2-Day Upriver Tour to Janjanbureh

2 days. From £180 per person. Driver and overnight stay.

Duration2 days

PickupEarly pickup confirmed on WhatsApp

PriceFrom £180 per person

IncludedDriver and overnight stay

BringBinoculars, a long lens and overnight bag

Good forWildlife and adventurous travellers

Your day, step by step

Leave the coast early for the long drive east.
Stop at the Wassu Stone Circles on the way upriver.
Stay overnight in or near Janjanbureh.
Take a boat trip from Kuntaur to view the chimpanzee islands from the water.
Drive back to the coast with breaks agreed on the day.

Riverbank on the River Gambia near Janjanbureh

Why we like this day

The upriver tour is for visitors who want to see a different side of the country and have time for a night away from the coast. We drive east towards Janjanbureh, stopping at Wassu, where UNESCO protects 11 stone circles as part of the Senegambian Stone Circles. The overnight stay is included in the advertised price, and we plan the drive with breaks rather than pretending it is a short trip.

The wildlife part is from the water. River Gambia National Park was established in 1978 and the chimpanzees on the protected islands are viewed from boats only. Trips leave from Kuntaur with a guide from the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project. That distance is the right way to see them. You may also see hippos, but wildlife never follows a timetable.

Our local tip is to bring binoculars and a long lens. The drive from Kololi is about five to six hours, so pack for the overnight and be ready for an early start. The park fee was D180 per person when we last checked; confirm it with us when you book because entry fees can change.

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