Eco lodge · Okun Creek, Cross River
Sleep where the river meets the sea
Twelve rooms on stilts above a living mangrove creek. Kayak through root tunnels at dawn, paddle among fireflies at night, and plant the forest that will outlive us.
The lodge
Fifty minutes by boat from Calabar, past fishing villages and egret colonies, the creek opens into a quiet bend. Here we built a lodge that lifts off the ground so the forest and the tide can carry on beneath it.
Solar power, rainwater, a kitchen that cooks what the creek and the village gardens give, and guides who grew up on this water. Reservations are handled by our team in Wuse 2, Abuja.
Where you sleep
Three ways to stay
Stilt suite
Raised two metres above the creek on hardwood stilts, with a private deck facing the mangroves.
From ₦185,000 a night, half board
Canopy treehouse
Built into the crown of an old iroko, reached by a rope bridge, with a roof you can sleep under.
From ₦240,000 a night, half board
Creek villa
Two bedrooms, a plunge pool on the water and your own canoe tied to the jetty.
From ₦320,000 a night, half boardSignature
Plan your days around the tide
The creek rises and falls twice a day, and the best of the lodge follows it. Kayaks need the high water, the bird hide and the planting need the low. Our stay builder lays your days against the tide, warns you when a plan will not work, and prices everything as you go.
Example tide times for this demo.
By day and by night
Things to do on the water
Example figures for this demo. Our conservation work
Dining
Supper on the jetty
Pepper soup with catfish from the morning nets, plantain from the village gardens, palm wine for those who want it and zobo for those who do not. Our chef cooks one menu each night, by lantern light, over the water.
- Breakfast and dinnerIncluded
- Picnic lunch for the creek₦12,000
- Private jetty dinner for two₦65,000
We heard the tide turn under our bed at four in the morning, then watched a kingfisher from the deck with our coffee. Our children still talk about the fireflies.Adaeze and family, example guests from Abuja
Getting there
From Abuja in an afternoon
- Abuja to CalabarAbout 1 hour 10 minutes by air. Daily morning and afternoon flights.
- Airport to the jettyOur driver meets you, 35 minutes to Esuk jetty.
- Boat to the lodge50 minutes through the creeks, life jackets and cold towels on board.
When you are ready
Twelve rooms. One creek.
Build your stay, see the tide for your dates and hold your room with a 30 percent deposit through Receivly.