In March 2024 we went on the "BIRDS AND CHIMPANZEE TOUR" with Yankuba.

Yankuba is a real birder, he really knows his birds and mammals and will go above and beyond for his customers.

Yankuba makes sure he knows your wishes and will go to live up to them. When you are a hardcore birder Yankuba will show you everything Gambia and Senegal has to offer you. If you want a bit of birding and some sightseeing he has no problem changing the program and take you there where you want to go.

We had 2 lovely days where we got to see over a minimum of 80 species of birds (probably even way more, but this is wat i know for sure by the book) i was able to take photos over more than 50 species and the highlight of the trip for us was a great boattrip with an amazing sighting of the chimpansees.

In the we can say we had 2 great days with Yankuba and his driver who brought us save around the Gambia.

We embarked on an incredible two-week birding expedition led by Yankuba and his team (Kaddy and Abdoulie), traversing diverse habitats from the Gambian coast to Upper River Bansang. Despite daytime temperatures soaring up to 47 degrees Celsius, even those accustomed to Arctic conditions found themselves warming up. Additionally, we spent a few days at the Kartong Bird Observatory near the Senegal border, where we extend our gratitude to Michael and his team.

Yankuba meticulously planned our route and birding spots based on our preferences, ensuring a variety of habitats and maximising bird species sightings. He also adjusted the route to include species typically challenging to find during this season. Throughout our journey, we marvelled at an impressive 314 bird species. Yankuba's extensive network provided us with invaluable insights, surpassing what one could gather from sources like eBird. Moreover, we were fortunate to spot a couple of rare sightings: two Lesser Jacanas and a Simple Leaflove, both extremely rare in the country.

For anyone considering a trip to The Gambia or seeking to explore northern or southeastern Senegal for unique birdwatching opportunities to spot several bird species that are difficult to find elsewhere, I wholeheartedly recommend Yankuba and Gambia Birding Tours as your travel organisers.

Gambia is a superb country for birding and Yankuba is the perfect field companion to enjoy them and learn about them. We had a fantastic tour, customised to my time limitations and my wishes, including a tour to see the Chimps. Also Abdoulie was a fantastic driver, they do a great time. No doubt I'll contact them when I return!

This was a great birding tour. I saw and even took good pictures from all birds on my list, especially bee-eaters, rollers, kingfishers and turacos. Yankuba has all perfectly organized for my needs and with his knowledge about the locations of the different species, we found all of them. Also a special thanks to our driver Abdullah who was always very attentive and helpful.
You will hardly find another country with these perfect conditions for bird photography with the open grasslands and dry woodlands but also having the ornithological diversity.

This was a perfect tour with all expectations met. Yankuba is incredibly skilled in bird observation and identification, and he can find almost any species you want to see! Moreover, he is very punctual. It was also nice to have his trainee, Kaddy, joining us, and we always felt safe on the road due to the experienced driver, Ablai.

The excursion to the Chimpanzees is unforgetable. Every thing was planned really good. We where picked up at 07:30 and drove upstream to Kuntaur. The drive will take 4-5 hours but it is an experience by its own. Your really see the daily life of the people. In Kuntaur we started a boat trip to see Chimpanzees and on our way back we even saw two hippos. Very important: don't forget insect repellant, because as soon as the sun sets, the insects will be all over. On the second day after breakfast we also stopped at the stone circles, which are very interesting.
Even the tour might be a bit expensive, it is well worth the money and whenever i will book a tour in The Gambia again, i will contact Yankuba first 🙂

Yankuba picked up our group of 8 birders from our cruise ship. He showed us so many species. It was wonderful to bird Kotu Creek. The birds are so visible and active. Not bothered by us. We went to the little drinking pools private area and saw terrific passerines and even the long tailed nightjar. You will not be disappointed with a Yankuba

We booked a Kotu Creek and environs birding tour with Yankuba. Together with our two sons we had a beautifull day and saw a lot of different birds. Yankuba told us about the birds and also about the life and people in The Gambia. It was a fantastic experience, thanks Yankuba!

We saw Yankuba’s website and excellent reviews and booked a two day tour from Kotu all the way through to upper Gambia. We were not disappointed. We had not been to The Gambia before and this tour not only gave us a vast list of 170 birds but a valuable insight into the culture of The Gambia and it’s beautiful people. We visited the forests of Ferasuto, the savanna of upper Gambia and sailed along the jungle fringes of The Gambia River. The immense variety is absolutely jaw dropping ranging from waders, sunbird’s through to fish Eagles and specialities such as Finfoot. I fully recommend Yankuba to be the go to guy for your trip and his knowledge and ability to find birds is second to none. Ian and Sarah Butcher, Stoke on Trent, England.

I've been in The Gambia for the first time in May 22 and already wanted to go back! We've seen so many new species in different habitats, we've learned so much about Gambian people and traditions and we've enjoyed very beautiful landscapes. Yankuba is an incredible guide and we were delighted by his knowledge about local birds and how to spot them. I couldn't recommend him more!!