The program fee including food, lodging with a traditional family, laundry, lesson arrangement, and a guide to take you to the markets and sites of interest is $350 per week.
In addition, most lessons are $25 per lesson. This includes kora (which is usually done in three hour segments), djembe (which stays closer to an hour or hour and a half due to physical exertion), dance, and material arts lessons. Lessons vary in length and style with teachers. If you choose to study with someone who is not on our staff you can have your guide negotiate the best possible rates of study (for example, some people have chosen to study balaphone with individuals as we don't have a staff teacher).
If you prefer, low end hotels are $25 per night, however food is not included and you miss out on the experience of living with a traditional Gambian family. If you do choose the path of staying in a hotel or lodge, you can then pay a one time $200 fee for lesson arrangement, a per lesson fee, and if you want to go to places with a guide, a per trip fee negotiated between you and the guide. This is strongly discouraged unless you are used to travelling in developing countries and have strong negotiation skills.
For prearranged programs payment can be made in advance to ensure your price is fixed, and the money will be kept in US bank accounts and released as your program progresses. Contact us if you have any questions about how this works.