Stone Circles of Gambia Travel Guide: Top Sights in Gambia, Tours &

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Stone Circles of Gambia- Travel Tips What to See, How to Plan & Tours: Historical & Cultural; Gambia; 5 Reviews

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Suggested Duration: 3 hours

he Stone Circles of The Gambia comprise four main groups—Sine Ngayène, Wanar, Wassu, and Kerbatch. Spanning 100 km wide along 350 km of the Gambia River, these stone circles, part of a larger megalithic complex shared with Senegal, are believed to date back between the 3rd century BCE and the 16th century CE. The site consists of over 1,000 individual stone circles and burial mounds, making it the largest concentration of such structures in the world. The monuments are primarily composed of laterite stones, many arranged in circular formations, with some featuring "frontal stones" or lyre-shaped patterns. The purpose of these stone circles is thought to be related to burial practices and ritual activities. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006, the Stone Circles of the Gambia offer a significant insight into the region's ancient history and culture.

Operators offering tours in Gambia

Happy Explore Safari *

Attractions in Gambia

Serekunda

Banjul

Pirang

Wide Open Walls

Reviews of Senegambian stone circles

Hillal

4
Reviewed: 2024-07-17

The Wassu stone circles, a significant historical site in The Gambia, are prominently featured on the nation's currency. The stone circles, though intriguing and still shrouded in a bit of mystery from a historical perspective, may not captivate those less interested in such landmarks. I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to visit, but if you find yourself in the Kuntaur/Jajanbureh area with convenient transport, it's worth a visit. There's a small museum on-site and bathrooms available. The entrance fee is 100 dalasis, nothing more. You can explore the circles without a guide. The presence of litter is unfortunate.
Musicians Mum

4
Reviewed: 2024-03-06

Ancient circles made from Laterite ,quarried nearby. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Similar circles elsewhere in Senegal/Gambia Not as big and imposing as Stonehenge or Carnac but the same questions arise here as at any similar stone circles and monuments the world over When ? Why ?Who? How? Small museum . Caretaker /guide informative. Clean toilets. Bottled drinks available. Also local cake/bun things Small group of local children outside ,very interested in the visitors. I only had 14 pens/pencils in my pocket. I was 6 short. maybe come prepared, they were happy, especially the little ones with the coloured pencils. Wisited as part of a 14 days tour of Gambia and Senegal. Our "cruise" boat moored up and we then came by road .It is a little off the beaten track as ancient sites often are.
Ramatoulie Jitteh

4
Reviewed: 2023-06-07

Home to the tallest stone in The Gambia. Tour guide was really friendly and took us through the history. Visited in 2019 and did it again this year. Though it was hot but the trip was worth it.
Jakub Dżegniuk

5
Reviewed: 2022-06-12

Amazing historical site and UNESCO world heritage. I usually don't take a guide, but I really recommend doing so here. Guides know a lot about this place, much more that can be found on the internet. Generally African archeology is very underfunded and should be popularized more often. If you want to visit it to learn something it's definitely worth visiting. If you just want to take a selfie with a rock , you can skip it. Sand road leads there from the main road - it's about 10-15 min walk.
Lamin O. Beyai

4
Reviewed: 2022-02-12

Beautifully preserved place. We challenged the guide to give his tour in mandinka instead of English and it was amazing, it was a good experience. The place is complete with a museum and some exhibition of local musical instruments. Also, I thought all the circles were short but the “Kingstone” was a great sight, whooping 2.5m tall. D35 fee for Gambians 😊