Hi Mark

You can see my review of our stay at the Senegambia Hotel in Kololi at http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/the-gambia/kololi/senegambia-beach-hotel/

For some reason the info about the trips that I posted as part of my resort report for Kololi has never appeared on this site so I have copied it below:

We went on four trips with GTS while we were there - Roots, City Sights, Makasutu and the GTS Member Trip and all were brilliant. On the Roots trip we were taken on the ferry from Banjul to Barra on the north bank and from there by taxi to Albreda. The chaos of the Barra Ferry and Barra market were experiences that we'll never forget! It only took an hour to drive to Albreda along the dusty local roads, and we were able to catch a glimpse of the 'Real Gambia' along the way - passing through villages and overtaking overloaded bush taxis. When we got to Albreda we took a leaky pirogue out to James Island - it was amazing to be able to visit it as a small group, rather than being herded round in large groups like the majority of other tourists. Afterwards we went to Juffureh to meet some of the alleged relatives of Kunta Kinte before heading back to Barra and the ferry. We also stopped off for a quick tour of Fort Bullen on the way.

On the City sights trip, we first went to the Katchikally crocodile pool. We hadn't expected this to be that good, but there is a very interesting little museum there with information on local customs and rituals. The large number of crocodiles that they have there is also impressive! Next we went to Abuko Nature Reserve. The walk to the zoo is quite long and not all that interesting (much better to go to Makasutu if you like nature walks) and there are only a few animals there. Nevertheless we did get to see some Hyenas and also hear them laugh, which was a strange experience. Afterwards we went for lunch at Lamin Lodge - the food was nice, but what we really enjoyed was the cool breeze and fantastic views from the top floor of the building. A tip - if anyone asks you to sign the visitors book when you visit these places - bear in mind that they will probably expect some sort of donation off you as well.

The third trip we went on was to Makasutu Culture forest, which is only about 30 mins from Kololi. When you arrive, you can choose to spend either a day or a half day there. We chose to spend the full day there as it wasn't much more expensive and included lunch and entertainment. When we arrived we were given tea and coffee in the Baobab Cultural Area - an area of seating covered by a very tall thatched roof - an impressive start to the day. We then went on a nature walk with one of the staff, which was very interesting. The walk did take about 1 ½ hrs and it was very hot so people who do not like the heat or who cannot walk far might not enjoy it. The best bit was when we came across a group of baboons going about their normal everyday business of eating and playing/fighting. Afterwards, we were put into a tiny canoe made out of a tree trunk and taken on a trip through the mangrove swamps. This was a truly unmissable experience - sailing along in brilliant sunshine with no-one around apart from the odd bird or fish. Afterwards we had lunch - Gambian style - and then watched some of the local Jola dancing. It is also possible to go on trips to Makasutu at night - something that we might do if we visit the Gambia again. Their website is http://www.makasutu.com - you can also stay in eco-lodges there if you want to.

On our final day, we went on the GTS members' day out trip - which has been designed to give people a taste of real life in rural south Gambia. We visited a number of different places, from beaches to villages, and also spent some time looking round a Gambian farm. This was a real opportunity to see how people actually live in the Gambia, as the resorts themselves are very much geared towards the needs of the western visitor. We also spent some time at one of the compounds that GTS owns in Brufut, where they are currently creating a museum of Gambian musical instruments. It was a really nice way to end our last day there.