I am a firm believer that adventure awaits on river cruises outside of Europe.
Case in point: A seven-night hybrid river-ocean cruise that I sailed on with Variety Cruises in February in West Africa, where we explored parts of Senegal but primarily sailed in the Gambia along the Gambia River.
There aren’t many river cruises in Africa. Sailings on the Nile River in Egypt and on the Chobe River in Southern Africa between Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia make up most of the options.
That’s what makes Variety’s West Africa program a hidden gem. While you can expect to see pyramids, ancient temples and great tombs on a Nile cruise, or lions, elephants, rhinos and other Big Five wildlife on a safari river cruise, it was hard to know what I might expect to see in West Africa.
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The itineraries operate on the 44-passenger Harmony G vessel, which sails both in the Gambia River and in the ocean along the coast of Senegal and the Gambia (expect to feel the motion of the ocean at some point in your trip).
Unsurprisingly, West Africa has deep ties to the slave trade, as this is where much of it began. The history of the slave trade is a recurring theme in several of the ports, from Dakar to the Gambian town of Janjanbureh and Kunta Kinteh Island, where travelers on this itinerary will visit historical sites that played a role in the trade.
Harmony G, the 44-passenger small ship vessel that Variety Cruises uses for its West Africa sailings between Senegal and the Gambia. Photo Credit: Nicole Edenedo
In Dakar, Senegal’s capital city, it’s a must to visit Goree Island, which is now a colorful, car-free island town but is historically known as the largest slave-trading center on the African coast during the transatlantic slave trade, which operated from the 15th- to the 19th-century.
In Janjanbureh, I was particularly moved by our visit to the Freedom Tree Monument at Triangle Park and the history behind its creation, as it serves as a symbol of freedom and as a memorial to the millions of lives lost during the slave trade.
Though hard at times to fathom that the same buildings and corridors you’re walking through were once part of one of the worst crimes against humanity ever committed, it is powerful and a privilege, I think, to be able to see these places in person and to hear some of the history from experienced local guides.
Cultural experiences in Senegal and the Gambia
But historical visits are not the only experiences you’ll have on this itinerary. I found the destinations we visited between Senegal and the Gambia to be teeming with cultural and safari-like experiences.
Our group interacted with many of the locals in the small villages we visited. We were treated to drum and dance circles in the village of Dumbutu while docked in Tendaba and village tours in Kuntaur, where some of us got to visit the homes of our village guides.
The Freedom Tree Monument at Triangle Park on the island of Janjanbureh, located on the Gambia River. The island was a refuge for escaped slaved from the surrounding areas. When they arrived on the island and touched or hugged the tree, their names were recorded in the register and they became free. Photo Credit: Nicole Edenedo
Variety works with a number of the villages in the ports it calls on, and you could see how big of a deal the ship’s arrival, or departure, was for the people in town — especially the kids, who are some of the friendliest people you’ll meet in these parts.
Wildlife spotting in the Gambia
For wildlife seekers, you can expect to have some of the most exciting encounters in the Gambia, particularly when the ship calls on Banjul, Tendaba, and Kuntaur.
A guest with Variety Cruises snaps a photo of a great egret while on a boat excursion through a mangrove forest at Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve, located next to Tendaba along the Gambia River, a village that Variety Cruises calls on during its sailings in West Africa. Photo Credit: Nicole Edenedo
While on tour in Banjul, guests will visit Bakau, home to Kachikally Crocodile Pool, a tourist attraction but also a mystical site that locals believe brings about good fortune for those struggling with fertility.
As the name suggests, you’ll be seeing plenty of crocodiles at Kachikally — but don’t expect there to be barriers between you and the reptiles as if visiting a zoo. The crocodiles here roam free, and visitors must watch their step as they walk through the park. You can actually pet the crocodiles, but only with the proper guidance from the staff.
Luckily, we didn’t have to worry about being bitten or crossing paths with a hungry croc; these guys are well fed on fish every day before the park opens so that nothing but relaxation is on their minds by the time visitors arrive.
Bird watching in the Gambia is both plentiful and popular and can be done when visiting Tendaba, which is home to Tendaba Tourist Camp and Kiang West National Park. The park is where we boarded a flatbed truck to spot several types of birds whose names I can’t say I remember but were certainly pretty. Later, we went on a small boat ride through a mangrove forest in Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve, where we saw additional birds, such as pelicans, in their natural habitat.
On our way back to the ship that day, we were anchored in the more brackish waters of the Gambia River, and that’s how we spotted a pod of dolphins who gave us quite the show jumping in and out of the water.
We also got to see chimpanzees and a few hippos while on a boat tour around Baboon Island in Gambia River National Park, which was every bit as exciting as you can imagine. Guests visit this park while docked in Kuntaur, a small village upriver where we also toured the local community and mingled with many of the people living there.