First Impressions - My first 12 hours in The Gambia

On a recent educational trip, Charlotte, from The Gambia Experience sales team, recounts her first 12 hours in The Gambia and what her thoughts were as she travelled to this wonderful country.

Charlotte recounts her first impressions of The Gambia below!

How was your flight with Titan Airways?

Whilst cruising at an altitude of 35,000ft, I was both surprised and amazed at how the landscape changed below. We went from flying over the North Atlantic’s deep blue colours to the Sahara’s endless dusty red terrain. As we began our descent and land slowly crept closer and closer to the aircraft, I found myself focussing on the yellow taxis darting around and amongst the clusters of built-up communities. I could see lots of large birds circling and flying around underneath: they looked gigantic, even with the great distance between us. I could almost feel the heat beating through the window as I looked out from above. I enjoyed flying with Titan and found it to be a very pleasant journey and a great way to start the trip.

We touched down on time, the doors opened, and we were all greeted by gorgeous weather and smiling Gambians. The airport was bustling but our transition through was smooth. We collected our bags, and they were placed on our air-conditioned transfer bus by some helpful locals. The coach took us through the streets of Serrekunda where we drove past miles of street markets with endless bright colours. I loved seeing the locals going about their regular Tuesday afternoon. 

Where did you stay for your first night in The Gambia?

Our hotel for our stay in The Gambia was Kombo Beach Resort. We were greeted immediately by friendly staff offering a helping hand with luggage, and refreshing cooling towels. After receiving an envelope with hotel information and a room key enclosed, we rushed to our rooms to change out of winter clothes and into summer clothes. I stayed in Kombo’s Studio and was very impressed with the size. There was a lot of living room area, the bathroom was very spacious, and the outside patio area was equipped with two sun loungers and a side table. The bed was very comfortable, and despite the 3 am start, heading to the beach was too tempting! The sand was a lovely soft yellow and despite it being early evening, the sun was still warm. We dipped our toes in the sea; it was very refreshing.

Kombo Beach put on a great buffet! How was it?

For dinner, we tried out Kombo’s evening buffet. I was pleasantly surprised at the wide range of both vegetarian and meat options for guests, as well as the fresh salads and my favourite, the desserts. Our waiter for the evening was very attentive and always made sure we had everything we needed. This is an amazing attribute of Kombo Beach Hotel; the staff are so friendly and welcoming, and you can’t help but return the beaming smiles all around you.

How did you feel after your first evening in The Gambia?

Everyone I encountered in my first few hours in The Gambia, from the airport staff, our coach driver, resort staff and housekeeping were friendly. I fell asleep with a lovely tropical feeling surrounding me as I listened to the cicadas buzzing and other wildlife waking up for the evening.

Find out more about a holiday to The Gambia and experience this fabulous country on your Gambian adventure.