Friday 28th November - Friday 5th December 2008  

A trip to this beautiful, yet tiny country provides the perfect introduction to African birdwatching. Situated on the coast of West Africa it is surrounded by Senegal, and as a narrow finger of land it follows the Gambia River for some 200 miles.

A former British colony it is a very safe and friendly country to visit. We will be based on the coast in the Senegambia Beach Hotel, one of the best hotels in The Gambia, with its own beach, swimming pool, and attractive large gardens that host a huge variety of colourful and confiding birds. From here we will take daily excursions to a rich variety of habitats including sandy beaches, coastal lagoons, mangroves, savannah and dry forest. We will also visit several nature reserves including Abuko, which is probably The Gambia's most famous birdwatching spot. A highlight of this tour will be trip inland to Tendaba, from where we will take a boat and explore the mangroves, as well as visit a wetland where we can see the much sought-after and mythical Egyptian Plover.