Gambia and Senegal river cruise
Price
US $1990ToUS $3490 excluding flights
More info
Prices are pp in double occupancy.
Port charges £357 pp are not included.
Description of Gambia and Senegal river cruise
Map
Price information
US $1990ToUS $3490 excluding flights
Prices are pp in double occupancy.
Port charges £357 pp are not included.
Check dates
2027: 1 Feb
Travel guides
A river cruise is a relaxing, immersive way to travel.
Go along the roads rivers and mangroves of this fascinating West African country, discovering its musical culture.
Reviews
1 Reviews of Gambia and Senegal river cruise
1 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 28 Jan 2026 by berit degerstrand
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The 6 hours it took to reenter Senegal at the end of the cruise
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Do not book this cruise
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
NO
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very overpriced with dull, nontasting food
Read the operator's response here:
We were sorry to hear that the cruise did not meet your expectations, and particularly so with the food on board, also the performance of the cruise director and the value for money of the shore excursions in particular. The cruise operator has admitted that there was a general low score on the food on board that week and that they have since taken the necessary steps to rectify this situation. The comments about the cruise director were also noted for attention.
They did note that on their satisfaction questionnaire, the guests had rated the vessel overall highly, as they did also the cleanliness on board and the overall level of service from the crew.
As regards the negative comment about benefit to the local community, this was somewhat surprising, as this cruise in partucular has historically scored very highly on this question.
It is notable that this cruise encourages cultural exchange in every stop, by bringing visitors deeper into smaller communities, by promoting awareness and respect for local heritage and the natural environment, and of course by supporting local tourism services and the local economy (guides, local boats, excursions, markets etc). Another point that the company is especially proud of, is that they raised the money ( through company donation plus guest input) to build a school there, which didn’t previously exist — giving local children immediate access to education. The company continues to support the school, as well as to organise a cultural event there. It was perhaps an omission of the cruise director that these initiatives were not highlighted to the guests on board that week.
I must note here that our experience of running this cruise over several years is that the level of satisfaction with the cruise overall has generally been very high, as has the engagement of guests with the local community during excursions. With just 21 guest cabins, it is the only small ship able to explore the Gambia river and visit communities otherwise beyond the reach of visitors. My own view is that the input of the cruise director and their ability to set the scene and share facts and focus attention on highlights is central to the success
They did note that on their satisfaction questionnaire, the guests had rated the vessel overall highly, as they did also the cleanliness on board and the overall level of service from the crew.
As regards the negative comment about benefit to the local community, this was somewhat surprising, as this cruise in partucular has historically scored very highly on this question.
It is notable that this cruise encourages cultural exchange in every stop, by bringing visitors deeper into smaller communities, by promoting awareness and respect for local heritage and the natural environment, and of course by supporting local tourism services and the local economy (guides, local boats, excursions, markets etc). Another point that the company is especially proud of, is that they raised the money ( through company donation plus guest input) to build a school there, which didn’t previously exist — giving local children immediate access to education. The company continues to support the school, as well as to organise a cultural event there. It was perhaps an omission of the cruise director that these initiatives were not highlighted to the guests on board that week.
I must note here that our experience of running this cruise over several years is that the level of satisfaction with the cruise overall has generally been very high, as has the engagement of guests with the local community during excursions. With just 21 guest cabins, it is the only small ship able to explore the Gambia river and visit communities otherwise beyond the reach of visitors. My own view is that the input of the cruise director and their ability to set the scene and share facts and focus attention on highlights is central to the success
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) vacation so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your vacation to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.
Planet
SUSTAINABILITY is a word we do not take lightly. We strive for a world where ‘at home at sea’ is not a luxury of our time, but a standard for generations to come as we join the United Nations’ sustainable development goals and embrace our natural playground with love and care. Monitoring our impact on the environment with ships running on Marine diesel Oil, reducing plastic waste via our in continuous development single-use plastic reduction plan, and adhering to stringent policies on garbage management; are some of the practical ways we do so, but that is just the beginning.Our guiding principle is not only to avoid leaving a footprint, but to positively impact the areas we visit; and we cordially invite our guests to join hands with us and the local communities as we get involved and bring positive impact. The natural playground graciously offered by the sea is yours to discover on board our floating homes. During this cruise, all the places we visit are natural reserves so we use local guides who can walk us through their villages and nature at the pace they only know that does not disturb the wildlife and the environment.
People
During the 7-night cruises in Senegal and the Gambia River, our guests visit the Gambian town of Kuntaur, and help the local community put on a weekly film festival event entitled THE KUNTAUR FILM FESTIVAL: a film screening in a beautiful open air cinema hand-crafted by all guests, crew members and the locals. Children and families got to watch classic children films such as "the Lion King" and "The never ending story", while experiencing cinema with hand made popcorn. Open air cinema with the locals in Gambia, this is what we call once in a lifetime experience! In Lamin Coto, with the profits of the cruises, we have founded in 2012 a school which provides 100 local children their first steps to a strong education and opens their wings to knowledge. The school facilitates English Arabic education for the local community peacefully uniting under one roof with art at the forefront.Popular similar vacations
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