Lower and Central River Travel Guide

Explore Soma, Gambia Soma sits where roads meet; the town’s bus stations, charcoal sellers and a big market make it a transit hub - travelers change buses, grab grilled fish or bollo (cassava bread) and move on. Explore Mansa Konko A leafy administrative center, Mansa Konko has a calm market square, eateries serving groundnut stew, and easy access to mangrove creeks for short boat trips. Explore Janjanbureh Set on MacCarthy Island, Janjanbureh shows colonial-era houses, quiet riverside lanes and a small museum; travelers come for river cruises, fishing and local history. Explore Kuntaur Kuntaur sits upriver on the Gambia, where ferry landings and markets connect river communities; travelers come for boat trips, shoreline birding, market life and easy access to traditional riverside villages and local eateries. Explore River Gambia National Park The River Gambia National Park upriver hosts chimpanzee rehabilitation sites and riverine forest. Tourists come for guided boat safaris, chimp tracking and riverside birdwatching. Explore Wassu Stone Circles Near the village of Wassu, the Wassu Stone Circles are part of the Senegambian megalithic sites; visitors learn about the stone circles’ funerary context, see standing stones, and visit the on-site interpretive centre. Explore Kiang West National Park West of the Gambia River, Kiang West National Park protects savanna, woodland and seasonal floodplain; visitors come for birdwatching, guided walks and visits to nearby Mandinka villages. Explore MacCarthy Island Known today as Janjanbureh, MacCarthy Island sits on the Gambia River and features colonial-era buildings, riverfront markets and boat trips that showcase riverine life.