The Gambia

Is The Gambia safe to visit?

Yes, for most visitors. The Gambia ranks 56th of 163 on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary, ahead of Senegal (75th) and Guinea-Bissau (85th), and neither the US nor the UK warns against any region. Violent crime against tourists is uncommon. The everyday problems are hustlers and theft along the coast, roads with deep potholes and no lights, malaria, and medical care the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls very limited. We score The Gambia 57, level with Ghana and behind Senegal, which surrounds it on three sides.

Crime and health data are thin. There is no recorded homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary, only a WHO modelled estimate of 7.9 per 100,000 for 2021, and WHO's road-death estimate is also for 2021.

An election year with power cuts

Yahya Jammeh ruled The Gambia for 22 years until he lost the December 2016 election. His successor, Adama Barrow, was re-elected in 2021 and is running for a third term in the presidential election on 5 December 2026.

Tension in 2026 has come from electricity. Rolling blackouts lasted up to 48 hours in places during the hot season, and on 7 and 8 September 2026 protesters burned tyres, built barricades and called for Barrow to resign in Banjul and nearby towns, Al Jazeera reported. Police used tear gas. Barrow declared the outages an emergency and promised a new 24-megawatt plant by the end of October.

For visitors, the advice is to avoid gatherings and protests, as the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says, and to expect power and water cuts. Carry a power bank and a torch, and keep a supply of any medicine you need. Around the election in December, keep away from rallies and check news before travelling between towns. Security checkpoints are common on all major routes; slow down and expect a search.

The US also notes that a separatist group operates in Senegal's Casamance region and there has been sporadic fighting along The Gambia's southern border. If you travel near or across that border, stay on main roads and do not drive at night.

Bumsters, theft and bribes

The best-known nuisance is the bumster: young men who approach tourists on the beaches offering help, guiding or friendship, then ask for money. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says some offer trips into Senegal without proper immigration checks, which can end in detention. Be polite and firm.

Theft is the main crime. The FCDO reports passports and valuables stolen from hotel rooms and petty theft in markets, on isolated beaches, at crowded events and in places outside the main tourist areas, especially at night. The US adds home burglaries and advises against walking alone, including on beaches. Corruption is present at all levels and you may be asked for bribes.

• Use the hotel safe and keep a copy of your passport and entry stamp separately.
• Take little to the beach and nothing you cannot lose.
• Book guides and excursions through your hotel or a known operator.
• Carry a passport or printed copy; police can ask for ID.

Roads and river crossings

WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 22.0 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, well above Europe but below Guinea's 37.4. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says driving standards are poor, roads are badly potholed, lighting is poor after dark and some taxis are not roadworthy. From June to October heavy rain floods roads, especially unpaved ones.

The crossing at the river mouth is a known risk. The Banjul–Barra ferry is often overcrowded and overloaded, lacks life-saving equipment and has been stranded on sandbanks. The FCDO suggests the Senegambia Bridge near Farafenni instead, and warns that wooden pirogues are often overloaded; insist on life jackets.

Health and medical care

Malaria is present everywhere, though at a lower level than in neighbouring countries: WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 75 cases per 1,000 people at risk in 2024, against 286 in Guinea. CDC recommends preventive tablets and the yellow fever vaccine for all travellers from 9 months. Avoid freshwater swimming because of schistosomiasis.

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls medical facilities very limited, says private clinics treat only paying patients and warns that evacuation is very expensive. There is no national emergency number; police and fire stations have their own, often mobile, numbers, so ask your hotel for local ones when you arrive. Some common medicines, including those containing codeine or diazepam, are banned, so check before you pack.

How we scored it

Health (35) and road safety (42) are the weakest factors. Violent crime (70) and conflict (70) are the strongest: The Gambia has the calmest record of its neighbours, held back by thin crime data (WHO models 7.9 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary), the September protests and the coming election. Confidence is low.