Rivers of West Africa

Embarkation at 4:00 pm. We leave Banjul and sail upstream to Tendaba. We reach Tendaba late into the evening.

From the ship we take motor pirogues in order to reach Tendaba, located on the South Bank in the Lower River Division, our starting point of our Tendaba morning optional excursion. It is a small fishing village of mainly Muslim faith with approximately 600 inhabitants whose main occupation is fishing. From there we will walk through to Batelling, a small village at the entrance to Kiang West National Park. The area boasts of over 250 species of birds; many of which are difficult to observe anywhere else. Other residents include Guinea baboons, bushbuck, warthogs, Senegal bushbaby and marsh mongoose. After a refreshing stop in Batelling, we will board an open safari truck which brings us back to Tendaba. On the way we pass again local villages where you get an impression of local life in The Gambia. In the afternoon, we are picked-up from the ship by motor pirogues for the afternoon Tendaba optional excursion to the Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve. This reserve, lying across from Kiang West National Park features six major bolongs (creeks) that provide great birding and boating opportunities. Numerous rare and migratory birds also reside here including the Pel’s fishing owl, African fin foot and brown-necked parrot. Overnight docked in Tendaba.

Early morning we leave Tendaba and sail upstream on the Gambia River all morning to reach Kuntaur. Early afternoon arrival to the bustling Gambian port town of Kuntaur, the last inland stop along the river that is navigable for ocean-going ships. Later in the afternoon we board a large motor pirogue for a 3 hours optional excursion cruise on The Gambia River. First we head to the southernmost tip of Baboon Island, one of the five islands of The Gambia National Park. There a local national park ranger is joining us onboard in order to give more information about the park and its fauna & flora. Then we turn, the motor pirogue slows down and sails slowly back to Kuntaur following closely the shores of Baboon Island. This island is home of the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project. If we are lucky from our motor pirogue we can closely observe the chimps with minimal intrusion. There is also the possibility of seeing hippos, crocodiles, Red Colobus, Green Vervet monkeys and also The Gambia’s famous birdlife. We return to Kuntaur where we are met by the “Kankurang” and a local dance group on the pier. Believed to have spiritual powers the “Kankurang” dispenses justice and wards off evil spirits.

This morning, our optional excursion by bus takes us to the ferry station of Janjanbureh. There we board the local ferry for a short cruise over The Gambia River to Janjanbureh. We continue our excursion with a visit of one of the oldest towns of The Gambia, formerly called Georgetown. During the walk you get an impression of this laidback town and see the residence of the governor, the market and the Methodist church with its school. Afterwards we take the ferry back and re board the bus to reach Lamin Koto. Through the generosity of Variety Cruises and of many of its clients, a new school building is being built. Later in the morning we stop at the mysterious stone circles in Wassu, a megalithic site believed to be a burial ground thousands of years ago. You will visit the little museum of this archaeological site, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. In the afternoon, after lunch, we sail downstream to Kaur a small fishing village on the banks of the Gambia. You will have the opportunity to walk around this small community and see how Gambians live today. In the evening we leave Kaur and sail downstream towards Banjul.

Early morning arrival in Dakar. After breakfast, we will take you in an optional excursion to Goree Island and Dakar city tour, an exploratory adventure of Dakar surroundings, inviting you to discover the traces of slave trading, and its transformation into today’s African modernity. The history makes room for the present development. Lunch outside the ship. Returning to the ship in late afternoon and preparing for dinner. After dinner, we set sail southward towards the Saloum River Delta. Overnight at sea, cruising south wards along the coast.

This morning we reach the Sine – Saloum Delta in Senegal, an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and also an Important Birding Area, as designated by Birdlife International and natural habitat for many bird species but also such aquatic animals as marine turtles, dolphins, West African manatees and crocodiles. Our optional excursion starts at the fishing village of Djiffer wherefrom we reach the village of Joal Fadiouth, set on an island of clam shells that also are used in local buildings and crafts. In the afternoon, we leave Senegal and the Saloum Delta and sail south to Gambia to reach Banjul, the capital of Gambia and gateway to the 700-mile Gambia River.

Disembarkation at 9:00 am after breakfast.