Kunta Kinteh Island Travel Guide: Top Sights in Gambia, Tours &

⁰

Kunta Kinteh Island- Travel Tips What to See, How to Plan & Tours: Historical & Cultural; Gambia; 5 Reviews

+3 Photos

Suggested Duration: 2 hours

Kunta Kinteh Island, formerly known as James Island, lies in the Gambia River near Juffureh. The site includes Fort James, a colonial-era structure, along with remnants of the transatlantic slave trade such as prison ruins and cannons. Once a key British and later French trading post, the island changed hands multiple times before being abandoned in the 19th century. Coastal erosion has significantly reduced its size. UNESCO recognizes it as part of a World Heritage Site, alongside nearby historical structures like the Maurel Frères Building and Fort Bullen. The Portuguese first documented the island in 1456, naming it St. Andrews before European powers reshaped its role in commerce and human trafficking.

Operators offering tours in Gambia

Happy Explore Safari *

Attractions in Gambia

Serekunda

Banjul

Pirang

Wide Open Walls

Reviews of James Island

Christian Heinrich

5
Reviewed: 2024-04-07

Kunta Kinte Island: A testament to human resilience, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a poignant memorial to the Atlantic slave trade. More than 15,000 tourists annually visit the island, drawn by its haunting history and the legacy of its namesake, Kunta Kinteh
Emma Peel

5
Reviewed: 2024-01-03

A very sad but tranquil place...I'm honoured to have graced my presence on that island...its a once in a lifetime trip...go and experience all emotions in one go...its phenomenally blissful..I'll forever be grateful for the experience ❤ 🙏🏾
Lamin O. Beyai

3
Reviewed: 2023-06-17

It was an amazing place, it is visible from the shore on good days. However, it has been eaten up by erosion and the size has been shrinking. The place will need extra attention to make sure it doesn’t deteriorate. The guides are amazing, they capture the history really well.
lauren paolino

5
Reviewed: 2023-06-05

Wonderful guide from the Mandinka tribe. He explained everything in great detail with patience. The atrocities that occurred here are beyond words. Highly recommend a visit to understand the history of Gambia and specifically the Mandinkas and Jolas tribes that inhabit this area. You can almost feel the pain. The island almost seems forgotten about even though there is so much rich and important history that occurred on this land. It’s one thing to learn about the slave trade in history books but it’s another feeling completely to walk on the ground where it occurred. You arrive by car. Then take a small boat over to the island. Then your guide will walk you around the island and explain what happened. Short boat ride to return and then you can visit the museum. The museum was very good considering it is not very well funded and in a very remote location.
James Badjie

5
Reviewed: 2022-01-23

A historic place that every person should visit to get a sense of man’s inhumanity to man. Slavery in all its forms is evil. This site must be preserved at any cost to remind us of the suffering ancestors went through.