Officially called the ‘Republic of The Gambia’, this country is little more than two strips of land on either side of the Gambia river. It’s about 250 kilometres long, and only a few dozen kilometres wide. It’s got one coast on the Atlantic Ocean, and inland it’s entirely surrounded by Senegal.

There are remarkable stone circles scattered throughout the country. Archaeologists believe an unknown civilisation left these structures behind around the year 700. They are all circular in shape, reminiscent of Stonehenge in England, for example.

You can take a Safari in The Gambia, though it’s a different experience to those in the better-known safari areas such as Eastern- and Southern Africa. There are no large animals such as elephants. A safari in The Gambia mostly revolves around birds, of which there are more than 450 kinds.