Otentic Eco Tent Experience

You stay at Otentic in one of twelve safari tents along the Grande Riviere South East, built with recycled wood and set on ground that hasn’t been dug into — the tents are designed to leave no trace when they go. The camp runs on solar power; hot water comes from solar heaters, and the lights dim when the battery bank runs low after sunset.

The river is the reason you’re here. You can take kayaks or paddleboards upstream through mangroves where monkeys watch from the branches, or downstream to where the river meets the lagoon. The camp keeps bicycles for riding into the village, where women cook meals for guests in their homes.

Each evening from half past seven to half past nine, the camp turns off its wifi for a digital detox. You can sit by the fire instead, or walk down to the water where the river sounds louder in the dark. The tents have private bathrooms with plant-based soap, and the showers run on rainwater collected from the roofs.

The kitchen uses vegetables from the camp’s garden and fish from the river. Meals are served on a deck overlooking the water, with the salt air mixing with the smell of lemongrass tea brewing in the kitchen.