabar Goshawk, Shikra, and Grasshopper Buzzard.

By midmorning, after a relaxed walk through the woodland, the we drives to Tanji Bird Reserve, where dry scrub, mangroves, and a lagoon host a rich variety of waders and coastal species such as Grey-Hooded Gull, and Caspian and West African Crested Terns, Abyssinian Roller, Yellow-billed Shrike, Stone Partridge, alongside local residents like Senegal Thick-knee and Pied Kingfisher. After a picnic lunch near the lagoon, we move toward Tanji Beach for the afternoon, watching the returning fishing boats attract hundreds of gulls and terns, offering close views and excellent photographic chances in the warm light. The beach often holds White-fronted Plover, Lesser Black-backed and Slender-billed Gulls, Purple Swamphen, Common Redshank, and Lesser Crested Terns, and occasionally Pink-backed Pelican gliding offshore. As the sun sets, the scene of seabirds, fishermen, and golden reflections provides a fitting end to a diverse coastal birding day before returning to the lodge.

This morning, we begin our journey upcountry, making several rewarding birding stops along the way. Our route includes Farasutu Forest, Pirang Shrimp Farm, and Pirang Forest Reserve, each offering a unique blend of habitats and an exceptional variety of bird species.

At Farasutu Forest, expect rich woodland birdlife such as Greyish Eagle Owl, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Long-tailed Nightjar, Northern White-faced Owl, African Pygmy Kingfisher, and Cardinal Woodpecker, while the dense undergrowth shelters species like Yellow-breasted Apalis, Little Greenbul, Vieillot’s Barbet, African Thrush, Green-headed Sunbird, Yellow-crowned Gonolek, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Black Scimitarbill, Brown-backed Woodpecker, and Fine-spotted Woodpecker. Moving on to Pirang Shrimp Farm, the wetlands burst with life — look for Greater and Lesser Flamingos, African and European Spoonbills, Yellow-billed Stork, Hadada Ibis, and an array of waders including Little Stint, and Wood Sandpiper. The surrounding open fields often hold Osprey, the colourful Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and Little Swift.

After lunch at Bintang Bolong Lodge, we continue to Kampanti Raptor Bridge, prime areas for raptors. Here you might encounter Bateleur, Martial Eagle, African Fish-Eagle, Grasshopper Buzzard, African Harrier-Hawk, Brown Snake-Eagle, Long-crested Eagle, Beaudouin’s Snake-Eagle, African Hobby, and White-backed Vulture soaring overhead.

Our day concludes with arrival at Tendaba Bush Camp, where we’ll enjoy dinner and an evening surrounded by the sounds of the African night.

We begin the day with an early morning departure to the Yelli Tenda Ferry Crossing, where we’ll take a short ferry ride across the River Gambia to the North Bank. The crossing itself often provides great birding opportunities, with raptors soaring overhead and kingfishers perched along the shoreline.

Once on the north side, we’ll explore the harvested peanut farms, prime habitat for some of the region’s most sought-after savanna species. Here, we’ll look for the magnificent Abyssinian Ground Hornbill and both White-bellied, Black-bellied, and Savile’s Bustards. Open ground and dry fields may also reveal Temminck’s Courser, while nearby waterholes attract flocks of small, colourful savanna birds such as Cut-throat Finch, Sahel Bush Sparrow, Sahel Paradise Whydah, Black-rumped Waxbill, and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, among many others.

After a relaxing lunch break at Kaur Wetland, we’ll continue birding through the afternoon. This productive area may reward us with sightings of the highly sought-after Egyptian Plover, White-crowned Lapwing, Black Crake, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-lark, Northern Anteater Chat, and Gabar Goshawk, along with several other wetland and raptor species. African Green Bee-eater, Long-tailed Glossy Starling, Cut-throat Finch, Exclamatory Paradise-Wydah, Northen Grey-headed Sparrow, White-backed Vulture, Senegal Coucal, and Stone Patridge. At Wassu fields we may encounter, Black Crakes, Red-eyed doves, Lesser and Greater Blue-eared and Purple Starlings.

As the day winds down, we’ll transfer to Georgetown, where we’ll enjoy dinner and an overnight stay surrounded by the tranquil sounds of the riverine landscape.

After breakfast, we’ll embark on a scenic boat trip along the River Gambia, one of the most peaceful and rewarding experiences of the entire journey. This slow cruise through mangrove channels, riverine woodland, and open water offers exceptional opportunities to observe both waterbirds and forest-edge species at close range.

