In the 16 times I have been to the Smiling Coast of Africa, I have been there for Tobaski only once, Tobaski 2019. I had the best time ever. I plan to return for Tobaski 2025 and you are welcome to join me.

Tabaski is the Wolof expression of the Muslim holiday expressed in Arabic as Eid-Al-Adha. Tobaski celebrates the story of Ibrahim and his obedience to Allah in agreeing to sacrifice Ismail, the son of his concubine, Hajira. It’s the second-largest Muslim holiday. And yes, you will find the same story in the Bible.

For Americans, it’s a mixture of Memorial Day (grilling), Thanksgiving (family gathering), and Halloween (Saliboo, where kids dress nicely and go from house to house for treats). To top it all off, we spend the holiday with the Cham family in the father’s home village, Kani Kunda (House of Kani), on the North Bank (of the Gambia River.)

The specifics evolve depending upon flight schedules from the US and those from Dakar The option of going by land between the capital cities, Dakar and Banjul, depend upon the flight schedules and the number of travelers. Here is the preliminary itinerary:

Air France $1,458.71
Flight time 7h 15m

Sat May 31 • 1a
JFK • John F. Kennedy International Airport

Sat May 31 • 2:15p
CDG • Paris - Charles de Gaulle Airport

Layover 2h 30m
Air France
Flight time 5h 40m

Sat May 31 • 4:45p
CDG • Paris - Charles de Gaulle Airport

Sat May 31 • 8:25p
DSS • Blaise Diagne International Airport-Dakar

Novotel Dakar $200 per night for three nights = $600 or
Airbnb up to $100 per night for three nights – single, doubles, and triples = $300

Sun Jun 01 Visit La Maison des Esclaves, Visit Monument de la Renaissance Africaine

Mon Jun 02 Visit Musée des Civilisations Noires

Tue Jun 03 - Depart for Kololi Beach via Banjul, the capital city – includes Ferry ride over the Gambia River at 12p
2 passengers to 8 passengers is D40,000 or $500 per car – 5 hours
Air Senegal 16:40 $85 17:20 June 2 or June 4
Kololi – 7 nights x 29 = $203
Akkwa 2 Suites, D2,000 ($29) one per room.  D2,500 ($36) two per room.  D300 ($4.30) for breakfast

Wed Jun 04 Fabric store and Timbooktoo Bookstore in New Bakau, Tailor in Banjul, the capital city, (eat at the Mall, visit the Atlantic Ocean and Senegambia Tourists’ Strip in Kololi)

Thu Jun 05 Travel to Village KaniKunda via Town of Soma  – Stay in Town of Farafenni for Tobaski holiday –half day travel with the Cham family

Star Lodge in Farafeeni $30 x 2 = $60)

Fri Jun 06 Leave Farafenni to KaniKunda for Tobaski with the Cham family  – 45 minutes

Sat Jun 07 Travel Back to Kololi (if time allows, visit JanJanbureh and the Wasua Stone Circles)
Akkwa Suites 2 – same room – we will kept them

Sun Jun 08 Visit Village of Nema Kunku where POHGEP works most (eat in Westfield Junction - The Times Square of The Gambia)

Mon Jun 09 Visit Village of Juffureh, Juffureh Slavery Museum, Fort James, and Mosque Louis Farrakhan built ($75 per person) The museum  is home of the POHGEP’s funded “From These Shores” exhibit.

Tue Jun 10 Leave Banjul at noon
2 passengers to 8 passengers is D40,000 or $500 per car – 5 hours

Air France
Flight time 5h 25m

Tue 10 Jun • 11:05p
DSS • Blaise Diagne International Airport

Wed 11 Jun • 06:30a
CDG • Paris - Charles de Gaulle Airport
Layover 2h

Air France
Flight time 8h

Wed 11 Jun • 08:30a
CDG • Paris - Charles de Gaulle Airport

Wed 11 Jun • 10:30a
JFK • John F. Kennedy International Airport

Tobaski Dates: June 6 or June 7.

Costs
Generally you pay your own costs directly. I advise, but we a travel as a group. For instance, you will pay Air France directly for your flight, but I will share with you which flight we are taking.  For some hotels, you have to make a deposit, I will ask you to forward me your deposit and I will have a team member in Gambia make the payment. The arrangements between Dakar and Banjul will be made closer to the departure date and will depend of flight scheduled and the number of travelers. As of now, it would be much more efficient and cheaper to travel by land from Banjul back to Dakar to fly back to the USA.

$1,458.71 Flight
$300-$600 Dakar Hotel
$85-$500 Flight to Banjul
$200 Hotel in Kololi
$60 Hotel in Farafenni
$75 Trip to Juffureh
$500 Back to Dakar
$2678.71 to $3393.71