I am a 19 year old 1st year Design student and I recently visited the Sandele Eco-Retreat with a university field trip. We stayed for 3 weeks and we were working on various projects mostly to do with sustainable cooking (eg. solar) and construction. We learned a huge amount from the people at Sandele, including the owners Geri & Maurice and all the staff and locals. They were some of the friendliest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, everyone wanted to say hello and find out what were doing. They made us feel right at home, "part of the Sandele family" as they said on the first day.
The things Geri & Maurice are doing for the local community and the Gambia as a whole are amazing, the projects they have instigated have helped countless people, and they are a perfect model of responsible, sustainable tourism. The place itself is one of the most beautiful resorts I have ever seen, with sun (endless sun!), sea and seemingley endless sandy beaches.
I cannot recommend highly enough the Sandele Eco-Resort, I think everyone should go there and become a part of the Sandele family, and in doing so help the people of the Gambia. I hope to visit again next year, and would be delighted to get to spend more time there.

To see the Gambian coast at it’s very best, forget the popular tourist ‘hotspots’ and make for Sandele Eco Resort on the Gambian/South Senegal border near Kartong. This is possibly the closest to paradise many will experience!

Sandele is very much about a philosophy - it is well worth looking at it’s web site, as, thank goodness it will not appeal to everyone. Their loss!


I stayed there before, and after a period of working in the Central River District, and considered it an amazing place. Our room although “standard” (as opposed to the amazing Luxury Lodges) – was fantastic, being very spacious, nice en-suite (with hot water, shower and the famous composting toilet) huge super bed (with mosquito nets), electricity and excellent views of the sea.

Meals are nice and give an opportunity to try locally produced food, often accompanied by local entertainment or other cultural experiences.

The beach is stunning. In February the water was pleasantly warm, with waves and surf to enable body boarding to take place.


Sandele is still very much a work in progress. The ‘resort’ is built very much with the both the local community and environment in mind, using sustainable resources. Geri and Maurice are great hosts, and it is a joy to hear of their passion and belief in the project.

I aim to return.

We were looking to get away from it all and unwind and this was the perfect place. As soon we arrived at Sandele we were looked after in style. The Lodges are beautifully furnished and finished. The composting toilet is really nothing to be scared of and the beds gave me the best night sleep I have had in a long time. We were there in the dry season and being by the sea there a very few bugs or mosquitos. The staff are exceptionally friendly and accommodating, nothing is too much trouble. The food is lovely and the atmosphere relaxed and friendly. If you want to get out and see Gambia all you need to do is ask and trips can be arranged, we saw the sun rise over the mangroves on the river and the Sacred crocodiles at Barku. Highly recommended if you are seeking tranquility.

We stayed at Sandele over the Christmas and new year period 2009/10, and had a wonderful experie nce. The resort itself comprises (at the time of writing) a number of family rooms, four lodges, and a communal restaurant. The site is constructed on very strong 'eco' principles, and this ethos infuses the whole place with a sense of ease and calm.
The rooms were very comfortable and cool (essential in the mid-day Gambian heat). The lodges in particular are spectacular and luxurious. The beach is a five-minute walk away, and very sparsely populated, so there is a sense of having it all to oneself for much of the time.
The food was consistently of an extremely high quality - among the best we have ever tasted anywhere in the world. The local Gambian dishes in particular were wonderful, with lots of fresh fish, rice, vegetables, and fragrant sauces.
One of the best things about Sandele is the way in which we didn't feel cut off from the local Gambian population, but very much a part of it. There were vists to the local village, markets, fishing trips, and wildlife spotting, and cultural events, all carried out with exceptionally friendly and helpful staff, many of whom live in the surrounding villages.
We travelled as a family of two adults, and two children aged 6 and 4, and we would highly recommend this to other families looking for an environmentally-sustainable and responsible African holiday.