Bird watching tours in the Gambia
Hassan Gindeh is a highly qualified bird guide with years of experience. He runs unforgettable tours through bird reservoirs in the Gambia, by many called the Birdwatchers’ Paradise.
Yellow Billed Oxpecker
Photo by Hannah Jansen
Hassan on a birdwatching tour in Gambia
Photo by Hannah Jansen
“If anyone is interested in bird-watching in the Gambia, I would like to recommend a guide Hassan Gindeh he is absolutely the best wildlife guide i have used anywhere.Hassan is professional, reliable and incredibly knowledgeable, he knows all the tricks, all the best spots and he can do all the bird songs, he also seems to be able to spot birds that there is no way i would have seen without him.
He is also a very nice guy, quiet but funny and a pleasure to spend the day with.”
Review on lonelyplanet.comgregbuick
Bird watching with Hassan
When arriving in the Gambia, tour operators or your hotel will try to sell you standard bird watching excursions in the area. But before booking with your tour operator or hotel, you could consider hiring the local bird guide Hassan for a more personal experience. The Gambia is a developing country and people trying to make a living as an official bird guide, like Hassan, can surely use your business.
Hassan can offer you a variety of bird watching tours in the birding paradise of the Gambia. Hassan offers the same birding tours and destinations as the tour operators but at competitive prices. At the same time, Hassan offers you much more and considers the interests and wishes of you and, if you are not traveling alone, your group.
Hassan can take you everywhere you like, for as many days or hours as you want. Trips can be accustomed to your wishes, taking into account the birds you want to see, the distance you want to travel, or the time you want to spend on bird watching.
Please find a few examples of bird watching tours to the many beautiful bird areas in the Gambia by clicking the button below. Hassan can take you to all known birdwatching areas as your personal bird guide.
About Hassan
Hassan Gindeh has been an officially certified bird guide in the Gambia for more than 10 years. Here is what Hassan can tell about himself:
“I am Hassan Gindeh, born 31 August 1980 in Lamin village, Kombo North, west coast region. I have attended St Peters primary, secondary and high school. I graduated in 2003. I then started studying Wildlife and Biodiversity at the Department of Wildlife and Management headquarters at Abuko Nature Reserve. I received five years of training in birdwatching.
I am certified in ornithology and wildlife guiding at Abuko nature reserve. I have also volunteered to the NGO agency of Darwin field station of Makasutu Wildlife Trust. Later proceeded again to specialise in ornithology as a profession.
I have guided groups and individual bird watchers from The Netherlands, United Kingdom and other western nations for birding in the Gambia.”
Official bird guide Hassan
Photo by Hannah Jansen
“Hassan was a great bird guide on our wonderful tour of the Gambia. Very friendly and knowledgeable of birds.”Hannah Jansen, The Netherlands
Common Wattle Eye
Photo by Hannah Jansen
Birds of the Gambia
Bird watching often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are more easily detected and identified by ear than by eye. Most birdwatchers pursue this activity for recreational or social reasons, unlike ornithologists, who engage in the study of birds using formal scientific methods.
Bird watching in the Gambia is an exciting way of spending your holiday. Hassan has a very good knowledge of the birds of the Gambia. Some more tekst here about the birds of the Gambia and bird watching in this beautiful country.
The above video gives an excellent impression of the birds you will see if you visit Gambia. The video is made by Ruben Vernieuwe and has no affiliation with Hassan.
The Gambia
You can explore bird watching in the Gambia after just a six hours flight from Western Europe. The Gambia is a small country situated on the western coast of Africa.
The smiling coast of Africa has a population of more than 1.5 million and has a rich natural biodiversity. In the Gambia, you can still find tall leafy trees and many beautiful and colourful birds. Bird watching is one of the main attractions of the country.
People in the Gambia live harmoniously in communities freely exercising their religious and cultural traditions. Gambians are recognised all over the world for their spontaneous, warm smile. Their peaceful, loving nature and their hospitality welcome bird lovers from all over the world.
Tours
The bird watching tours with bird guide Hassan are a fantastic and very personal way of discovering the beautiful birds of the Gambia. Hassan can customise a tour according to your wishes, but you can also choose from the tours described below.
“Hassan was excellent, knows everyone and is respected by them, a good conversationalist and doesn’t put you through any awkward unscheduled side trips. I’m grateful for him putting together a Brufut/Tanji trip which enabled me to see some superb birds (Bronze winged Courser, 3 Owls etc) whilst still keeping my non-birding wife entertained with the local sites.”
Birdwatching tours in the Gambia
Photo by Hannah Jansen
White Heron
Photo by Hannah Jansen
Kartong wetlands tour
The Kartong wetland lies in the southern part of the west coast region of the Gambia. It is good for migrant species and resident birds. The area is characterised by dry thorn and bush savanna and dominated by Reedbeds. It was originally a sand mining area but later sponsored and protected by Birdlife International, WABSA (West African Bird Study Association) and the local community of Kartong.
Lamin Lodge tour
Lamin Lodge is a popular destination mainly for Early Morning Birds and Breakfast. The area around the Lamin Lodge is great for both novice and experienced bird watchers and particularly interesting for photographers. Step on board the Pirogue, sail through the tranquil mangrove and enjoy the many beautiful birds.
Photo by Hassan Gindeh
Photo by Hassan Gindeh
Four day upriver tour
On this tour we follow the Gambia river and we will visit a few bird areas along the river.
Tours along the coast
You can find many beautiful bird areas along the coast of the Gambia. Read about a few example tours by clicking the button.
The coastal area of the Gambia
Photo by Hannah Jansen
Contact
Plan a bird watching tour with Hassan!
Especially during the birding season (September till May) Hassan holds office near the entrances of the Senegambia Beach Hotel or you can find Hassan at the Kairaba Hotel. However, tours can start from where ever you are staying in the Gambia.
You don’t have to decide now which tours you want to make now. You can reserve Hassan for a couple of days and decide when you arrive in the Gambia which tour(s) you want to take.
Contact Hassan for more information or to book or plan your personal bird watching tour of the Gambia:
Phone: +220 7040618
Email: hassan@hassanbirding.com
Hassan, bird guide of the Gambia.
Hassan Gindeh on a birding tour of the Gambia
Photo by Hannah Jansen
“Local bird watching guide Hassan Gindeh took us to many of the places of interest for wildlife, a dugout canoe trip into the mangroves, 3 or 4 nature reserves and the local sewage farm (even spotted Chris Packam there) . Hassan real knows his countries birds and was good fun to be with.”Review on TripadvisorDave, Essex UK