Kololi Travel Forum

Staying at the Kairaba Hotel Kololi Beach late Feb early March 2006. Would like to get out into the bush to see local people/life and hopefully wildlife. Can anyone advise the best way to do this avoiding the international travel company excursions? Safe, knowledgeable local guides would be ideal. Also, good local restaurants within walking distance of the hotel for an occasional change of scene.

Thanks,

P.

I was staying at the Kairaba Beach ohtel from 3-17 nov. it is a great hotel.
straigh toutside the hotel gates is where the official tourist guides are based. they are locals, but are official. i used them a couple of times and found them to be great. I would recommend Brian!
Kololi is very small. there are a number of restaurants up the main road. a particular favourite of mine was Scala. this is right at the t junction (ali baba's) and about 200 yards on the right. (you'll understand the directions once your there).

if you have any more questions please let me know.
ps are you pleanning on taking Malaria tablets?

Becky

Hi Becky,

Thanks for your note. Apart from Egypt, Africa is fairly new to me as I am currently into the Far East but keen to branch out. Yes, I have a stock of Malaria tablets left over from Malaya/Borneo. Any particular excursions into the bush you would recommend? I gather from the FO that Senegal is to be avoided.

Regards,

P.

I got chatting to a couple that were regulars to Gambia and they went on an organised trip to senegal which was a weekend trip and thry said it was great, no problems.

we didn't really venture that far away.
we visited a school, and the crocodile park, the monkey park, serrakunda market (scary) and banjul. apart from that we didn't go on any of the trips that the travel companies were selling.

Have stayed at the Kairaba Hotel many times it is excellent you will enjoy it.

Outside the hotel is the main street with a great variety ofeating places so many you are spoilt for choice. End the night upstairs ar Ali Baba's just watching the world go by.

There are some small independent excursion companies; one is half way up on the left and another opposite the entrance to the Tafbel Hotel. They both offer good value.

About half a mile from the Kairaba is the Bijilo National Forest which is worth a visit - allow a couple of hours and it has a variety of well signposted walks with plenty of birds and monkeys to see. Though if you are feeling lethargic you can stat put as a group of about 20 monkeys usually comes through the Kairaba gardens late afternoon on most days.

Hi :-) We have just returned from 2 glorious weeks in The Gambia! Firstly, I will repeat what others have advised, and that is, do NOT bother with the tour operators excursions! You will also find, based right outside the Kairaba hotel, some 'offcial Gambian tour guides' in a concrete hut. However, they do not charge much less than the tour operators! What they do when you've paid up, is hire one of the local green taxis to take you in. We avoided all these costs by simply hiring a green taxi direct! The green taxis are a minutes walk up the road on the right - you can't miss them - and the cars are mostly suzuki wagons. We loved cruising along with the top down! The taxi drivers know just as much as the 'guides' and can offer you the same trips for less than half the price! For example, the 'offical guides' were charging £30 per person for one tour and we took the same tour in a green taxi for just £20 for both of us! We used the same driver, Bob, for all our trips and it really made our holiday.

Stayed at the senegambia hotel for 2 weeks in december 2005, for our trips we used one of the official guides located outside the kairaba called ALEX he was very good and never tried to force anymore onto us he was very knowledgable and very keen to to a good job. I agree that the prices charged are not as cheap as you would think but it is the blokes living and i think that it is worth paying for if only for the experience.

Hi i have a couple of guys that take me and my wife any where we wish to go there names are Landang & musa these are the greatest guids you could ever ask for they are honest and loyal just let them know what you want to do and they will book your day for you and you will love there outlook on the gambia please ask to see musas mum she is great fun you will also see the true gambia with these lads musa is mandinka and landang is jolof which can be great fun on your days out they will collect you when you want and bring you back when you have seen all there is to see in that day landangs number is 002209952640 just let him know that i will be with them 20/04/06 you will have a great time with these and i am sure you will go back many times Regards Kit