The African Destination With 30C Winters And Six Hour Flights Restarti

The African Destination With 30C Winters And Six Hour Flights Restarting Soon

Travellers can reach The Gambia in six hours for safaris and beaches, with TUI flights resuming next week from UK airports.

NationPulse Desk

Oct 28, 2026 · 5:45 PM 2 min read

Key takeaways

The Gambia is a six-hour flight away from the UK for travellers seeking a warm holiday.

TUI flights to The Gambia restart next week from London Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham.

TUI Musement offers a full-day trip to the Fathala Wildlife Reserve in Senegal from £115 per person.

A seven-night stay at the 3T Senegambia Beach hotel starts from £798 per person on a bed and breakfast basis.

A seven-night stay at the 4T TUI BLUE Tamala starts from £1,337 per person on an all-inclusive basis.

British holidaymakers seeking a warm getaway can travel to The Gambia, an African destination featuring wildlife safaris and temperatures of 30C after a flight lasting only six hours. Direct connections resume next week with TUI operating services from London Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham.

While traditional safari spots like Kenya or South Africa require an 11 hour journey, The Gambia offers similar experiences much closer to the UK. Tourists often take excursions across the border to Senegal, where tours visit the Fathala Wildlife Reserve to see lions, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, rhinos and antelopes. Visitors reach this reserve by taking a ferry across the River Gambia, with TUI Musement pricing the full-day trip at £115 per person.

Additional options include the South Gambia safari, which introduces holidaymakers to local village culture, and boat cruises along the River Gambia to spot hippos and crocodiles. Birdwatchers can look for more than 450 species in the region.

For accommodations, TUI provides a seven-night stay at the 3T Senegambia Beach hotel on a bed and breakfast basis from £798 per person. This property sits in the Kololi Beach resort area of Serrekunda, known for golden sands and nightlife, and features two swimming pools, four bars and three restaurants. Alternatively, a seven-night stay at the 4T TUI BLUE Tamala costs from £1,337 per person on an all-inclusive basis, offering Scandi-style rooms, direct swim-up access from the outdoor pool, three bars and two restaurants.

While temperatures remain at 30C throughout the year, the optimal visiting period falls during the dry season from November to mid-June.

Linda Sharrocks, a TUI Travel Advisor with 28 years of industry experience, said, "Lots of customers come in wanting a safari but are put off by the price or the flight time."

She added, "The Gambia is the one I always tell them about. You're there in six hours, and you can be spotting giraffes one day and lying on a beach in 30C sunshine at an all-inclusive the next."

Sharrocks also noted, "And make sure you pack some binoculars too, even if you don't think you're a birdwatcher. You'll be amazed at the colours."

Questions and answers