Our top targets will include the elusive African Finfoot, Crimson Seedcracker, often seen gliding silently along shaded banks, and the dazzling Shining Blue Kingfisher — a true gem of the river. The magnificent African Fish Eagle is frequently heard calling from tall riverside trees, while Hadada Ibis, Marabou Stork, and Knob-billed Duck are commonly seen foraging in the shallows.

The riverbanks also host Swamp Flycatcher, Yellow-backed Weaver, Little Bee-eater, Greater Flamingo, Marsh Sandpiper, African Spoonbill, and the striking Red-throated Bee-eater, especially around sandy cliffs where they breed. In quieter backwaters, we may spot Allen’s Gallinule, African Darter, and White-backed Night Heron, while open stretches of water attract Pied Kingfisher and Malachite Kingfisher.

Raptors such as Western Banded Snake Eagle, and Gabar Goshawk are often observed soaring overhead. In addition, we’ll watch for Yellow-gorgeted Greenbul, Wilson’s Indigobird, and Spotted Thick-knee along the riverbanks.

This tranquil journey offers a perfect mix of adventure and relaxation — with constantly changing scenery, vibrant birdlife, and countless photo opportunities, it’s a true highlight of birding in The Gambia.

After breakfast, we’ll set off once again for the North Bank, one of the most scenic and bird-rich regions along the River Gambia. Our first stop will be to admire another vibrant Red-throated Bee-eater colony — a photographer’s dream with birds darting in and out of sandy banks. This area also gives us our best chance to spot the spectacular Northern Carmine Bee-eater, a much-desired species with its vivid crimson plumage and graceful flight. We may also encounter African Green Bee-eater, African Golden Oriole, Striped Kingfisher, Cut-throat Finch, Exclamatory Paradise-Wydah, Northen Grey-headed Sparrow, White-backed Vulture, Senegal Coucal, and Stone Patridge. At the fields we may see Red-eyed doves, Lesser and Greater Blue-eared and Purple Starlings, White-throated Bee-eater, European Bee-eater, and the distinctive Hammerkop, often seen wading in shallow pools. Raptors are plentiful here too, including Martial Eagle, Beaudouin’s Snake Eagle, Grasshopper Buzzard, and Dark Chanting Goshawk soaring above the savanna.

Crossing back to the South Bank, we’ll make several rewarding birding stops at Fulla Bantang, Jahally Rice Fields, Dalaba Lake, and Pakaliba Wetland. These diverse habitats — from flooded fields to open water and scrubby edges — provide excellent opportunities for Marabou Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, Spur-winged Goose, and African Pygmy Goose. Waders like Ruff, and Black-tailed Godwit are often seen feeding in the shallows, while Black Coucal, Winding Cisticola, and Yellow-crowned Bishop add colour to the grasslands. We may also spot Purple Heron, and Whiskered Tern gliding low over the water.

As the day ends, we’ll journey back to the coast, arriving at our beachfront hotel for dinner and a relaxing overnight stay — a perfect close to an unforgettable upcountry birding experience.

Our morning begins with an immersive birding experience at Abuko Nature Reserve, The Gambia’s oldest and most famous wildlife sanctuary. Just a short drive from the coastal resorts, Abuko offers one of the most accessible yet rewarding forest birding experiences in the country. The reserve’s rich blend of gallery forest, open woodland, and freshwater pools creates the perfect habitat for an incredible variety of species — more than 270 have been recorded here.

As we stroll through the shaded trails along the Lamin Stream, we’ll listen to the songs of Oriole Warbler and Snowy-crowned Robin-chat, while flashes of colour reveal Western Bluebill, Black-billed Wood Dove, and Copper Sunbird. The forest canopy often hosts African Pied Hornbill, and the secretive Yellowbill Coucal. Look out for Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Common Wattle-eye, Pied Kingfishers, and the lively Yellow-breasted Apalis flitting between branches.

Around the pools and forest edges, we may encounter Giant Kingfisher, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Red-winged Prinia, and Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, while African Paradise Flycatcher, Greater Painted-snipe, and Collared Sunbird add even more movement and colour to the morning scene. Raptors such as Palm-nut Vulture and African Harrier Hawk are sometimes seen soaring overhead, and if we’re lucky, we might even spot Green Hylia, Grey-headed Bristlebill, or the elusive White-backed Night Heron.

Abuko promises a vibrant introduction to The Gambia’s birdlife — a magical start to any birding journey in the country.

Transfer to Banjul International Airport.