Central Gambia

Division Map

The central part of The Gambia (essentially Lower River and North Bank Divisions) comprise a number of beautiful sites and wonderful people.

Farfenni

On the north bank of the river from Soma and Mansa Konko, Farafenni is the largest town on the north bank. It has it's own hospital, post office and Gamtel…It even has a hotel and restaurants…Other than that, not much else.

Soma

The Chaos that is Soma

Soma is a well-known (and much-loathed by Gambians and non-Gambians alike) town that serves as a bush taxi stop, serving both east and west bound traffic but also traffic bound for Senegal to the north and south. Tip: The best toilets are at the Gamtel office.

The Eating Establishments Near the GPTC Garage

Because of the amount of traffic going through Soma (and stopping) there are a large number of small stalls where you can grab something to eat. A number of health professionals I have talked to advise that you may wish to avoid eating meat here (particularly with the lack of hygiene and the open sewers).

My Favourite Restaurant in Soma - One of the few owned by Gambians

My favourite restaurant in Soma is Ceesay's which is located past the GPTC garage and the police check-point on the way to Bansang (almost out of the city). This is one of the few restaurants owned and operated by Gambians and the quality (and prices) of the food are VERY good.

Further Information

For further information please see:

  • Sindola Safari Lodge - My page describing the Sindola “Camp” located near the president's home in Kanilai
  • Tenda Ba Camp - My page describing Tenda Ba Camp a tranquil tourist camp located in Lower River Division on the south bank of the river