A narrow country that partially bisects Senegal, The Gambia is dominated by its namesake river, which flows through the center of the country. Many visitors never explore the country beyond the beaches, which are popular with European package travelers. For those that do venture beyond, there is the capital city of Banjul with its Albert Market, and the nearby city of Serrekunda, – both good introductions to West African markets and life. Nearby are mangrove swamps that you can take boat trips through, and the Abuko Nature Reserve whisch is a small tropical river forest with many monkeys and birds. Further upriver, one can visit traditional villages that have been largely unaffected by tourism, or the Kiang West National Park, a wild area containing a wide range of mammals and birds. As well, there are the Wassu stone circles, which are stone pillars from one to three meters high arranged in circles around the ancient burial site. Not exactly Stonehenge in scope, but they are a good piece of African history.
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