Workshops at Franco Inn
If you are enjoying your stay at Franco Inn, or if you are staying somewhere else in The Gambia. Take your time to participate in one or more of our fun workshops! All given by talented Gambians from the neighbourhood.
If you book from The Gambia or Senegal, please contact us at least 48 hours in advance.
From any other country please contact us one week in advance. We will make sure the workshop(s) of your choice will be arranged for you.
Our workshops and activities can be booked seperately and also can be perfectly combined with a stay.
Workshops & excursions
Djembe workshop
The Djembé is originally a West African rope-tuned skin-covered goblet drum that is played with your bare hands either seated or standing up. This workshop is provided by a professional Djembé player that teaches you how to handle this instrument and learn new rhythms. You will take part in one of the most important cultural activities in The Gambia.
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: € 12.50 pp
By appointment all year round.
Sand-painting
During this workshop you will learn how to make handmade paintings on wood. This is an art form in which you create images with the use of glue and different colours of sand. This will be taught by a local artist. Of course you can take your creation back home with you.
Duration: 3 – 5 hours
Cost: € 30.- pp incl materials
By appointment all year round.
African dance and/or djembe
This workshop will be given on the beach of Tanji by professional musicians and / or dancers that teach you how to play Djembé and / or African dances. During the classes you can take a refreshing dive into the Atlantic Ocean.
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: € 30.- pp
By appointment all year round.
African dance
Dancing is an important part of Gambian life. You can hear the Djembé and see the traditional dances that go with it in many places. There is a lot of dancing at parties and an expression of happiness. We would love to teach you the African moves.
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: € 12.50 pp
By appointment all year round.
Batik
Batik is a technique of dyeing applied to a whole cloth. These cloths are often used to make clothing, but also be used for interior design. The cloth will be dipped into a bath with dye / paint. The patterns appear when you tie certain parts up that the dye can’t colour.
The workshop is provided by a local employee that is very experienced with the Batik technique.
Duration: 4 – 6 hours
Cost: € 30.- pp
By appointment all year round.
Seminar on traditional medicine
Until the 19th century almost all medication exited of parts from plants, bushes, trees, fruits and roots. Knowledge of the use and effects of herbs and plants is important. A local employee that has studied to be a physician will show and explain the knowledge that his father has passed on to him. He did extensive research on the use and effects on natural remedies throughout many African countries.
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: € 17.50 pp
By appointment all year round on Saturdays from 14h.
Visit Mandinka compound
You will visit the compound of Ousman Ceesay and his family. Ousman is married and has 4 children.
When he was 12 years old he started an education in carpentry. He now teaches 6 disadvantaged boys from Tanji. He will show you how the Mandinka tribe lives and survives.
This activity will take place in Tanji.
Duration: 1 hour
Cost: € 10.- pp
By appointment all year round , preferably during the weekend.
Traditional Gambian night
Franco Inn has its own dancers and band. They practice a lot in the Skill Centre and a lot of beautiful things happen in the evenings beside the campfire. These evenings are free for our guests and at the end of the night the performers come round with a basket for donations.
For non guests we ask for a contribution of D100 to attend these special nights.
Payment is at the event.
Visit Fula compound
You will visit the family compound of Gibba Jallow. Gibba is from the inland of The Gambia and is a gardener and farmer. He has lived in Tanji for the last 15 years. He is married and has 7 children.
He grows tomatoes and peppers and keeps goats for the milk for his children.
On the compound he will show you how the Fula tribe live and have lived. Fula´s are the biggest nomad groups of West Africa and they traditionally live with goats, sheep and cows.
This activity will take place in Tanji.
Duration: 1 hour
Cost: € 10.- pp
By appointment all year round , daily until 13 h
Crocodile pool Katchikally
. According to residents there is a healing pond in Bakau. When a infertile woman baths in the pond they are said to become fertile. A bizarre side fact is that it’s also home to around 100 crocodiles. Strangely enough these fairly tame beasts seem to prefer fish over red meat.
Visit the crocodile pool with us.
Cost:
€30 by car. Max 4 persons exclusive entrance park.
Banjul or Serekunda market
These busy markets are definitely worth the visit. You can find everything there from clothes, shoes, jewellery, food, art, beautiful fabrics and more. You can easily spend a whole day walking around these markets.
Visit de market with us:
Banjul, cost € 37 by car. Max 4 persons.
Serekunda, cost: € 30 by car. Max 4 persons.
Brikama art market
The most beautiful works of art are being made right here. You have front row seats to see how the artists make their beautiful works of art right in front of you. Their shops are stocked in handmade artisans. Djembés, paintings, African masks, jewellery, statues, handmade shoes, clothes and mats, you will find anything here.
Visit this market with us:
Cost: € 35 by car. Max 4 persons.
Sanyang beach
Paradise beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in The Gambia. You can relax on a beach chair under the umbrella. There is great food and drinks available and often you can enjoy a regular session of wrestling and musical performances that take place on the beach
Let us take you there:
Cost: € 35 by car. Max 4 persons.
Batakunko paradise beach
You can find this beautiful quiet beach on just a couple of km from Franco Inn. Enjoy the peace and quiet and its beautiful surroundings. You can totally recharge your batteries here. There are also tasty foods and drinks available.
Let us take you there:
Cost: €15 by car. Max 4 persons.
Snake farm Kartong
Enjoy a guided tour through this park with many reptiles and learn about the native species that live in The Gambia and Senegal. If you are brave enough you can hold some.
