Reviews of Bulungula Xhosa Community Lodge

The location. Beautiful scenery and ease of access to the beach.

Getting to the venue is horrible. The roads are very bad. Although the distance are stated on the bookings platform the reality is that the roads are extremely bad and unsafe. We ended up staying one night because we wanted to go to coffee bay which take about 2 hours due to the bad roads. The thought of driving back for the second night was unbearable. There are no shops around and so you are left with what the venue is offering which is does not give you enough options. I would not recommend the venue for family getaway. Perhaps more suitable for a solo traveller.

Community and atmosphere

Mosquitos in the house at night

Wonderful part of the Wild Coast. Lovely and safe community run lodge. Bulungula Xhosa community owns and runs the lodge. You will meet the members not only in the kitchen and reception, but they hang out and play soccer on the beach and play drums in the evening. Many activities can be booked with community members to get local experience. Cool spot for hiking and fishing too.

Please, remember that the place is reachable on challenging dirt road between 1.5 - 2.5 hours from the paved road. Worth coming for a few days since you put energy in the drive.

The vieuw was beautyful. Nice to see the whole community works together

The roadi to Come overthere

The spot The experiences they offer

They property was really ideal what I wanted to stay at and they refunded me

This stay costed me an arm and a leg a leg trying to get there as when I asked if the place was reachable by car I was informed that it is, however it is not! You need a 4x4 and it’s gravel road. I was stuck on a gravel for 5 hours as I awaited help as my car hit a rock and all the oil leaked out the samp, property promised to send someone and no one came

The activity options are fantastic and numerous. The food options are also great since we weren't able to take our own food. The showers and toilets were a wonderful adventure and works a little different than we're used to and they were clean. The beach around the living area is wonderful to explore and I wish we had more time to explore. The atmosphere was very restful and relaxing with various people to chat to and experiences to share.

The weather was a bit rainy, but the place itself was great.

It's the perfect spot to relax, meet people, learn about Xhosa culture

It's very difficult to use the road to get there, if it's raining.

Xhosa hospitality at its best. No bells, no whistles... just simplicity and good vibes all around.

The roads leading there are terrible! If possible, do not drive there, rather use the lodge shuttle.

The location. The breakfast was great!

The road

Nothing

They didn’t even warn us of the dangerous driving road conditions. Slippery road accessible only by 4x4

Perfect place to relax couple of days. Friendly laidback staff, plenty of activities and tours to do. Exceptional place. Not touristy. Welcomming and friendly locals.

Very rough road to arrive to the willage. Almost imposible when rainy weather with regular 2x2 17inch wheeler rental. But we managed. Somehow. Get the information of the road conditions ahead by the reception and advise which route is the best to take as tehere are 2 unpawed routs leading to willage. See the map picture of the roads quality (11/2023)

We did not have breakfast but location was excellent

It is a little tricky to get there from turn off road to Coffee Bay - some additional signage would be good

The village is really beautiful and we loved the beach!

We stayed only one night but sadly we were not able to try the traditional Xhosa meal. Also, please keep in mind that it is way easier to reach the village with a 4x4 car.

Bulungula has a pool of great and friendly staff (including the kitchen staff) and the community. Mr Mlungu is ever a helpful matured man and has become a friend. David and team accommodate us with all our whims with grace - thank you.

Some of the community dogs that come around look sad and old

The lodge offers a gorgeous view of the river mouth and the painted rondavels are very pretty. The lodge is entirely managed by the community and offers plenty of activities also benefitting the community. The staff is very welcoming and the traditional dinner was delicious. The road to get there can be tough and so you need a good car!

The fact that it is a community run, eco friendly place means so much. It is on a gorgeous piece of land overlooking the ocean. The staff and the community is very nice and friendly.

It is such a shame the regional government is not investing on the roads. Unfortunately the road to reach Bulungula is so bad that it takes 3 hours to make 68 km.

This property was simply the most amazing place we have ever visited! The location was out of this world beautiful, surrounded by stunning nature and abundant wildlife. As a family with a young child, we were thrilled to see so many animals right at our doorstep. The warm hospitality of the hosts made us feel so welcomed and at home, and we appreciated the thoughtful touches that added to our comfort. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a truly unforgettable African experience in a child-friendly and welcoming environment, with endless opportunities to explore and appreciate the natural world.

It was difficult to reach, but totally worth it. Thats what made the experience even better :)

Andiswa the host was excellent, the rest of the staff and Mr Mlungu was awesome! All the staff are really nice and made my stay comfortable