Children and adults gather around a community water well at Sandicoly Ecofarm in Senegal, beside a water storage container and traditional village huts.

Experience the Real Senegal at Sandicoly Ecofarm

If you want to experience Senegal and meet the real Senegalese people, Sandicoly Ecofarm is the right place for you. You can cook together with a Senegalese family and eat together from one pot. Or do one of the many other excursions.

Hanan • 2 minutes read • 11 March 2026

Almost 10 years ago, the Belgian Luc Triekels and his wife Fanny Daniëls were on holiday in Senegal. It was their first time in Africa. Luc, a hobby wildlife photographer, went to Senegal for the extraordinary nature, but returned to Belgium with more than 2,000 pictures of Senegalese people.

Luc Triekels.

Alt text: A woman in traditional clothing cooks a meal on a gas stove at Sandicoly Ecofarm in Senegal.

Cooking.

The land and the people attracted Luc and Fanny like a magnet. How the Senegalese people live in poverty and yet live so happily. After that holiday they didn't go back to Senegal for a few years, but this adventure kept haunting in their minds. And they absolutely wanted to go back, but with the intention of doing something for these people.

In 2016, they decided to buy a piece of land in Senegal to start a gardening project. This 1 hectare garden is located in the middle of the bush ‘nature’ and had to be guarded against robbers. Such as monkeys, wild boars and many others. That's why they needed a gardener and therefore also a cabin so that the gardener can protect himself in the rainy season.

Cabins.

Bathroom.

But they wanted to do all kinds of projects to support the local peoole. So this cabin became a four-room building with an outdoor kitchen. They currently rent 2 rooms to tourists and with the proceeds they can finance their projects.

At their eco garden they grow their own vegetables and fruits. Half of this garden has been left wild for birds and other animals. About 250 bird species live there. Their backyard is 65,000 hectare mangrove area - sea water with several thousand islands — where you can swim and fish.