Senegal, Gambia & Guinea-Bissau small group holiday

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This itinerary operates entirely overland and by water within Senegal, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, using minibuses, 4WD vehicles, ferries, motorboats and traditional pirogues. The route links destinations by road and ferry, including crossings between countries via the Senegambia Bridge and local boats within the Bijagos Archipelago.

The itinerary includes several low-impact activities that allow travellers to explore on foot and by traditional non-motorised transport. These include walking tours of Gorée Island, Saint Louis, Bissau and local villages, a nature walk around AbCa's Creek Lodge, and travel by traditional motor-free vessel through the mangroves of The Gambia for wildlife observation.

Several accommodations demonstrate efforts to reduce their environmental footprint. Most notably, OKAÏ Camp in the Lompoul Desert is powered by solar energy and was designed with a low environmental impact. The itinerary also includes eco-lodges, including Ponta Anchaca on Rubane Island.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

The itinerary incorporates multiple opportunities to experience and appreciate natural ecosystems, including Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, the Sine-Saloum Delta, the Casamance mangroves, the Bolon wetlands of Guinea-Bissau and the Bijagos Archipelago. Travellers explore these environments through guided visits, nature walks and quiet boat excursions designed to observe birds, primates and other wildlife with minimal disturbance.

The Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of West Africa's most important wetland ecosystems. The sanctuary provides habitat for more than one million migratory and resident birds, including pelicans, flamingos and aquatic warblers.

Entrance fees to all sites listed in the itinerary are included within the tour price, meaning the trip directly contributes to the management and protection of important natural heritage sites.

Local guides are employed wherever possible to enhance visitor understanding and support local livelihoods, including trained birding guides at Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, alongside local hosts and community members selected for their cultural knowledge and expertise.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

The itinerary uses a range of locally operated hotels, lodges, tented camps and eco-lodges across Senegal, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. Notable examples include AbCa's Creek Lodge in The Gambia, OKAÏ Camp in Senegal and the founder-run Ponta Anchaca eco-lodge in the Bijagos Archipelago. These properties provide direct economic benefits to local tourism businesses and communities.

The trip includes numerous community-based experiences that create economic opportunities for local people. Travellers meet salt collectors at Lac Rose, visit fishing villages, spend time with Fulani communities, enjoy home-hosted meals with Senegalese and Gambian families, visit women-run markets, use local guides, travel in locally operated pirogues, and support craft producers through visits to local markets and artisan workshops.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

Local people are hired wherever possible to enhance guest experiences and deliver financial benefits to communities visited. This includes local guides, birding specialists, community hosts, village representatives and cultural practitioners encountered throughout the journey.

Creating income opportunities for women and local communities.
The itinerary includes visits to women-run market stalls in The Gambia, home-hosted meals with local families, village visits and community-led cultural activities, helping direct tourism income into local communities and supporting locally owned enterprises.