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Reviews

• An Experience I Will Never Forget

  Nancy W,

  Mar 27, 2025

  - Viator

  5.00

  This was the best excursion I have been on so far on my cruise through west Africa. We were looking for a true peek into local life here in The Gambia, and Black and White Safari could not have delivered that experience more perfectly. We were picked up by MuHammed and Bax at the cruise port, and immediately welcomed warmly. We were then driven to a local household where I met the woman who made our entire day and experience as wonderful as it was. Her name is Kalla and she is the kindest and most generous soul. She dressed me in local clothes and it was absolutely beautiful. Afterwards, she guided us through a local market and we shopped for the ingredients we would be cooking with for the day. Kalla asked what I wanted to eat and we purchased ingredients accordingly. I cannot overstate how unique and special it was to have the opportunity to experience the markets in The Gambia. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life and I will treasure this memory forever. After we were done getting produce and meat, we went back to Kalla’s home and began cooking immediately. It seems like the experience is as hands on as you make it, so I made it clear I wanted to fully help and prepare lunch with Kalla. I highly recommend getting involved in this process because it was so fun and educational and rewarding to see the fruits of your labor in the meal at the end. I was able to help prepare our meat, clean and chop the vegetables, wash rice, prep every ingredient that went into our food in the way that Kalla would do at home for herself and her family. Everything was new to me and I was shown immense patience and felt so much joy and love from Kalla welcoming me into her space and routine. The food ended up being DELICIOUS. I was not expecting the delightful flavors and textures that would come from ingredients I prepped myself from scratch. I highly recommend eating Domoda, or their peanut sauce stew with chicken and rice. At the end of the meal, I helped clean up and do the dishes and this also taught me so much about the local way of life. Kalla also sent me home with some Gambian peanut butter of my own and some snacks so that I can recreate the meal myself in the future. I am amazed by the people here and their joy and disposition. The call this country “The Smiling Coast of Africa” and I feel like I really understand how they’ve earned that name after today. Despite being Africa’s smallest country, the spirit and love I felt here was huge and life changing. Please try this experience if you want to be welcomed like family and experience the authentic local spirit. I’m so grateful for the experience I had here and it’s one I will never forget.