Name: Bendula
Address: Batukunku. Bendula c/o Helen Krawiecki. PMB 283 , Tujering, Gambia, Kotu, Kotu, Kotu, Gambia
Rating: 9

Smoking areas

Currency exchange

Smoke-free property

Garden

Terrace

Private check-in/check-out

Patio

Outdoor furniture

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Allergy-free rooms

Non-smoking rooms

Soundproof rooms

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Family room

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Shower

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Ironing

Laundry

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Diet menu (on request)

Common kitchen

Packed Lunches

Meals

Airport transportation

Transfer

German

English

Languages Spoken

Bike rental

Barbecue grill(s)

Picnic area

Sun Deck

Recreation

Parking

Beach facilities

Beach/pool towels

Pool and beach

Family/Kid Friendly

Kids

Pets Not Allowed

Pets

Location

At the hotel

Room amenities

Yundum International Airport

Bendula

Kotu

Bendula is a the best experience if you want to meet the real African life. Bendula is owned by the German lady Renate Thomas. She has lived there for more than 15 years. The place is run by local people, Mamadou, his wife Mariama. Plenty children around to make breakfast very joyful. Singing, drumming, dancing around campfire in the evening. The huts are clean. Two family huts are added now, ideal for family with children. You can cook in the kitchen if you like, or order food made by Mariama. Bendula has 5 huts, located in a small forest in the village of Tujereng. Waking up by the birds' singing is a lust to the ear. The beach is a 15 minutes' walk.Tujereng is 30 minutes from the tourist Senegambia area. Easy reached by local bushtaxi (very cheap). Airport transport can be arranged by Renate, I would highly reccommend this. 
If you want the off the beaten track African experience: Bendula is the best place to stay. Don't expect 5 stars luxury, but who would want that? it is the real experience with nature and local people that makes your holiday unforgettable. I have come back to Bendula already 7 times!

Real rural and very warm hospitable experience in the Gambia, Tujereng, Bendula

I spent the Christmas holidays at Bendula (mandinka: meeting place). It was my fourth time in the Gambia. Bendula was the best choice for me. I wanted to relax, not in the tourist Senegambia area, and want to experience a more authentic gambian holiday. Bendula is a very quiet place hosted by a very nice and humorful lady Renate. The gambian staff (Mamadou, Mariama) is very friendly. I loved waking up hearing the birds sing. The lodge was clean, very nice and has a lovely african interior. Bendula is not far from Tanji, a very colourful fisher village. Bush taxis drive you easily to all directions. 
If you are looking for a quiet hospitable place out of the tourist area: go to Bendula! I can highly recommend the lovely place. 
Thanks Renate, Mamadou, Mariama, and the other Mariama! Hope to see you soon!

Very relaxing holiday with friendly host and staff Bendula Gambia

During your stay at the Bendula lodge you will get to meet real Gambian people and see the real Gambian life. The wonderful German host Renate is very welcome and enjoys to talk about the culture and gives to tips to get around in a real easy, fun and affordable way. 

With the help of a Gambian family Renate runs the compound in a basic but complete way. Breakfast is always delicious with fresh bread, eggs, homemade yogurt, fresh fruits and a assortment of typical Gambian spreads like local honey, homemade peanutbutter and homemade jelly's. In the evening it's also possible to enjoy local food, adjusted to foreigners taste for hot and spicy. We had several delicious vegetarian fishes and one time even a fresh caught barbecued mackerel, all prepared by Mariam. It's also possible to have beef or chicken. In the total dark evenings we enjoyed music and interesting conversations around the campfire, don't forget to look up and see the wonderfull star sky and check out the milky way like you've never done before. Don't forget to bring a flashlight.

To get to the Bendula lodge you'll have to walk a few minutes on a sand path while crossing many compounds and many friendly people. It's best to first arrive with a taxi driver arranged by Renate, who knows the way. Later you'll walk the same route to get to beach or to the road to catch a bush-taxi and go to all other coastal regions in only a very short time. The close beach is very relaxingl and you will have a great time hanging out at the Paradise beach bar and talk to the owner Famara. The beach is very calm, only few tourists come by, just a sheperd  with his herd of cows. 

The accommodation is basic but in good shape and in our view stylish as well. Water and electricity where always available and the lodge was cleaned regularly. Like everywhere in this part of Africa it's advised to bring your own mosquito net and repellers but we have hardly seen any mosquito's.

The garden is amazing you get your wake up from two monkeys or some exotic birds. We have been to several places for birdwatching but saw the most beautiful birds in the Bendula lodge jungle garden. It's nice to bring a pair of binoculars to get an even closer look. We have for example seen: Glossy starlings, Fanti saw-wings, Yellow crowned gonolegs, Beautiful sunbirds and many more. 

We highly recommend to rent bikes from the close-by gallery Mama Africa(also worth a good visit) and get to know the region. The dust-road might be hard to cycle on, but the main road are in great condition and you'll see and meet many people on the way. 

Thank you very much Renate, Mariam and Mamadou!

Wonderful experience

In March my boyfriend and I stayed 10 days at Bendula lodge and had a
wonderful time. The lodge has a couple of cute and cozy huts in a
leafy green garden. We saw so many colourful birds at the garden and
there are even two friendly monkeys who like to visit from time to
time. Bendula is situated off the main tourist routes in a small
village (good place to experience village life). It's very close to a
lovely nature beach with great swimming.

Renate, the owner, was a wonderful host and we very much enjoyed the
familiar atmosphere. Some nights we played cards with her and the
locals which was a lot of fun. She also helped us with excursions,
transportation etc. I think the bush taxis are a great means to get
around and thanks to Renate we always knew where to change and how
much we had to pay for a ride.

The food was delicious. We are both vegetarians but that was no
problem for Mariama (the cook). My favourite was Benachin, a rice dish
which is quite common in the whole region. But Mariama's was by far
the best I had.

Bendula has solar panels which provide for electricity during the day
and evenings but don't last all night. Our hut had a private bathroom
with (cold) running water. Cold water was no problem as it was pretty
warm. Don't expect a luxury accommodation but if you are looking for a
nice and friendly guesthouse with a lovely garden and friendly staff, Bendula is definitely worth a visit! 

It's a bit hidden. Look out for the big green mosque along the main road and follow the small sandy road next to it. Simply ask one of the locals if you have trouble finding Bendula.

Bendula

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