Real journeys. Real people. Real impact
SENEGAMBIA BIRDING ™ PRESENTS
BELGAMBIA BIRDING EXPERIENCE MANDINARI - MARAKISSA - JARJARI
One of the most complete birding experiences in The Gambia, exclusively with Senegambia Birding.
Plan your birding and photography journey from our Belgambia Lodges in Mandinari and Marakissa, together with our new North Bank base in Jarjari, in cooperation with the Morgan Clark Foundation. You choose your arrival date and we take care of the rest.
Our lodges are exclusive designed for birders, photographers and nature lovers who want to experience the real Gambia, away from mass tourism and surrounded by nature. With our Easy Birding packages, your stay is fully arranged with accommodation, full board, an experienced local bird guide, private transport and carefully selected excursions to some of the best birding areas in the country. From the mangroves and wetlands around Mandinari to the peaceful surroundings of Marakissa and the rich birdlife of the North Bank, every location offers a different experience and excellent opportunities for birding and photography.
Our cooperation with the Morgan Clark Foundation also means that tourism helps support local employment, education and community projects in Jarjari.
Enjoy warm Gambian hospitality, colourful birdlife, peaceful surroundings and comfortable lodges, all combined in one flexible birding experience.
Easy Birding with Senegambia Birding means more birds, more variety and less hassle, organised from start to finish.
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Flexible arrival dates
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Full board included
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Experienced local bird guides
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Private transport and curated excursions
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Three unique birding bases across The Gambia
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Supporting local employment and community projects
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Limited availability for the 2026-2027 season
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Prices are per person based on double occupancy; solo traveller rates are available separately.
BELGAMBIA BIRDING EXPERIENCE
Three lodges, three completely different regions, one private birding journey through The Gambia.
The Belgambia Birding Experience combines our three unique bases:
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Belgambia Lodge Mandinari, surrounded by the Tanbi Wetlands
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Belgambia Lodge Marakissa, directly on the Halahin River
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Belgambia Lodge Jarjari / Morgan Kunda, our North Bank base in cooperation with the Morgan Clark Foundation
Travel with your own bird guide and private vehicle through mangroves, wetlands, woodland, river habitats, baobab country and dry savannah.
Minimum 2 participants.
BIRDING EXPERIENCE 8 DAYS | €790 PER PERSON
3 nights Mandinari • 2 nights Marakissa • 2 nights Jarjari
Belgambia lodge Mandinari
Begin your journey in the heart of the Tanbi Wetlands, where mangroves, ricefields and woodland create one of The Gambia’s richest birding landscapes.
Explore the Tanbi Wetlands, Lamin ricefields and Kartong wetlands with your private guide, then slow things down in our purpose-built photo hides, where you can watch and photograph birds at close range in peace and comfort.
Excursions included: Tanbi Wetlands • Lamin Ricefields • Unlimited use of our photo hides • Kartong wetlands or Kotu bridge with boat-trip.
You will stay in a comfortable double room with private bathroom, fan, free Wi-Fi and 24/7 solar electricity.
Air conditioning is available during the warmest hours of the day, and you have unlimited access to our photo hides throughout your stay.
Belgambia lodge Marakissa
Continue south to Belgambia Lodge Marakissa, beautifully located beside the Halahin River and close to the bird-rich Dasilameh wetlands.
Discover a wonderful mix of river, wetland and forest birding, from kingfishers and wetland species along the Halahin to the quieter woodland specialties of Farasuto Forest. A visit to Mr. Bah’s hide adds another excellent photography opportunity.
Excursions included: Halahin River boat trip • Dasilameh Wetlands • Farasuto Forest • Mr. Bah Hide • Pirang schrimp farm or Bonto forest.
You will stay in a simple and authentic traditional room with double bed and mosquito net, private bathroom and fan. There is no air conditioning, but the lodge lies directly beside the Halahin River, which gives the whole stay a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere. Wi-Fi is available near the bar, and the Halahin River boat trip is included in your stay. Marakissa is more basic, but its riverside setting, tranquillity and excellent birding make it one of the most special parts of the journey.
Belgambia lodge Jarjari / North Bank
After approximately 3 hours driving, the landscape changes completely. Discover baobab country, dry savannah and the Bao Bolong wetlands.