Visit this farm with us:
Cost:
€ 40 exclusive entrance. By car max 4 persons.
Tanji fish junction
Our well known fishing village Tanji where at the end of the afternoon and in the morning all fishermen come ashore with their loot of the day or night. Women clean and sell these fish on sight. Its a very busy place and is well worth the visit.
Visit the Market with us:
Cost: € 10 by car. Max 4 persons.
Tanji village museum
This museum was founded in 1997. It is the first private Museum in The Gambia that tells a lot about the history of the country.
You can explore a lot of old crafts and see how the people live traditionally inland.
Visit the museum with us:
Cost: € 12 by car. Max 4 persons. Exclusive entrance.
Fathala park
The Fatala Wildpark is situated a few km across the border into Senegal. You can go on a 2 hour safari within the park. Here you will see zebras, lions, rhinos, giraffes and other native animal species. There is also a possibility to walk with the lions.
Visit the park with us:
Cost: From 2 people € 150.- pp incl entrance fee, excl walk with lions
Animal market
You will see an enormous amount of goats, sheep, horses, cows and donkeys here. Everybody wants the best price and negotiating is a fixed rule of thumb.
Visit the market with us:
Cost: € 30 by car. Max 4 persons.
Monkey park
Also knows as the Bijilo Forest park, this park is situated in Kololi. Its a beautiful Forest where you spot the monkeys. They are very tame these days and get close to the visitors. You can buy peanuts in the park that you can feed the monkeys. They will come and eat them out of your hands.
Visit this amazing park with us:
Cost: € 20 by car. Max 4 persons. Exclusive entrance park.
Bird Watching in Tanji Bird Sanctuary
You can find over 500 different bird species in The Gambia. Many native species but also migratory birds. Hence the reason The Gambia is a favoured destination for bird watchers.
In the Tanji bird sanctuary we will have a guided tour with a guide that that has the eye for spotting the most beautiful and rare species.
Visit the sanctuary with us:
Cost : € 60.- pp incl guide ( ½ day )
Trip to the inlands of The Gambia
Travel with us to the inland of The Gambia. A road trip by car from around 5 to 6 hours and you are standing in the middle of the village Kuntaur. The car trip itself is already an adventure! Enjoy the beautiful nature!
Two days
Day 1: Leave at 8.00 from Tanji. Our destination 280 km inland will take around 5 – 6 hours to get to.
In Farafenni we will cross the new Bambatenda bridge to Kauro and and then on to Kantaur. We will stay in a lodge there overnight. This lodge with basic facilities is situated right on the banks of the Gambia River. We will have a lovely lunch here before we make a boat trip through the beautiful mangroves on the Gambia River. We will sail to Baboon Island where we can see the chimpanzees. With a bit of luck we might also spot some crocodiles and hippos.
We will return back to the lodge late afternoon where we will have a lovely dinner and can relax the evening and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Day 2: Breakfast at 8.00. After breakfast we will leave for Wassu and will visit the Stone Circles. From here we will visit a traditional ( Fula ) hut village. We will then take the ferry and cross from Lamin Koteh to Georgetown. We will have a nice lunch here and visit the slave house. After this impressive day we will return to Tanji.
Cost: 1 person € 250.-
2 people € 225.- pp
3 people € 200.- pp
4 people or more €175.- pp
Incl: transport, guide, accommodation, entrance fees, bridge crossing, ferry crossing and boat trip to Baboon Island.
Excl food, drinks and personal expenses.
Three days
Day 1: We leave Tanji at 8.00 towards Georgetown. Here we will visit the slave house and have time for lunch. After this we will cross the river by ferry to go to Lamin Kotoh where we will visit the ( Fula ) hut village. After this we will drive to Kuntaur where we will spend the night in a lodge. Here you can enjoy a nice evening meal and relax during the evening and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Day 2: Breakfast at 8.00and then we will drive to Wassu and visit the Stone Circles. Then we continue to Jakaba where we can visit a school. We will return to the lodge for lunch followed up with a boat trip to Baboon Island. Late afternoon we will return to the lodge for dinner and relaxation during the evening.
Day 3: Breakfast at 8.00. We then visit James Island followed with a drive to Barra where we will cross by ferry to Banjul. From Banjul we return home to Tanji.
Cost: 1 person € 275.-
2 people € 250.- pp
3 people € 225.- pp
4 or more € 200.- pp
Incl: transport, guide, accommodation, entrance fees, bridge crossing, ferry crossing and boat trip to Baboon Island.
Excl food, drinks and personal expenses.
ty trips
There is a lot to see and expierence in The Gambia, That is why we offer different citytrips. In one day you will see a lot of what The Gambia has to offer.
Monkey Park, Crocodile Pool, Lunch at Fast Ali, Brikama Craft Market, Tanji fish Market
Tanji Fish market, National Park Abuko, Lunch ion Lamin Lodge and boat trip through the mangroves, visit animal market
Tanji museum, snake farm, Brikama crafts market, lunch at Brikama, Serekunda market.
School visit, Tanji fish market, Tanji Museum, Lunch at Ocean Lounge, snake farm
Monkeypark, Crocodile Pool, lunch in Banjul, Banjul market
Cost: 1 person € 65.-
2 persons or more € 50,- p.p
Inclusive transport, entrance fees
exclusive lunch and other expenses.