This 15-day birding and photography tour crosses between two West African neighbours, with five days in The Gambia and ten in Senegal. The Gambia has more than 620 recorded bird species and Senegal more than 600, so there is always something new in front of you.

The tour begins at Mandinari, where a purpose-built photography hide puts you close to the birds of the river and mangroves. In The Gambia’s forest patches, we look for Puvel’s Illadopsis and White-spotted Flufftail, and for Temminck’s Red Colobus, a threatened monkey. From there you cross into Senegal’s Saloum Delta, a maze of creeks, mangroves and sandbanks on the Atlantic flyway, with a boat trip in search of the rare White-crested Tiger Heron. The route then heads north into the Sahel, through the Kaolack area, the wetlands of Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary and the river country around Richard Toll and Podor. Here we look for Arabian Bustard, Savile’s Bustard, Cricket Warbler, Golden Nightjar and Sudan Golden Sparrow, with stops at Saint-Louis and Touba and a chance at the elusive Egyptian Plover. You finish back in The Gambia at Morgan Kunda Lodge and Mandinari River Lodge, with relaxed photography at the Lamin rice paddies and Kotu Bridge. It’s a trip for birders and photographers who want to see authentic West Africa in a single journey, led by local guides who know it well.

Private departures can also be arranged.

Target Bird Species

White-crested Tiger Heron • Quail Plover • Golden Nightjar • Swallow-tailed Kite • Puvel’s Illadopsis • White-spotted Flufftail • Arabian Bustard • Savile’s Bustard • Cricket Warbler • Sudan Golden Sparrow

Download bird checklist

Route map

Itinerary

Day 1	Arrive at Banjul airport, meet your guide and transfer to Mandinari River Lodge for a briefing and dinner.
Day 2	Spend the day photographing birds from the lodge’s hide, with an optional session along the river or wetlands.
Day 3	Cross into Senegal and drive to the Saloum Delta, with a mangrove boat ride or shorebird photography in the afternoon.
Day 4	Take a morning boat trip through the creeks to photograph the White-crested Tiger Heron, then walk the forest near camp.
Day 5	Drive to Kaolack with stops on the way, aiming to photograph the Swallow-tailed Kite (or Black-winged Kite, depending on location).
Day 6	Leave early for Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, road-birding for raptors, rollers and waterbirds on the way.
Day 7	Spend the day at Djoudj on a boat safari, photographing pelicans, herons, cormorants and spoonbills.
Day 8	Drive to Richard Toll with stops in savanna, farmland and wetlands beside the Senegal River.
Day 9	Travel to Podor to photograph the Golden Nightjar and a swallow species still to be confirmed, with an evening nightjar session.
Day 10	Drive to Saint-Louis with stops at wetlands, farmland and riverbanks, finishing with optional evening birding or sunset photography.
Day 11	Drive to Touba in search of the Quail Plover, with a photo session in the right habitat on the way.
Day 12	Return to Kaolack with stops at birding spots in open fields, acacia scrub and seasonal wetlands.
Day 13	Cross back into The Gambia at Farafenni, with road stops on the way to Morgan Kunda Lodge.
Day 14	Drive back to Mandinari River Lodge with birding stops at rice fields, wetlands and woodland, and a late-afternoon photo session.
Day 15	Photograph at Lamin Rice Fields and Kotu Bridge, depending on your flight time, then transfer to Banjul airport.

Included

• Accompanying Karoo Birding Safaris tour leader/guide
• Ground transport in four-wheel-drive vehicles with a local English-speaking guide
• Fuel and running costs
• Accommodation in lodges, camps and hotels
• Full board
• Park entrance tickets and local guides

Not included

• Drinks
• Personal expenses
• International flights
• Travel insurance 
• Visa fees
• Vaccinations and health certificates