Fathala Wildlife Reserve

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We spent 3 nights in Fathala during February 2025. The food, accommodation and staff were excellent. Our main guide Mamadou was very knowledgeable with very good English and a real passion for wildlife. For experienced Safari goers the range of animals is limited and it felt a little bit like a very large wildlife park. However, for a first venture into the African bush with our children (8 &10) this camp was just right. It could have been improved slightly if there had been literature for the children (and adults) to use as reference material. A basic field guide list of common animals and plants that you could then tick and date once you had spotted them would have been a really nice keepsake. A map of the area would have also been a bonus.

I had a wonderful time.. food was good, hospitality excellent, staff courteous and Safari was exceptional The tents were very comfortable and clean and despite it was in the middle of the forest, it was so calm

Stayed in Fathala lodge for 1 night. Very comfy room and bed. Loved the expertise our game drive guide had, professional and good knowledge of nature surrounding and its animals. Staff at the lodge nice and very helpful. Dinner and breakfast were good. Would wish more vegetarian options for the breakfast buffet. However the lodge prices outrageous - 2500 CFA ~ 4€ for a bottle of water when you’re remote with no other options (normal price in senegal 400 CFA ~ 0,60€), postcard basically advertising their own lodge 7000 CFA ~ 10€ (??). If you don’t pay for the package, breakfast is 18€ pp. Maybe the owners expect everyone to be happy (or trust their customers be unknowing about senegalese prices) and pay expensive prices, even on european standards, in Senegal. They also mention it’s forbidden to bring food and drinks from outside to their lodge. Wifi is also charged at 5000 CFA ~ 7,60€, sim card wouldn’t do you no good since the place is so remote. Feels silly to be benefitting from wildlife customers this badly when the country around you is at least 4 times cheaper. The south african lady at the lodge also doesn’t miss a chance to remind you about kevin the rhino and how he likes to come to the area infront of the lodge, this feels a bit too promising to keep bringing it up since we for example didn’t have the pleasure of seeing him, yet our hopes of seeing him were kept unnecessarily high - he is a wild animal after all. All in all we were happy with our visit to Fathala reserve and to Fathala lodge. Besides the rhino, we were lucky (and happy) to see basically all the other animals living in the reserve. Coming to Fathala for 1 night was a splurge on our month long budget holiday in Gambia and Senegal, so for us the pricing inside the lodge was a massive downside and affected our opinion about the experience. Only by 1 star though.

Great stay.lodges are spacious and comfortable. Food excellent . Went on mangrove sundowner and safari drive both great with knowledgeable guides. Saw crocodiles and the most stunning birds plus a jackal

What an absolutely amazing place Fathala Wildlife Reserve is, we ventured out of our Riu Hotel and traveled 4 hours to get to this place.... And we were not disappointed, everything about this place is rock star treatment but with the utmost respect for the animals on the Reserve... The moment you arrive at the hotel you are treated like royalty, through the check in process and then while being shown around your room. The whole process is very easy and everyone here is so professional and considerate. The management take the time to talk to each and every one at the hotel and it was a real pleasure to see, and that's coming from someone who doesn't like to talk. The rooms are amazing especially considering your location, in the middle of the reserve. And sitting on your verander in the afternoon looking at the animals visiting the watering hole was just breath taking. The walking with Lions experience was also truly amazing, the guides were brilliant and you could see the love they had for these lions was so sincere. There are lots of Do's and don't buy to be honest they all made sense. I would say however that there are a small number of lockers if needed before you do the walk which we weren't aware of but this didn't matter as we were only stopping down the road actually on the reserve anyway. Some may think or say it's slightly out of their price range but trust me when I say it is certainly worth stretching that little extra for, you will not be disappointed. This place is truly a 'YOU MUST VISIT' in your lifetime sort of place / experience. I have soo many photos of the 2 days spent here but this place is a must visit if you're in Senegal or Gambia, you will not be disappointed, I promise.... If you contact them they will also arrange pick up and drop off, we were 200km+ away and they managed to arrange collecting us on time and dropping us back hassle free and all paid at check out (minus the booking deposit). Honestly, trust me, this place has to be visited...