Hear about travel to West Africa to Senegal and the Gambia as the Amateur Traveler talks to Brian Asher from theworldhiker.com about this under-visited region.
Brian has been to each of the 54 countries in Africa. Regarding West Africa, he says, “I think West Africa is really vibrant. Several of my friends who have been there for years in the Peace Corps say it’s about the people, it’s about the markets, it’s about the color. It’s about the way they treat you, just the life that’s on the streets of West Africa. We hear of animals and safaris in East and Southern Africa but West Africa is really the beating heart of the continent with some of the most populous countries, a fascinating region.”
Senegal and The Gambia make an interesting pair of countries to visit in the region. The Gambia is inside of Senegal. It has no other neighboring countries. Brian says, “I think Senegal and The Gambia are a great introduction to Africa, especially to West Africa. They’re safe countries. They’re countries that are kind of a soft introduction. They are not as hard-hitting as some of the other countries in West Africa. For me, the weather was very nice after coming from more tropical and intense heat in the Sahara, for example. The people are very friendly. There’s lots of lively music in the streets. When you think of Africa this would be a great place to start.”
Brian lays out a 10 day or so itinerary that starts in Dakar, heads north to Saint Louis with its UNESCO old city center, and then down to the capital city of The Gambia on the Gambia River.
In Dakar, Senegal’s capital, Brian recommends a visit to the beautiful island of Gorée with its sad history of slave trading. Gorée is a UNESCO World Heritage site. He also recommends a visit to a local market, the African Renaissance Monument, the Mosque of the Divine, and the nearby Pink Lake.
From Saint Louis, you can get out to the Langue de Barbarie National Park or do a desert camping adventure.
In the capital city of The Gambia, Banjul, Brian visited the markets, the beaches, the monkey park, and the Kachikally Crocodile Pool.
Explore this less-visited part of Africa.
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Show Notes
theworldhiker.com
West Africa
Senegal
Dakar
Gorée
Ouakam
Lake Retba
Saint-Louis, Senegal
Photography Museum Saint-Louis
Langue de Barbarie
The Gambia
Banjul
Bijilo Forest Park
Kachikally Crocodile Pool, Gambia
Serekunda Market
Albert Market
Africa on World Maps
Lompoul Desert Camp, Senegal
Travel Itinerary: Africa
Community
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Chris Kilworth, patron of the show, has a podcast called called “Between The Mountains”
Hi Chris,
I’ve been meaning to email you. I am a long time listener and have used your podcasts to map out a lot of itineraries over the past few years. My wife and I went on safari in September 2018 and flew into Mount Kilimanjaro. This last podcast reminded me to write to you.
It is a tough time in the travel world, and will probably continue to be so for a while. Your podcasts have been a mainstay in my life for going on 3 years. Even though it may be some time before we are traveling again, I want to encourage you to continue to make great content. Your podcasts provide a mental break in uncertain times.
Happy Easter!
Dave
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