Senior travel: Banjul

Pace for a day

About 3 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 41 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.

Getting around in Banjul

Banjul is hard going on wheels. Pavements are cracked, sandy or missing outright, kerbs are high, and step-free routes exist mainly inside hotels and the museum. Plan door-to-door taxi rides and expect to carry a wheelchair user over some thresholds with help.

Pavements:

Cracked paving and sand force you into the road edge in places, especially around the market.

Getting around:

A chartered taxi is the practical step-free option for door-to-door trips; shared taxis are not adapted.

Hotels and guesthouses:

Few confirmed accessible rooms on the island itself; ask for photos of the entrance and bathroom before booking.

Toilets:

Accessible toilets are not confirmed at any Banjul sight; ask on arrival.

Medicines and health on the ground

The The Gambia guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.

Heat:

Shade or AC every 60-90 minutes most of the year; carry water and drink on a schedule, not just when thirsty.

Malaria:

Present nationwide, highest in the rains (roughly July-November); take prophylaxis as advised by a travel clinic and use repellent from dusk.

Food and water:

Bottled or filtered water only; eat where the turnover is fast and the food is visibly fresh.

Sun:

Strong year-round; hat and high-factor sunscreen, especially on the arch's open platform and the market's shadeless lanes.

More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.

Ask your insurer

Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.

• What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
• Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
• Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
• Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?