Financial matters
Please be advised that paying and money withdrawal mostly happens via Visa credit card or in cash money. ATM’s are only located in a couple of places, so please make sure you bring enough cash money or travelers cheques.
The currency in Gambia is called Dalasi and because of the high inflation in the country the exchange rate varies almost every day. Your guide of GambiaSafari knows the correct exchange rate and can help you at the exchange offices. At some hotels it is also possible to exchange money, but it can happen that they use a higher exchange rate.
Prices
Because of the changing value of the Dalasi, the prices of goods and services change as well. For the local people Gambia is an expensive country. Gambia also needs to import practically everything because they hardly have any industry of their own.
We don’t mention prices at our website for the safaris on purpose. Because of the changing value at the moment, the value of certain goods go up or down (like gas).
Our guides are well informed about the day to day prices. When you have the first meeting with our guide at your hotel, he will tell you the price of your safari, based upon the value of the Dalasi at that moment. In this way we can make sure that our safaris are not overpriced and that the guides and drivers earn an honest salary. If you wish to receive a price indication, please fill in the contactform .
In Gambia a beer at a local bar will cost around 100 dalasi and in the hotels around 160 dalasi. A good local sandwich will cost around 70 dalasi and a hot meal (local) will cost around 300 dalasi. The prices in the restaurants are higher then this. Please keep in mind that these prices could have been changed since the moment this information was written.
Bargain
Only in restaurants, hotels, bars, entrance fees and supermarkets the prices are fixed. So at the marketplaces and in some local shops you need to bargain. Please keep in mind that what seems a reasonable price for you, is really a lot of money for the locals. As a guideline you can try to pay 40 or 50% from the original price. Start the bargain at 30% and slowly work your way up. To bargain is also seen as a social activity, so use a little tactics, humor and have patience.
Your guide from GambiaSafari can help you to bargain and he also knows the regular prices, so with his help you can save money.
