Officially the Islamic Republic of the Gambia, it is a nation in West Africa. It is completely surrounded by Senegal, except at the mouth of the Gambia River into the Atlantic Ocean. Its capital is Banjul, although the largest city in the country is Serekunda. The country is located on the banks of the Gambia River, which gives its name to the country, and which runs through its center and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The country has an area of 10,500 km² and an estimated population of 1.7 million people. The Gambia shares with the rest of the nations of West Africa a past associated with the slave market, which It was the key factor for the location and maintenance of a colony on the Gambia River, first maintained by the Portuguese and later by the British Empire. On February 18, 1965, The Gambia achieved independence from the United Kingdom and since then the country has enjoyed relative political stability, with the exception of a short period of military dictatorship in 1994.It is a country with very fertile lands that have turned agriculture into one of the key elements of its economy, along with fishing and tourism.

Programs at Gambia

Sindola and South Gambia

7 nights

Useful information for traveling to Gambia

No visa required. Visitors of Spanish nationality only need to have a valid passport with a minimum validity of six months.

English was the official language of The Gambia until 2014, since then the official language has been Arabic. Although several regional languages are also spoken such as Mandika, Wolof, Fula, Serer in addition to Creole Krio. Due to the regional location, there is a good knowledge of French, which is official in much of West and Central Africa, and is widely spoken in countries in the region.

The official currency is the dalasi (GMD), which is divided into 100 bututs. You can exchange currency at the airport and at banks and exchange offices in cities. Traveler's checks issued in euros, US dollars or British pounds can be exchanged upon payment of a fee. MasterCard, American Express and Visa credit cards are accepted in most hotels. Bank hours: Monday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Certain banks are open on Saturday mornings.

220V. Plugs are round or square, with three pins. No adapter required.

The yellow fever vaccine is mandatory. Other recommended vaccines: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, typhus, hepatitis A and B. It is recommended to follow antimalarial treatment since the country is classified in zone 3. Drink only bottled water. Do not consume raw foods (meat, fish, vegetables, fruits...).

Its climate is tropical, with the months from June to November being the hottest and rainiest and from December to May having cooler and drier weather. Temperatures on the coast are moderate, but they increase inland, becoming very warm in the eastern part of the country.

Traditional dishes of Gambian cuisine are mostly made from rice (the staple food), with various spicy sauces. However, steamed millet, couscous or cassava are also common.

The ingredients that define these dishes are peanut butter (Domoda), okra (okra), palm oil (chew deu terr) or edible leaves such as spinach or cassava leaves. Very popular among poor families is Mbahal, which is rice mixed with grated peanuts and dried fish. Some of the best known typical dishes are Domoda (sauce of peanut butter), supakanja (okra stew), benachin (jolof rice), chere (millet couscous) or chicken yassa (fried chicken in onion).

La diferencia horaria con España es de -1 hora en invierno y -2 horas en verano.

It has 1.7 million inhabitants and various ethnic groups such as the Mandingas (41%), the Peuls, the Wolofs, the Soninkes, the Diolas and the Akus. 

Destinations related to Gambia

Africa

Coastal area of Gambia

Sindola

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