Janjanbureh Old Town (MacCarthy Island)
Janjanbureh
A former British colonial town on an island in the Gambia River, preserving old trading houses, church ruins, and a riverside port, with an easygoing pace good for walking.
Janjanbureh, formerly known as Georgetown, was founded when the British established a post on MacCarthy Island in 1823. It was once The Gambia's second-largest town. The town is small enough to walk through in a short time. Along the riverbank are old trading warehouses and a ferry landing. Scattered around town are colonial-era administrative buildings, the ruins of a Methodist church, and Armitage High School, one of the earliest public secondary schools in The Gambia. The river around the island is a great spot for birdwatching, with kingfishers, herons, and African fish eagles. A few riverside camps offer lodging, and you can arrange a canoe or motorboat trip around the island. The north and south banks are connected by ferry or bridge.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Freedom Tree
- Slave House
- Kunkilling Forest Park
- Bansang Quarry
- Kuntaur
- Wassu Stone Circles
- River Gambia National Park (Baboon Islands)
- Kerr Batch Stone Circles