Marysa’s Lodge
Welcome to Marysa’s Lodge, a beautifully authentic and wonderfully unpretentious retreat on the edge of the bustling market town of Ndungu Kebbe. This is not your average guesthouse—it is a working smallholding very much in progress, brimming with life, colour and the kind of genuine West African countryside experience that most visitors to the Gambia never get to see. Fall asleep to the symphony of cicadas, wake up to the crow of roosters, and watch the sun melt in extraordinary colours over the mango trees each evening. Here, the Gambia reveals itself at its most real and most rewarding.
Accommodation at Marysa’s Lodge is as varied as the farm itself. Choose from two ensuite air- conditioned rooms for those who like their comforts, a cosy fan-cooled room for the more adventurous, two glamping tents with proper beds and colourful African throws, or—once complete—the traditional round sleeping hut being lovingly thatched by hand.
The compound is home to a wonderfully eclectic cast of residents: Petra the donkey, Marysa and Cappuccino the horses, Bilbo and Koko the dogs, Suzie the ginger cat, and a free-roaming flock of chickens, guinea fowl, turkeys, goats and sheep who go about their daily business entirely on their
own terms. Kids play football in the lane, horse carts and donkey carts pass by, cows wander freely, and the rhythms of rural Gambian life play out all around you.
During your stay, take a ride on a traditional donkey cart, try your hand at a real farming experience, or head to one of the region’s famous weekly Lumo markets where farm animals, traditional tools, everyday wares and colourful fabrics are bought and sold in a scene unchanged for generations. This is ground-level travel at its most enriching—the kind that leaves you genuinely
more connected to the world and the people in it. Marysa’s Lodge is also a perfect and convenient overnight stop for travellers heading to or from Dakar or Farafenni, offering a warm welcome and a memorable night wherever your journey takes you. Camper vans welcome too!
For the air conditioned bungalow, for 1 to 2 people cost is £30 per night including breakfast For the tent or the grass roof house for 1 to 2 people it’s £15 a night including breakfast. Use of our sitting room and kitchen is included in the price. Cost for travel from Barra to the lodge is £10
Bring water bottles, comfortable shoes. Contact us to book your trip and we’ll confirm and send you an upfront payment link for your convenience.
ACCOMMODATION RURAL GAMBIA
overview
Two ensuite air-conditioned rooms, 3 tents, one round house and a room with fan are available at Marysa’s lodge on the edge market town of Ndungu Kebbe. A farm landscape with the cacophony of cicadas and beautiful sunsets await. Mango trees are plentiful, kids playing football, donkeys walking by freely, horse carts, cows, goats sheep, turkeys, a donkey named Petra, two horses Capuccino and Marysa, Bilbo and Koko the dogs, Suzie the cat, chickens, turkeys and guinnea fowl, goats and sheep are part of our lives there. Enjoy a donkey cart, a traditional farming experience, a visit to one of the weekly markets where farm animals are sold beside traditional farming equipment, every day wares and fabric sellers. See the traditional way of life with local horse carts and donkey carts coming and going. This is a ground level experience which will leave you culturally richer and more engaged and knowledgeable about life in the countryside of Gambia. It’s also a handy deviation for travellers needing a night to stay while on their way to or from Daker or Farafenni.