The Gambia is a narrow territory around the River Gambia on the west coast of Africa. The country has a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean but is otherwise surrounded by Senegal.
Banjul is one of the smallest capital cities in Africa, Banjul lies on an island at the mouth of the Gambia River, separated from the mainland by a narrow creek.

Sub-tropical with distinct dry and rainy seasons. Dry season from November-May with average temperatures around 21-27 degrees C. The dry Harmattan wind keeps the humidity low. Rainy season from June-October with high humidity and average temperatures around 26-32 degrees C.

Banjul (BJL) (Yundum International) is 20km (11 miles) southwest of the city. Taxis are available to the city (travel time – approximately 30 minutes). During 1989, NASA built new airport facilities to enable it to serve as an emergency space-shuttle landing site. Airport facilities include banks/bureaux de change, bars, restaurants, duty-free shops, post office and car hire (Hertz).

A tourist tax applies for all tourists arriving at Banjul International Airport, no matter from which country. Travelers can pay in Euros (&Euro;10), Sterling (£5) or US Dollars (US$10).

None.

The following goods may be imported into The Gambia without incurring customs duty:

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco (or mixed to the same total weight); 1l of spirits; 1l of wine; goods up to a value of D1000 (members of families traveling together may aggregate their individual allowances provided no single article exceeds D1000 in value).

Gambian Dalasi (D) = 100 bututs. Notes are in denominations of D50, 25, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of D1, and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 bututs.

MasterCard, American Express and Visa are accepted in most hotels if arranged at the beginning of the stay. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

IDD access code +220
Police: 17
Fire: 18
Ambulance: 16 or 18 (Banjul)

Banking: |Mon-Thu: |0800-1330
|Fri: |0800-1100
Business: |Mon-Thu: |0800-1600
|Fri: |0800-1230
Government: |Mon-Thu: |0800-1600
|Fri: |0800-1230
Shops: |Mon-Thu: |0900-1200
||1400-1700
|(Fri-Sat:) |0900-1300

Jan 1 |New Year’s Day
Jan 21 |Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice)
Feb 18 |Independence Day
Mar 25 |Good Friday
Mar 28 |Easter Monday
Apr 21 |Milad al-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet)
May 1 |Labour Day
Jul 22 |Revolution Day
Aug 15 |Assumption
Nov 3-5|Koriteh (End of Ramadan)
Dec 25 |Christmas

Visitors should not travel by road from The Gambia to Casamance in southern Senegal because of the risk of armed banditry. Crime against tourists is rare, but sensible precautions must be taken and vigilance maintained. Care should be taken when driving or walking on roads, particularly at night, due to unpredictable driving standards and lack of street lighting.