Marakissa

Marakissa sits on a small river inland from the coast, and its river lodge has become one of the standard birding bases in the Gambia: the water, the surrounding farmland and the gallery forest along the bank produce kingfishers, bee-eaters, herons and raptors from the terrace without moving. A bridge crosses the river beside the lodge and the village runs a market nearby. The village sits close enough to the Casamance border that some of the birds recorded here are more typical of Senegal than of the Gambian coast.

The landscape

• The riverside terrace - birding from a fixed point over the water.
• The gallery forest - the tree line along the river bank.
• The bridge - the crossing beside the lodge, a standard vantage point.
• The surrounding farmland - rice and vegetable ground drawing more species.

When to go

November to February is the cool dry season and peak for migrants. Early morning and late afternoon are best. Water levels drop through the dry season.

Good to know

Accommodation is simple and the lodge is the only real facility. The road in has rough stretches. Birding here needs patience rather than promising spectacle.

Nearby

Brikama is northwest, and Tumani Tenda is southeast.