The North Bank is particularly interesting during the dry season for species such as ground hornbills, bustards, raptors and bee-eaters, with a chance of Northern Carmine Bee-eaters depending on the season.
Excursions included: Baobolong wetlands + Coucous fields + surrounding villegas looking for bustards and groundhornbills
You will stay in a comfortable room with private bathroom and air conditioning, with full board throughout your stay. Meals are freshly prepared by Tuti, known for her delicious home-cooked food, and the lodge offers excellent access to the best birding areas of the North Bank.
Jarjari is operated in cooperation with the Morgan Clark Foundation. Just like our work in Mandinari, tourism here has a wider purpose, helping to support local employment, education, healthcare and community projects.
BIRDING EXPERIENCE 10 DAYS | €950 PER PERSON
4 nights Mandinari • 2 nights Marakissa • 3 nights Jarjari
The 10-day Belgambia Birding Experience gives you even more time to explore The Gambia at a relaxed pace, with an extra night and excursion in
Mandinari and an additional night on the North Bank. This extra time opens the door to one of the real highlights of the journey:
an early-morning visit to Kaur Wetlands, when the light is beautiful, temperatures are cooler and bird activity is at its best.
From approximately October to mid-January, Kaur is one of the most exciting places to search for the spectacular Egyptian Plover and colourful Red-throated Bee-eaters, together with a wide variety of other wetland and river species.
For an even richer experience, you can upgrade the programme by exchanging one night in Jarjari for one night in Kuntaur for €90 per person, including an air-conditioned overnight stay, full board, additional birding around Kuntaur and a boat trip on the River Gambia with the opportunity to see chimpanzees around the Baboon Islands and hippos.
YOUR BELGAMBIA BIRDING EXPERIENCE INCLUDES
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Accommodation in all three lodges
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Full board throughout the journey
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Private bird guide
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Private vehicle and driver
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Airport pickup and return transfer
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All excursions included in the programme
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Unlimited use of the photo hides in Mandinari
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Halahin River boat trip in Marakissa
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Birding in the Bao Bolong region
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Kaur Wetlands on the 10-day programme
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Local assistance throughout your stay
YOUR JOURNEY SUPPORTS LOCAL COMMUNITIES
The Belgambia Birding Experience is about much more than birding. Through the Belgambia Foundation and the Morgan Clark Foundation, profits generated by our tourism activities are reinvested into local communities.
Your stay helps support schools and education, healthcare and medical assistance, food distribution, community projects and local employment.
By travelling with us, you are not only discovering the wildlife and landscapes of The Gambia. You are also helping create jobs, support families and contribute directly to the communities that make this journey possible.
Travel • Birding • Community • Conservation
A few impressions of our lodges
At Senegambia Birding, everything revolves around quality, passion, and personal guidance. You're not booking a standard trip – you're booking a tailor-made experience, with care for people, nature, and every detail. Book today and embark on an unforgettable adventure in the heart of West Africa.
RATES FOR SOLO TRAVELERS & SINGLE ROOMS
For a stay in a single room, a supplement of €80.00 applies for the 8-day package, €100.00 for the 10-day package,
(based on a minimum of two participants, with a shared guide and excursions).
Because the fixed costs for accommodation, transport and guiding are normally shared between two people, the costs for a solo traveler are slightly higher.
The single supplement therefore covers the extra room price, transport costs, excursions, and the use of a private guide.
If you are traveling alone, the total supplement – including the single room surcharge – is €240 for the 8-day package and €340 for the 10-day package.
Despite this surcharge, the Easy Birding Package remains particularly affordable compared to other operators, with the assurance of professional guiding, comfortable accommodation, and an unforgettable birding experience.
EASY BOOKING, WORRY-FREE PAYMENT
Booking your trip with Senegambia Birding is very straightforward.
1. Book without deposit
You do not need to make a down payment with us. Proof of your booked flight is sufficient to confirm your place.
2. Check availability
Simply contact us with your desired arrival and departure dates. We always personally check the availability of rooms,
guides and excursions before confirming your booking.
3. Confirmation
Once your flight and availability are confirmed, you will receive an official booking confirmation from us with all the details of your Easy Birding Package.
4. Payment on site
The full payment is only made upon arrival in Gambia. You can pay in euros in cash.
For your convenience, we also accept payment by bank transfer.
This way you book worry-free: plan now, pay later – and still have the certainty that your trip is secured.