Kachikally Museum and Crocodile Pool, Sacred crocodile pool and ethnographic museum in Bakau, Gambia.
Kachikally Museum and Crocodile Pool is a complex in Bakau with a sacred pool where around 80 Nile crocodiles live, along with an ethnographic museum housed in traditional round huts and nature trails. The entire site combines wildlife observation with exhibitions of objects from various Gambian cultures across a spacious grounds.
The pool's origins reach back over 500 years when the Mandinka Bojang family took guardianship after rescuing a child from a well. That event established the family's role as keepers of this sacred place, a tradition that continues today.
The pool serves as a place for cleansing ceremonies where people seek traditional blessings and participate in local rituals. Visitors can observe how these practices continue to hold an important role in the community's daily life.
The grounds offer multiple areas to explore, from the pool zone to the museum buildings and surrounding nature paths. Visitors should wear comfortable footwear and allow enough time to experience both the museum and the pool areas, plus the walking trails, properly.
Visitors can get very close to the free-roaming crocodiles and even touch them under the guidance of local guides, setting this place apart from most wildlife enclosures. This direct contact with the animals creates an intense experience that many travelers find unforgettable.
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