Arrive in The Gambia via Banjul International Airport. From there it’s a quick 12 km transfer to Belgambia Lodge, nestled in the heart of the Tanbi Wetlands. Settle in, relax—and start birding immediately: you’ll often spot your first raptors on the drive, with Hooded Vultures circling low and Yellow-billed Kites gliding over the mangroves. Your birding and photography adventure begins the moment you land.

After breakfast, head into the Tanbi Wetlands and the Mandinari rice fields for unhurried birding and photography. Rotate between open viewpoints and the SGB photo hide for intimate, eye-level shots as herons, bee-eaters, and waders drift in and out. Back at the lodge, the action often comes to you: scan the garden for Blue-breasted Kingfisher, African Pygmy Kingfisher, and showy rollers flashing past the palms. As the light softens toward evening, unwind with a cool drink and review the day’s images before overnighting at Belgambia Lodge.

Explore the Kotu Bridge and Fajara Nature Trail at first light, when the mangroves wake and the channels bustle with activity. Watch for the Black Heron hunting under its famous “umbrella,” ibises patrolling the shallows, and darting kingfishers along the banks. Glide afterwards on a quiet boat ride up Kotu Creek for close, low-angle views and reflections. After a tasty local lunch, continue through the Kotu rice fields—prime ground for waders and the sun-bright flash of a Golden Oriole in the palms. Return to Belgambia Lodge to unwind and overnight.

Travel ~150 km inland to Tendaba in Kiang West, breaking the journey with birding stops around Bulok (wetlands) and nearby woodlands, then on to Kwinella and Bately for classic savanna birding. Watch for Abyssinian Ground Hornbills striding between termite mounds, swift coursers on the flats, vibrant rollers rocketing from perches, and chattering helmetshrikes in thorn thickets. Dinner and overnight at Tendaba Camp.

At first light, board a pirogue and slip into the mangrove channels of Kiang West National Park—prime territory for shy specials. Watch the shaded roots for White-backed Night Heron, hope for a stealthy African Finfoot hugging the banks, and track the sprightly African Blue Flycatcher in the riverside scrub. Out on broader water, scan for pelicans cruising low and stately storks circling on thermals above the marsh. Later, step quietly into the forest bird hide for close, unhurried views before returning for dinner and an overnight at Tendaba Camp.

Take a day trip to Alla Kunda, a mosaic of open savannah and village fields that’s perfect for raptors and grassland specialists. Work the tracks for Abyssinian Ground Hornbill and scan the horizons for bustards stepping through the scrub. Overhead, watch for vultures (often Rüppell’s and White-backed), soaring snake-eagles, and the unmistakable Bateleur rocking across the sky. Perch lines and termite mounds are great for Rufous-crowned (Purple) Roller—a real crowd-pleaser. After a varied day’s birding, unwind and overnight at Bintang Bolong river lodge.

Explore Alla Kunda and nearby rice fields at first light, working the tracks for ground hornbills, coursers, and early-rising raptors. Afterward, drive ~60 km to Marakissa and settle into Belgambia Lodge Marakissa. Spend the rest of the day roaming its wildlife-rich grounds and photo spots: watch kingfishers (Giant, Blue-breasted, Malachite) along the water, rollers and bee-eaters on perch lines, and Senegal Coucal in the thickets. As golden hour falls, the light is perfect for close portraits; listen for a Pearl-spotted Owlet at dusk before you wrap up your shoot.

Discover the wetlands of Marakissa and Darsilameh—a mosaic of rice fields, pools, and gallery forest that’s heaven for birders and photographers alike. Work the levees for herons, waders, bee-eaters, and multiple kingfishers, then add a relaxing boat trip on the Halahin River for low-angle views and calm, reflective water.

Often seen here: the jewel-like Shining-blue Kingfisher, plus showy Green Turaco and Violet Turaco gliding through the canopy. With soft light and close encounters throughout the day, it’s an easy place to fill your memory card—and your lifer list.

Cross the border at Jiboro into Senegal’s Casamance and roll toward Ziguinchor, the region’s laid-back riverside capital. En route, weave through traditional villages, open savannah, and gallery forest—prime habitat for rollers, bee-eaters, hornbills, ibises, and raptors. In Ziguinchor, slow the pace: explore quiet creeks and mangrove edges along the Casamance River, watch kingfishers and jacanas at close range, and soak up the sunset over the water before turning in.

Visit Bignona, a lively Casamance hub, and fan out into a tranquil mosaic of savannah, rice fields, and gallery forest—far from the crowds. Work sandy tracks at first light for rollers, bee-eaters, hornbills, and coursers; linger by paddies and streams for kingfishers, jacanas, and herons; then scan treelines for sunbirds, weavers, and passing raptors as the heat builds. With soft afternoon light, you’ll have relaxed, close encounters and plenty of photo opportunities. Round off the day with dinner and an overnight at Hotel Ballaste.

Birding in the lively heart of Casamance, then slip into a quieter world of wetlands and endless rice fields—a green, bird-rich landscape that feels far removed from the crowds. At first light we explore dikes, flooded paddies and reed-fringed pools, where jacanas, herons, egrets and storks feed at close range, while kingfishers and bee-eaters flash across the channels. We’ll pause at calm backwaters and stream edges for gentle, intimate photo moments, then keep an eye on the surrounding treelines for weavers, sunbirds and drifting raptors as the day warms. Dinner and a second overnight at Hotel Ballaste complete the day.

Kafountine is a haven of vast wetlands, quiet mangroves, and bird-rich beaches—perfect for unhurried birding and photography. Work the tide line for shorebirds, track herons along the creeks, and frame elegant terns and cruising pelicans against the surf. With soft morning light and glowing sunsets over the Atlantic, you’ll have endless low-angle, clean-background shots in a peaceful, nature-filled setting. Add a boat trip on the Casamance River out to Pelican Island, scanning the mangrove edges for intimate views, reflections, and big congregations of waterbirds. Overnight in Esperanto Lodge.

After about an hour’s drive you reach the border and cross back into The Gambia—always a little adventure in itself. From there it’s a short hop to Belgambia Lodge Mandinari, where you can unwind, swap border stories for birdsong, and soak up the quiet of the Tanbi Wetlands. Relax, recharge, and get ready for another golden-hour session right on your doorstep.

Discover the bird-rich Lamin rice fields, a patchwork of paddies, canals, and hedgerows that shelter waterbirds at every turn. Work the dikes for close views of herons and egrets, scan muddy edges for stilts and sandpipers, and watch bee-eaters hawking over the levees—great for clean, low-angle shots and portraits in soft light. Linger for quiet observation as the fields come alive, then return to Belgambia Lodge Mandinari to unwind in the calm of the Tanbi Wetlands.

We make our way back to Banjul International Airport for your return flight—cameras packed, memory cards full. Your tour ends the way great journeys should: with unforgettable sightings, close encounters, and the easy warmth of The Gambia still in your bones. Until next time, when the wetlands call again.