Gambia: Winter Escape Birdwatching Holiday

January 2026/2027

Gambia, fondly known as the “Smiling Coast of Africa”, thanks to its tourist friendly reputation, is a well-known hotspot for birds and birders alike. None more so than for British and European citizens, with its quick and easy access, making bird-watching trips here very affordable and mightily enjoyable.

The delightful Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu is a regular feature on this tour through Gambia.

Indeed, this small country which is entirely surrounded by Senegal, offers action-packed birding – with an exciting mix of wooded habitats, forest patches and productive wetlands combining well. Additionally, Gambia can be covered thoroughly in just a few days and make trips here well worthwhile. This tour is timed specifically in the northern hemisphere’s winter period, to allow for a break from the cold and gloom of the UK and indeed Europe, all the while enjoying a prolific set of charismatic and distinctive African birds and families.

Broad-billed Roller is a characteristic sub-Saharan African species we should encounter.