Basse Santa Su

Basse Santa Su is the easternmost major town of the Gambia and the commercial centre of the upper river, close enough to Senegal on both banks and to Guinea beyond that trade crosses constantly. Its riverside market draws people from all three, and a bridge, opened in October 2021, crosses to the north bank. The old trading warehouse on the waterfront survives from the groundnut era, and the river here is narrow and green.

History

By oral tradition the first Mandinka migrants to the Gambia, the Fati clan, settled at Tumana near Basse and became hosts and agents for later arrivals. Basse grew as a hub of regional trade, bringing kola nuts and Guinea pepper north from what is now Guinea-Bissau and salt and salted fish up the river from the coast, and in October 2021 a bridge over the Gambia River opened here (Wikipedia, Basse Santa Su).

The main sights

• The riverside market - trade crossing from Senegal and beyond.
• The river bridge - the crossing to the north bank, opened in 2021.
• The old warehouse - the surviving trading building on the waterfront.
• The upper river - a narrower, greener stretch than downstream.

When to go

November to February is the cool dry season. The rains from June to October green the country and make roads slow. Market days are busiest.

Practical notes

The drive from the coast takes around seven hours on a road with rough stretches. There is little arranged for visitors. Heat in the upper river outside the cool months is severe.

Nearby

Janjanbureh is west, and the Senegalese border is close on both banks.

Key facts